Today I have a guest post for you all to read.  Please welcome Zara Lewis to Our Unschooling Journey.  She has written a post I am sure that you are all going to love as much as I do! 

The Best Ways to Nurture Your Child’s Love of Art

Nurturing your child’s inner artist is one of the greatest things you could do for them. A love of art broadens children’s horizons, boosts their creativity and develops their imagination. Children who love art are more in touch with their feelings. They also practice their fine motor skills and work on their patience. If you develop your children’s love of art, you are opening a door for them: a door that leads to a world where they are never bored. Of course, having kids who are able to sit still for a while and immerse themselves in the world of their imagination is great for moms too. Whichever way you look at it, it’s a huge win. So, let’s get to it! Here are some of the best strategies to turn your tot into a bona fide art lover!

Make It Fun

With kids and activities, it’s all about fun. If they feel that something is being forced on them, they will probably hate it, or flat out refuse to do it. Don’t nag your child, and don’t expect them to be great at it. Creating pressure to excel can have a negative effect. After all, it doesn’t really matter whether your kid is a natural-born artist. Our imagination develops the more we use it, and the same goes for motor skills, so even when they are not exceptionally talented, kids get better at art with practice. Instead of making them do something they are not too keen on, pique their interest with super fun activities: collect different shaped leaves for collages, use a randomizer to create hilarious artwork ideas, explore some great techniques and buy diverse and colorful supplies like glitter and googly eyes.

Broaden Their Horizons

It might sound strange, but a love of art is not developed solely by doing art. Your mission will benefit from anything that develops emotional intelligence and one’s inner world. One of the most important strategies to achieve that is to read a lot. Nurture a love for storytelling by reading consistently to your kids from a very young age. Once they are old enough, get them a library membership, and encourage them to read by themselves. Take them to the theater to see children’s’ shows regularly, or to the cinema for animated and family movies. Once they are old enough, introduce them to your local galleries and museums. And don’t forget to discuss these visits with them afterwards. Encourage them to share their impressions, opinions and emotions.

Take up Calligraphy

Calligraphy is a great way to incorporate art into your school kid’s writing skills. After all, who doesn’t want to have a beautiful handwriting? This art form is great for kids’ development for several reasons. First of all, today, when we are surrounded by so many screens, kids often lack the ability to sit still if they are not staring at one. Calligraphy is slow work – it teaches patience and precision, and rewards these traits with gorgeous results. It also has a really long and interesting past, which can be interesting to little history buffs.  Taking a calligraphy pen and sitting down to work will allow your child the time to slow down, think, and appreciate beauty.

Try Origami

Origami might seem trivial – after all, it’s just folding paper, right? Wrong! The engaging activity is actually excellent for your kids’ mental, intellectual and aesthetic growth. Kids usually love origami because it’s fun, and they get a tiny figurine as a reward for their effort. But while they are folding away, they are actually learning advanced mathematical skills like fractions and geometry, boosting their patience and precision, and honing their spatial visualization skills. And don’t forget that the art of origami also exposes your kids to a different culture. Start with easier designs, then slowly build up to more complex ones as you get the hang of it. Starting out too ambitiously might prove too hard, and have a discouraging effect.

Nurturing the inner artist in your children is a slow, and even a never-ending process, but one that pays off immensely in the long run. Every child has potential, but it’s up to you to make the best use of it. 


More about Zara: 

Zara Lewis (Twitter: @ZaraELewis) is a mom, fitness & yoga enthusiast and a regular writer for High Style Life. She is devoted to implementing healthy life habits in every aspect of life of her family and friends. She loves to share her parenting tips and is always open to learning some new skills, because she sees her parenthood as going to school forever. She enjoys traveling, hiking, cycling and baking.

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