Kids and Arts

Kids and art is my tip No. 1 and yes, I intend to begin with what is perhaps the simplest of them all. Crafts and arts for children normally bring to mind a box of gaily coloured crayons and a dozen colouring books. Okay, that's as good a place as any to start I guess, but surely you can do better as your child gets bored with that same old same old.

Photograph courtesy cohdra-morguefile.com

Kids craft and art really means much more than a box of crayola. My idea is to bring out the kernel of tremendous potential in the forgotten things that used to be part of growing up not so long ago. Crafts and art for children have come a long way and there's something to suit kids of even the weirdest temperaments.

Traditional arts and crafts are imbibed by children as a matter of routine even today in certain societies. Of course, at least some of them have to be coerced into this imbibing, but somehow whether they stick with it or not, in later life it does become an irrevocable part of them and is at their disposal to use whenever they feel so inclined.

One art, one craft

Make sure you have interested your kid in one art and one craft by the time she is three years old. I guess this is as good a spot as any to actually differentiate between crafts and arts in general. When I say art, I mean something creative, a sort of talent at self expression that mostly finds a medium in colours, shades, liquid mediums such as water, oil, paint etc.

Craft would be something that calls for skill and dexterity in moulding, cutting, fashioning, often working with more tangible objects such as wood, cardboard, metal, wire, plastic, ceramic or natural elements such as stones, pebbles, rocks etc. Now we don't have to get too hung up on these barely discernible differences, but the point is that I would like you to treat arts and crafts as two different entities rather than lump them up as one.

Photograph courtesy earl53-morguefile.com

Now art may not be your cup of tea, and ergo, you decide or do not consider it as being important for your child. This might not be a conscious decision on your part to deprive your progeny of all exposure to anything art. Often it is just an oversight, or sometimes there is a valid reason, such as prohibitive cost or unavailability of quality coaching. Be that as it may, the child grows up and has no experience of art, other than a short time in kindergarten when he got to draw a few squiggles with crayons and eat the most colourful one.

Photograph courtesy lukeok-morguefile.com

If parents are already into some form of art or craft, mission accomplished, I would say. Kids are great imitators and as curious as kittens. So work on that and let them see how you're enjoying yourself with that origami or collage, and soon enough, they'll want to find out what the fuss is all about. 

Photograph courtesy Sideshowmum-morguefile.com

Of course, it goes without saying; make sure you choose temperament and age-appropriate crafts and art for your child. You really wouldn't want your toddler mucking around with tiny beads and needle point. Ideally, begin with short projects that show quick results so you don't test that pint-sized patience. And then gradually introduce them to more complex arts as they grow older.