Comments on: Doing projects with kids - what’s the trick?

By: Gabrielle DiPietro

Gabrielle DiPietro — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 16:34:41 +0000

I love doing art with my kids. Sometimes I think I like it more than they do! Sometimes I get very frustrated when they don’t do something the way I want them to! However, it is important to allow them to express themselves in their own way. The best thing is to ask them questions with interest, not judgement, in your voice. Why did you do this, or that? Why did you pick pink? Then show them the technique you wanted them to use so they can see the difference between the two. They still may choose their own way, but that’s ok. It’s art! Try not to take it too personally and you may learn something in the process, too! I know it’s difficult, but the trick is to try not to take it too seriously and just have FUN with your kids!

By: K. Twigg

K. Twigg — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 20:14:33 +0000

My daughter, Julia (age 5)produces the best art when I am in the room, but removed from the process. She likes me to bring out new materials, lay out the newspaper and plastic to protect the floors and then show her a new technique. I then have to step away and let her go. She usually calls if she needs some help or a major thing happened.

If I sit down beside her, I cannot keep my mouth shut or hands off her work. She works better when I am across the room knitting.

By: Margaret Pezalla-Granlund

Margaret Pezalla-Granlund — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 03:13:53 +0000

That’s a good point — O does have an interest in making functional things, or at least practical things. He’ll sometimes make things he wants — like he’ll make a “laptop” out of a box, or the garage or fire station. If it functions, he’s pretty happy with it. And he does play with them after he makes them.

I’ve also found it helps if I am working on one of my own artworks. I was building a model of a dairy queen, and O got really interested in making his own model (not the ideal time for me to help him, since I was trying to get in studio time). But seeing what I was making, even though I didn’t think it was something he’d be all that into, was an inspiration for him. And he took his model far beyond what I built — he added all the ice cream machines, and a delivery truck, and picnic tables outside.

By: Christina

Christina — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 21:33:20 +0000

Some kids have a hard time with creation outside of function. Creating details that are functional items and challenge the imagination is one way to work with this. Try creating a garage door for the car. Discuss the different ways the door could possibly work. Does the door flip up or swing out? Do we attach the door with glue, pipe cleaner or wire?

Sometimes kids just have to find the right tool. There was one kid I worked with who never spent more than 2 minutes on any art-making activity and he hated to get messy. One day we colored paper towel rolls and I was floored by the amount of time he spent on it. It was just a paper towel roll with some crayons!?! Nevertheless he colored the entire thing slowly, directly, and beautifully. After I praise the beauty of his work I asked him why he spent so much time on it. He told me it was fun to color something rounded and he thought it was interesting that to hold it one hand while he colored it with the other. He didn't suddenly find every art-making activity after that enjoyable, but I would ask to think of how to hold what we were making differently and that sometimes worked. It was a small, but important step.

Trial, error and a ton of questions might get you somewhere, but I know no trick.