Ever wonder how to introduce painting to children? I am going to demonstrate How to Painting to Children to make it a rewarding experience for everyone. What materials you have, how you present them to children, the importance of focusing on the process of painting and the language you use all help build a positive, enriching experience.
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MATERIALS FOR HOW TO INTRODUCE PAINTING TO CHILDREN
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tempera paints
paint brushes
paint pallette
water cup
paper towel/small sponge
large white paper
AREAS OF DEVELOPMENT ENHANCED THROUGH PAINTING
artistic expression
fine motor development
gross motor development
creativity
language development
color exploration
Prior to inviting your children to paint set up painting stations at a table. Each child should receive a large piece of white paper
Begin the painting experience by demonstrating to your child how she can dip her brush in the paint and then paint on a piece of paper. When your child wants to switch colors demonstrate how she can swirl her paint brush in the water and then blot the brush on the paper towel or sponge before switching colors. Don’t worry if your child doesn’t remember these steps. This process will take time and plenty of experience!
As your child dips her brush in the paint and makes small brush strokes she is focusing on fine motor development. Larger brush strokes that use the whole arm on large paper aid gross motor development. Both are essential parts of a child’s educational experience.
How you speak to a child while he works is just as important as the materials you present to him. Instead of starting sentences with “I like it.” or “It looks like a… to me” focus on statements that observe your child’s actions. “Luca, look at the way you put a blue line all the way across your paper. What did you do with your arm to make that line?”
Let color exploration happen naturally. There is no need to have a “blue day” or “how to mix colors lesson”. This type of knowledge will occur naturally during art experiences. You can facilitate this type of knowledge during painting sessions through the way you speak to the children. “Charlotte, look! I see purple on your paper, but I didn’t give your purple paint. Hmm, how do you think that happened?” It’s okay if your child says “I don’t know”. Color exploration is an ongoing process that requires time and hands on experimentation.
Painting explorations should never focus on an end product. If your child’s artwork ends up looking like a brown blob with more paint on his arms than the paper embrace it! Your child is learning!
