Resources to help my five-year-old artist
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My daughter draws so much too and she's 5 as well! Our house is overflowing with all her drawings and sketchbooks. I'd say offer all kinds of art supplies and opportunities to learn at art museum events and drawing together would be very beneficial to you and her! My daughter asks me how I draw things and then copies me. She also gives me some of the most valuable feedback on my paintings.
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Maybe you can try to make a picture book together with her. You could make a 32pages blank sketchbook, and fill in with drawings and words, one spread at a time. I think it might work to just keep asking what happens next when she finishes a spread, till the pages run out. I never did this, but I can not wait to try this when my daughter is 5. She is about 3, and sometimes she pretends that she is making a comic book. (She drew figures from time to time, but mostly just abstract doodles.).
I try very hard to avoid saying things like "oh, your drawing is really good." Instead, I just ask "was it fun to paint?". I want her to focus on the process, not the result of making a good drawing.
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@KathrynAdebayo That's fantastic work especially for her age!
I have a five and an eight year old that I'm always trying to think of things to introduce them to artistically too. Would love to see what folks suggest -
Hi there! What a great artist you already have.
I teach kindergarten in Australia 3-6year olds.
Our focus generally is very open and engaging process over product, but I do know how some children really really engage well with project work and love outcomes.We have done things like chosen a book - a favourite being ‘No David’ by David Shannon and replicated the shapes used to make their own David’s. Then once they had confidence in crafting a person type shape (we build images with basic shapes and it helps with mathematical language eg above, below, half, small, large, wide etc), then we made our own pages or if David was at kinder what would we not want him to do (which of course they thought was amazing. He of course was forgetting to use to toilet etc- children
)Choosing books with illustrations and varied mediums is so fun to explore- hungry caterpillar tissue paper collage type work etc.
There would actually be some svs learn classes some of my older students that love art would probably enjoy watching. They may not ‘get’ it all but no doubt it would inspire them.
We play games too like ‘finish this squiggle’ or ‘add to mine and I’ll addd to yours etc’ - drawing games.
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@TessaW great stuff
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Does anyone know some good apps for drawing for a 9 year old who loves art?
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@KathrynAdebayo Really good!
My two sons draw really well too. Usually we draw together on holidays and document our adventures. At home I try to draw in my sketchbook and not only in photoshop and thats when they join too. So for me its all about fun and thats when they learn most. -
@Laurel-Aylesworth Thank you, Laurel. You brought the essence of it to light, I think. I’ve been encouraged by two different artist friends to be proactive about helping her learn, but I think you’re right. It should stay fun for sure. I also love the museum idea. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your advice!
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@demotlj Hi Laurie, thanks so much for your advice. I love the reminder that the spirit behind my attention to her interest can be meaningful to her. At least, that’s what I took away from your post.
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@TessaW Hi Tessa, wow, I love the examples you shared. The “name the 3D shapes” game sounds so fun.
I love the thought that learning to see and identify shapes and the way they sit in space can be a casual, impromptu experience. Thanks so much for your advice! -
@KathrynAdebayo hey I have a four year old and he’s not interested in art at all but one thing I found that does gain traction is textures. Finding something that will make cool textures when you roll it on paper with paint. It gets them thinking about things. So for my son we use his trucks and the tires make cool tracks. Other things like slicing an apple in half and making stamps basically. I think at this age what’s best is to keep their interest for learning in mind and how to keep it creative and get them to take the risks that making art requires. They’ll develop in their own ways later on but for this age it’s fun to experiment over creating the final product. So colours and what happens when we mix them and dripping colours into water mixed with oil. I’d just look up artsy experiments and you already sound so supportive so totally keep that up because it’s amazing when people aren’t focused on the end game.
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@teresaro Thank you so much for your advice... I needed that reminder to let her be drawn to her own sources of inspiration by exposing her to many artists and styles. We actually tried the museum idea today and went to see an exhibit about da vinci. Thanks again!
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@CLCanadyArts wow, thank you! Great resources! I appreciate your advice... I like the idea to focus on what’s she’s interested in.
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@deborah-Haagenson Hi Deborah, That’s good to know... thank you very much!
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@KaraDaniel hi Kara, isn’t five year old art so inspiring?
And I hear you about the advice from our five year olds... usually I trust what my daughter says about my art more than anyone else! Thank you so much for the advice... I’ll see what kinds of programs are in the area, and I think you’re right - drawing together means a lot to both of us. -
@xin-li Hi Li, wow, what a great idea! I love it! She already makes “books” by taping together a cardboard cover and taping pages of drawings inside, but to help her with the process a bit in order to make a story would be very fun. It would be great to see what she would come up with. I can imagine that your daughter is lucky to have such an amazing artist as a mom to do projects with as she grows up! I was wondering, do you care for your daughter throughout the day as well as work on your art? I find it hard to manage both, but you seem to find time to do serious projects. Thank you so much for your advice and input.
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@Lauz_in_gumboots Hello! This sounds like a wonderful project for this age group. Thank you so much for the advice... I love the idea of looking to already published art for inspiration.
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@aska Hi! I love the idea of documenting adventures... thank you so much for your advice. It’s great to read these reminders to focus on the fun.
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@Paint-Doodles Hi! Thank you so much for you’re advice and encouragement. I love that you mentioned developing the capacity to take risks and be creative and experimental. That is so helpful! It sounds like you do some awesome stuff with your four-year-old.
