art School
September 6, 2019
I stumbled across this quote this week, rather aptly considering the schools went back after Summer at the same time. It struck me as soon as I read it. Art is such a great source of self expression, I’ve mentioned that in previous posts ( here & here) , but I hadn’t given too much thought to it in the case of children and young adults. Of course, using art in children’s education can be very powerful!
Out of the mouths of babes
When running the gallery I always enjoyed when visitors and buyers brought their children to the exhibitions. They were always so free and confident with their opinions and often saw interesting things in the artwork that the adults didn’t
Individuality is such a wonderful thing to instil in a child. Especially in a social media led society where comparison and the portrayal of unrealistic lives are rife. It’s difficult to keep young minds engaged with individuality these days. Maybe art can help with that though.
How art can help
With all this in mind, I put together suggestions of three art led activities for children that you can try between now and mid-term. Doing one or all of these will give your child an outlet for expressing their individuality as well as burning some of that boundless weekend energy
Visit your nearest gallery or art museum
Simply take a walk through the exhibitions (some or all of which are free to visit) and chat with your children about what they see. Often the bigger museums will have a children’s activity to accompany an exhibition, like a find the object list or a drawing exercise. Be sure to ask at reception about this.
Do an art activity
Locally here in Cork both the Glucksman & Crawford art galleries hold regular children’s workshops at the weekends, for example. Or if you’d rather stay in the comfort of home take out the crayons and markers and do some drawing together. If you have a high energy bunch of kiddies (and the weather is dry) try an outdoor art activity click here for some ideas or take a trip to the beach and draw in the sand.
Do a little art shopping
Visit a local or online art store and let your junior choose a print or poster to hang on their bedroom wall. Try Dusty Boy for a great kids selection. Alternatively, collect together your child’s most recent drawings or paintings and allow them to choose which ones they’d like best. Get creative with the display and put an art exhibition of work by your mini Picassos & Khalos on in your own home!
A Little Bit of Context …
In a previous life I qualified in Early Childhood Studies so I’ve always had a keen interest in childhood development and education. That’s why Gurewitz Clemens’ quote resonated with me so much. It combined my two loves, education and art . Also, I truly feel that anything that can encourage individuality in children and young people is so valuable for them and for society as a whole. What a wonderful place the world is with so much diversity and expression and what better way to maintain that than through art in children’s education
Add a comment
0 Comments