‘My child doesn’t draw’…
It’s a comment I often hear. Because yes, I tell you that you can learn a lot about a child through their drawings, but what if they don’t draw at all?! Don’t panic. Not every child enjoys drawing. And that’s okay.
Every child is different. Some children prefer playing outside, running around and climbing. Also wonderful!
However, you can do a few things to stimulate a child’s creative development. Below, I’ve listed 7 tips for you. And then those children’s drawings will surely come!
7 Tips:
- Make it inviting; make it look neat. Sort the materials. Lay them out. Perhaps you have a corner in the room that is ‘spare’ where everything can go and anything is allowed. With a plastic sheet on the floor and washable paint on the wall so a child can focus on creating rather than worrying about ‘be careful, don’t mess up!’.
- Make it easy for them. The easier children can get started, the better. Ensure materials are visible and within reach. At home and in my practice, I have a stack of paper, a coloring book, and a pot of pencils on the table. A child is more likely to draw ‘on the side’ when it’s readily available and thus will be more inclined to draw.
- Draw together. Drawing together can be nicer than alone. Colour in a coloring page together (and don’t worry about whether your child stays within the lines 😉 or take turns drawing something on the same sheet without agreeing on what it will be. It’s also a great exercise in following your child’s lead.
- Set a good example. Children mimic behaviour. Show that you enjoy drawing. That it’s not about being beautiful or clever, but about creating and having fun. This increases the chances that they will draw. Because let’s face it: how nice is it when mum says ‘I can’t draw’ or ‘well, this one failed’… Not very inviting, right?
- Back to pleasure and creating. An important one: it’s not about the performance, but about the pleasure and creating! Don’t put pressure on the child by telling them what you think, a child’s drawing doesn’t always need to be judged. Look at the process instead of the result. Back to basics; enjoyment in creating. Things you can do include: scribbling, drawing with your ‘wrong’ hand, drawing with your eyes closed, coloring with both hands at the same time…
- Stay away from value judgments, such as ‘how beautiful/clever/strange’, don’t ask what things mean. Instead, ask ‘would you like to tell me about the drawing?’. Give your child space.
- Offer different materials. Each material appeals to a child differently. It varies from moment to moment what they feel drawn to, and then it’s nice to have different materials available.
Good quality
That should be enough to get started in my opinion. What will you try or do you have any tips yourself? Let us know, we can all benefit from that. And last but not least: no need to panic if a child still doesn’t draw. Often it comes naturally when they go to school. With these tips, you make being creative more enjoyable AND easier. The fact remains that not every child wants to sit quietly at the table. BONUS TIP! Ensure good quality materials! Really; nothing is as frustrating as empty markers, broken tips, and paper that’s gone when you want to draw. It’s better to pay a little more for lightfast pencils, good sturdy markers, paper that doesn’t tear quickly when working with watercolours. In the coming time, I will share materials with you that I like to work with.