Higher forms of mental activity are constructed and transferred to children through dialogue with other people. Art-making is often a social activity for young children where language is developed. What follows are some questions for adults to ask when they talk with children about their artwork.

1. What can you tell me about your picture?

This open-ended question is a great way to get kids to start talking about their art. This lets the kid do the talking about his creation instead of you limiting their imagination license by imposing your perceptions. What can be worse than saying, “That mountain is pretty”, only to discover later that it was in fact a hut.

2. How did you get the idea for this picture?

By explaining the inspiration, the child recognizes his own creative spark and makes the connection from real-life events to artistic creation.

3. What do you like about your picture?

This question teaches your child to value his own internal validation rather than performing in hopes of gaining the approval of others, and hence, eventually boosts their self-confidence.

4. What title would you give this work?

A title encourages your child to think about the main idea or concept of their work.

5. Why did you”¦..use brown for the sky? Make the girl so much larger than the boy? Use only the bottom of the paper?

Basically ask why the child decided to draw or color a specific element of the work in a particular way. Make sure your tone is neutral – you are asking for clarity, not judging or criticizing the work.

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6. How were you feeling when you made this picture?

This question helps them draw a connection between their then-emotions and the resulting creative expression.

7. If you could make this picture again, what would you do differently?

This question induces your child to literally look at the other side of the picture and consider the alternatives. It teaches your child to critically analyse their work, evaluate their strengths & weaknesses, and thus, be even more creative & innovative in their next work.

Help your child express themself creatively, yet learn to think critically.

The post Early Childhood Development: Let’s Have Some “Art Talk” appeared first on Novak Djokovic Foundation.

• Developing motor skills: Drawing helps a child practice holding a writing tool, using hand-eye coordination and developing the muscles in their hands and fingers.
• Developing patience and concentration: The world is a busy place and drawing and coloring allows the child to focus on an activity that needs to be completed. Children learn to stay engaged with the activity until it is done.
• Allowing a child to relax: Drawing is therapeutic for a child and allows them to relax and put their emotions on a piece of paper.
• Recognizing colors: Coloring introduces brightness and shades to a child, helping them recognize the differences between them.
• Showing self expression: A blank piece of paper is a canvas for a child and allows them to express themselves through shapes and colors.²
• Giving a sense of achievement: “Look what I did!” a child will say when they’re done. They completed an activity and feel proud of it their work.
• Bonding time between parent and child: Sitting down to draw with your child is a great way to spend quality time with them and create a masterpiece together.

Drawing and coloring doesn’t mean a child needs a fancy coloring book with pre-set lines and numbers. The activity can be done with a blank piece of paper, an old newspaper or even a wall. If you have computer accessibility, there are also numerous web sites that have free resources, such as Crayola³ and NickJr⁴, with wide varieties of printable themes that all children will enjoy.

A colored pencil, crayon or marker and a blank piece of paper will go a long way for a child. Let them spend some time drawing and coloring. The activity will help them grow and will give you a piece of art to display proudly in your home.

Do your children draw? Are the walls of your house sometimes scrawled with drawings of giraffes, little flowers, clouds or sun? Do they prefer to paint with crayons or colored pencils? What are the favorite motifs that your kids love to draw?

Tell us, we’d love to hear about your experiences.

1 http://www.artsusa.org/get_involved/advocacy/funding_resources/default_005.asp
2 http://www.voicesofyouth.org/en/posts/let-s-draw-together—–the-advantages-of-drawing
3 http://www.crayola.com/free-coloring-pages/
4 http://www.nickjr.com/printables/all-shows/coloring-pages/all-ages/index.jhtml

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