Visual Arts
Helping Your Six-Year-Old Become an Artist
Helping Your Six-Year-Old Become an Artist
At 6, children have developed greater control over their bodies, hands, and fingers. They enjoy making things and have longer attention spans. They can trace objects and fold and cut paper. And they often have a fairly defined process for how they develop a drawing. Objects in their pictures are often no longer floating in space but placed on the ground, and more important objects are often larger than those of less importance. Six-year-olds are also better at following directions, so this is a time when you might introduce craft kits (any younger, these can be frustrating), but make sure to still provide opportunities for open-ended art-making. Continue introducing new art materials. For example, try painting with cotton balls, Q-tips, sponges, string and toothbrushes instead of brushes. Collect recycled materials for collages.
Six-year-olds are anxious to please and seek adult approval and reassurance. Ask your children open-ended questions about their work and offer specific comments — without judgment — about what you see (e.g., “I love the bright colors you used in your painting. It makes me feel happy!”).