Do you make New Year’s resolutions?
I do. Or rather, goals to work toward.
I have a few related to art, and specifically to kids creativity, that I wanted to share with you today.
I think these are areas in which many parents struggle. And I’m no exception!
My Resolutions for Better Encouraging Kids Creativity
1. Organize and manage the piles of kids’ art better.
I have an art storage system in place that I like but that I don’t always keep up with. So my goal is to go through the stacks of art that have accumulated and file the keepers in the kids’ art boxes.
And then stay on top of it going forward!
2. Create a new art display wall.
This one is no longer up and I might try one of the other ideas from this post of (21) ways to display kids art. I also just invested in a couple more of the interchangeable kids’ art frames I shared at the end of this post.
3. Start a daily sketchbook habit and drawing practice for myself and to set an example for my kids.
I’m on day four of keeping a daily sketchbook and am loving it so far (more soon!). I like that the kids see me creating regularly and they have joined in a couple times. I also want to get over my self-limited belief that I’m not a “good artist.”
I also want to get back into doing the Drawing with Children exercises together with them.
4. Stretch outside my comfort zone with kids’ art materials and techniques.
Encourage and facilitate clay creation more often despite my own hang ups about the medium. Do more sculpture and 3D art. Try more new ideas instead of resorting to our tried and trues so often. Try at least one new art material and art technique a month.
How about you? Do you have any New Year’s resolutions that relate to your kids creativity?
15 More Ways to Encourage Kids Creativity
- Be mindful of how you talk to kids about their art.
- Create a kids’ art space (that will get used).
- Read a new kids’ art book for ideas and inspiration.
- Give art materials and art kits as gifts this year instead of toys.
- Work through the Drawing with Children exercises as a family.
- Have your child’s artwork transferred to canvas and hang on the wall.
- Have a regular family art night—perhaps once a week or once a month—whether that means you cover the table with butcher paper and doodle during or after dinner, gather together to play an art game in the evening before bed, or begin every weekend with an art journal session.
- Set up simple art activities for the kids for after school or after naptime.
- Read children’s picture books together about art and creativity.
- Go to art museums more often (and find ways to make it fun to instill a love of the experience).
- Stock the art cupboard with some new art materials.
- Start a children’s art group or host art playdates.
- Throw an art party or a messy party.
- Encourage creative exploration in other areas besides visual art, such as cooking, science, sewing, or music.
- Practice the art of strewing.
Want help fostering your children’s creativity? I have three online courses for parents who want to raise creative kids. Click here to buy now or learn more.
Pin It for Later
8 Comments
Crystal Foth
January 4, 2015 at 1:29 pmWhat great post! I look forward to setting up more creative spaces and art display areas in our home this year. I also want to get my own creativity habit back on track. Like you said – setting that example for our kids is vital. Thanks for the great art stuff that hits my inbox regularly! Happy creating to you in this new year!
Jean Van't Hul
January 4, 2015 at 1:43 pmThanks, Crystal! So glad you like the post. And good luck with your goals of setting up more creative spaces and art display areas as well as working on your own creativity.
I hope you and your family have an amazing, creative year!
Gina
January 4, 2015 at 1:55 pmMy kids are the ones who have inspired me to add more creativity to 2015. I’m the only one in the family who says, “I’m not good enough at ___.” So I’ve started journaling daily, which includes coloring and doodling, and I’m doing it in front of them during our morning routine, so I’m getting lots of positive encouragement. We also worked together over the break to clean out a basement room to use for art projects and other creations that need to be left out (as opposed to the dining room table where things can’t be left out to dry, etc.).
Jean Van't Hul
January 5, 2015 at 10:29 amWonderful, Gina!
Anya
January 4, 2015 at 8:59 pmGreat post! Daily sketching and drawing for all of us is my biggest art goal of the year.
Jean Van't Hul
January 5, 2015 at 10:29 amThat’s a good art goal to have, Anya!
krystine
April 9, 2015 at 8:28 amGreat ideas and thank you ever so much for heart*art*ful suggestions. Ever so thoughtful and kind. Thank you!
Jean Van't Hul
April 10, 2015 at 9:35 amYou’re welcome, Krystine!