How to Proudly Display your Child's Artwork
If you're anything like me, you're very picky about the things you display on the walls of your home. I usually reserve wall space for art that I'm especially fond of, photographs of our family and places I love. I also am not too keen about cluttering every inch of my fridge because frankly, clutter places me in a disagreeable state of mind and clouds my thinking. Overshare maybe? The point is that I like to display pieces I am proud of and that bring a smile to my heart. Here are a few tips for displaying your child's art pieces proudly and intentionally.
Allow the child to 'work' with quality art materials.
I noticed my child enjoyed painting after he brought a beautiful painting from school one day. So I decided to let him play with mama's watercolors at home one afternoon. I showed him how to dip the brush in the water in between color changes and he was completely focused on his art for the next thirty minutes or so. That's a lot of concentration for a 3 year old! Since this was a hit, I went out and bought him a children's watercolor kit. Knowing my little aquarius child, I should've known better. He quickly became frustrated and complained about the brushes "not coloring" and the color "not working". I realized the child watercolor set wasn't allowing him to create his best work, so now he only paints with mama's watercolors. Oh boy!
Don't teach your child art, instead set up a co-working art environment and let them explore beside you.
I use to be an art teacher of sorts during my college years. I even made art my minor and for a time was on track to earn an art education degree. Part of the fun of being a teacher is that you get to be the 'boss' and stand at the front of the classroom while everyone listens and watches you intently right? Not exactly, but we can dream. Actually, I have now come to believe that the best form of instruction is one-on-one and the best way to learn is by exploring for yourself along side a more experienced mentor. So while I worked on my art piece, my son watched me and he curiously explored with his own art piece. Voila!
Now you have beautifully created artwork you can proudly display on your walls with a bit of washi tape.
You have just become your child's art curator and can be so proud of yourself for giving them the freedom and tools to explore art in a meaningful way. Maybe your child is not the watercoloring type, but I believe you can apply these tips at home with any type of art. The key is in the quality of the art materials, whether it be markers, color pencils, clay, paint or paper. Take them on a trip to the art store and find some good tools, then lead them by example. Maybe you're not an art teacher yourself and don't feel very confident. Just give it a try and don't worry about your child thinking your art is less than perfect. Trust me, they'll just be happy to be doing something fun with you.
What is your favorite art activity with the littles? ♡
