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By
Catherine M. Pruissen
WHAT'S
- Incredibly
fun?
- A
crucial communication skill?
- A
powerful self-esteem launcher?
- An
extraordinary window to your child's imagination?
- Wonderful
therapy?
- A
great family pastime and a conduit for creative
enthusiasm?
THE
ANSWER?
Art!
According
to Mark Kistler, or "Commander Mark" as he is known
on his national PBS TV series, The Secret City, in
his booklet, Drawing On Art For Self-esteem,
published by the Independent Order of Foresters, kids
who have been exposed to a rich visual arts program
have demonstrated remarkable improvements in all areas
of their curriculums. The areas of development most
affected by visual arts are a child's "thinking and
problem solving skills".
Art
should be included in every child care program, whether
centre-based or home care.
- Such
a program should be run on a daily basis and providers
(parents too) should be actively involved in the
activity with the kids.
- There
should be a specific art area, be it a certain corner
or table in the daycare or home where children can
unleash their imaginations.
- To
get the creative juices flowing, it helps to give
the children ideas like "Is the tree crying icicles
or did diamonds fall from the sky?" or: Umbrella
village is a very special place. What kind of people
do you think live there? What would their houses
look like? How would they dress?
Helping
to Build a Child's Enthusiasm for Art
There
are many things parents (and providers) can do to
encourage a child's enthusiasm for art and build their
self-confidence. For instance you could:
- Keep
track of your child's progress with a chart showing
his or her improvement.
- Demonstrate
the art - this is surefire confidence- set up an
area to show off the children's artwork. look for
your child's drawings and colorings - comment on
what you see.
- Ask
your child to tell you about the picture. You
can learn a lot about your child's feelings and
observations from what he or she does on paper.
- Start
a Drawing Club. Each member can send their pictures
to a friend, their parents, or a relative. They
can decorate a clubhouse with their artwork. A clubhouse
could be a large cardboard box, a corner of the
room, or anywhere they can display their art, do
more art, and gather for a common purpose.
Other
Benefits of Art
Besides the benefits noted above, art also develops
the small motor muscles in the hands. These muscles
are used for writing, buttoning, picking up small
objects, etc. A child whose fine hand muscles are
well-developed by the time he or she enters school
will have less difficulty learning to write their
name, the alphabet, and numbers. With this ability
learning becomes easier. Asking a child to tell you
about the artwork fosters language development as
the story flows into a picture itself. Talk to your
provider about your child's art program, and the suggestions
listed above. Work with her to set up a program your
child and the other children will enjoy. Bring in
supplies from home. You could raise money for a better
supply of art materials, or ask for donations whenever
possible. Above all, encourage your child to draw,
and appreciate his or her efforts.
For more information on The Independent Order of Foresters
or for a copy of Kistler's booklet, write to:
In Canada
IOF
789 Don Mills Rd.
P.O. Box 848
Toronto, Ont. M3C 1T9
Phone: (800) 268-6091
In
th U.S.A.
IOF
100 Border Ave.
Solana Beach, CA 92075-0848
Phone: (800) 922-4-I.O.F.
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