When children feel success they are excited to try...
As we reflect on our own childhood experiences and also those we have had while working with children we feel there is no substitute for positive encouragement when it comes to children and their drawing. Regardless of how creative a child seems to be, ability comes from practice. Children learn to talk by imitation... they basically copy what they hear, and we encourage them to do it over and over again. Children learn drawing skills in much the same way.
Drawing skills can best be enhanced by developing observation skills. With a young child rather than second guessing that he is drawing a cat we suggest the following ideas. Ask the child to tell you about their drawing. If they neglect to say exactly what the suspected animal is ask what they know about that kind of animal. Can you ride it? How big is it in real life? Do you know what kind of sound it makes? Once you know that what looks like a cat is actually a horse you have a place to begin. Be careful not to give the impression that you think something is wrong. You can help them learn to “see” what changes they need to make by reminding them what a horse looks like by asking questions. “Are you going to draw his mane next?” You can show where the mane grows if they are unsure about it. “You drew a nice long tail on your horse – horses have long legs too don’t they?”
Teach your child to 'see'...
Providing an opportunity for the child to “observe” horses would be excellent. Point out the size of the head, the length of the body, the small ears, the thickness of the long tail, etc. Help them see comparisons and to look carefully with question like, “is the body as long as his legs are tall? Are his legs thick or thin? Look how the legs taper. Is his neck the same length as his head?” If viewing a live horse is not possible you can look at pictures and talk about them in the same way.
Provide an opportunity for the child to “observe”
Marvin Bartel said,” In my experience, most parents need to be more affirmative and less critical of their children’s drawings. Correcting a child’s drawing mistakes can easily stop their interest in drawing. Children who get affirmation often continue to practice much more on their own.”
Provide a child with drawing materials and encourage them by providing simple items for them to try to draw. Guide them in observing the obvious as well as the nuances of each item. Help them recognize and see basic shapes, make comparisons, and see differences and similarities in size and proportion. Help them to see what is there and what isn’t there. Above all else remember that encouragement is the key. When children feel success they are excited to try again.
