Encouraging art and creativity in children

Encourage creativity in your children by providing them with the time, resources, encouragement and the space for making art. Try to set aside interruption-free time for drawing, in a mess-proof zone – so that their creativity can run wild. Make sure you cover all surfaces so that any splashes of paint or scribbles of crayon are ‘caught’ – because nothing squishes creativity more so than a parent saying “Don’t make a mess” at regular intervals.

Choosing the right drawing materials is also very important. Many craft materials can be improvised (think of kitchen roll tubes, yogurt pots etc) but when drawing tools and paper are required, opt for a small selection of good quality age-appropriate products, rather than loads of inferior products. Always make sure that you check safety information and follow instructions. Young children should always be surpervised during arts and crafts activities because many necessary materials – such as crayons – pose a choking hazard.

Surroundings:As with writing or working at a computer, good posture and a comfortable position are important for drawing. A child sized table and chair is actually preferable to an easel. If the chair is a little high, provide a phone book for a footrest. An inexpensive plastic chair  set in front of a coffee table works well. A small kitchen storage trolley is ideal for containing supplies, or if space does not permit, a portable tackle box is a good option too. Messy toddlers may need a drop-cloth and supervision to avoid ink-stained walls, as even ‘washable’ pens often don’t deliver on that promise!

Art Materials:Avoid cheap markers, too-hard pencils and thin paints – these types of materials are discouraging to the child and therefore  a waste of money. Provide many sheets of blank paper to inspire their creativity and occasionally invest in a canvas so that your child can paint something and chances are you’ll want to hang it on your wall!Provide coloring books as well or coloring pages which are bountiful online. True – coloring pages are not so great for creativity, however they do provide children with the chance to practice their fine motor skills – plus sometimes it’s very relaxing and just what they need. They can simply color in without the ‘pressure’ of thinking about WHAT to draw.  Little boys typically enjoy coloring pictures of cars and trucks while little girls usually enjoy colouring images of princesses and fairies - however you can’t go wrong with Disney characters and at sites like Disney Coloring Pages you’ll find the best Minnie Mouse coloring.

When it comes to art and to drawing and coloring in particular, at each age/stage of your child’s life provide….

Toddlers:

• Child-safe markers and wipe-off boards
• Chalk boards and safe chalk
• Plain paper and coloring pages

Juniors:

• Sketchbook
• Student colored pencils
• Washable Markers
• Oil pastels
• Plain paper and coloring pages

Middle School:

• Sketchbook  or scrapbook
• Graphite Pencils
• Watercolor sketch paper
• Watercolor pencils
• Marker pens, marker paper
• Plain paper and coloring pages

High School

• Sketchbook  or scrapbook
• Quality drawing papers and boards
• Graphite Pencils
• Artists’ quality colored pencils
• Illustration markers, marker paper
• Pastel paper and hard pastels if liked
• Plain paper and canvases to work on

All ages:

• Safe sharpeners, erasers, dusters, stencils and rulers
• A  folder for storing large pieces
• Storage boxes for smaller pieces
• Consider photographing or scanning pieces for a permanent record.

Move of the Week: Sharpshooter

Westland Giftware Mwah Magnetic Boxers Salt and Pepper Shaker Set, 3-1/2-Inch $4.40 Boxer Dogs Pups Salt & Pepper Shaker S/P Set…

Everlast Boxing Interval Training Round Timer (Gold) $14.50 Portable interval training timer ideal for training in the gym. Rubberize casing for enhanced grip and feel Detachable nylon lanyard 2 and 3-minute round options with :30 and :60 second rest periods in between rounds…

Wilton Spider-man Spiderman Cake Pan (2105-5050, 2002) Retired Marvel Comics $30.00 The contouring of the pan outlines the form and provides a generous backing to hold the cake. Crafted of quality aluminum, this bakeware heats evenly and keeps interiors moist while allowing surfaces to gently brown. Lightweight yet durable, it also retains its shape and transfers detailing clearly to the food surface. When the party is over, the pan cleans easily so there’s less time spent in the…

Boxer $7.92 With Boxer, the National have reached four albums into their increasingly lauded career, never hurrying the tempo, never over-reaching in volume or instrumental density. Instead, the quintet’s balanced on a pin, emotionally austere, if not utterly downhearted, finding brilliantly dusky ways for Matt Berninger’s lovelorn voice to mesh with a pair of unobtrusive guitars and, here, an occasional phal…

Champion $7.09 Powerful drama based on a story by Ring Lardner and set amid the world of pro boxing. In a breakthrough performance, Kirk Douglas plays a young man who reluctantly enters the ring and quickly rises to the top, while using the people who help him and falling under the Mob’s influence. With Marilyn Maxwell, Arthur Kennedy. 100 min. Standard; Soundtracks: English mono; production notes; scene access….

Ultimate Kicking Drills $12.95 Studio: Victor Multimedia-05 Release Date: 09/18/2007 Run time: 75 minutes…

Secrets of Dim-Mak [VHS] In this video, Erle Montaigue demonstrates actual knockouts on training partners to illustrate the potent power of dim-mak; locates the dim-mak points on the human body and shows the proper angle, direction and hand positioning for each strike; discusses how to summon up “fajing” (explosive animal power) and demonstrates the “small san sao” form, which encompasses the most deadly strikes in the my…

Boxing Helena [VHS] $11.95 The movie Boxing Helena is probably better known for the court case that sprang from it than for itself. Kim Basinger was famously sued for violating her oral agreement to play the lead role; the jury ruled against her to the tune of almost $9 million. Those who felt the ruling was unjust have no better evidence than the movie itself–who in their right mind would agree to play a woman whose obses…

Tae-Bo Workout: Instructional [VHS] $1.00 Billy Blanks’s Tae-Bo Workout: Instructional is the essential first step for anyone wanting to attempt any level of Tae-Bo workout. This tape, which had been available only as part of the two-tape Basic set, is now available for individual purchase, so if you want to dive right into one of Blanks’s more challenging workouts, you have the tools available to safely perform the exercises. Billed as t…

Sure Throw, 6.50 in. Cord Wrapped Handle, Set of 3, w/Sheath $4.64 6.50 in. overall length. Wrapped handle. Set of 3. Comesplete with a nylon sheath.ATTRIBUTES Blade Detail: Plain Blade Material: Stainless Carry System: Sheath Handle Material: Cord Wrapped Overall Length (inches): 6.50 Special Features: Set of 3 Knives…