Art for Young Folks: Teach, Learn, Make, Share, and Repeat

BY REMELISA CULLITAN

Did you know incorporating art and creativity in a child’s life can help with the development of fine motor skills, language and literacy, and social and emotional learning? According to the National Association for the Education of Young Children, “…even short spurts of creative time greatly impact social, cognitive, and emotional development of children in their earliest formal years and create long-lasting memories.” I see this firsthand in the variety of ways kids engage with the events I host!

Youth Art programs at Spokane Public Library can be divided into two categories: experiential and technical.

Technical art is a style of learning that helps define motor skills based on understanding art theory, proportions, perspective, and other artistic elements. It can be practiced using new materials, tools, art expression styles, and help discover new ways to use traditional materials like pencils and crayons in varying ways. Some events we have hosted that fall into this category are Crayon like a Pro or Learn to Draw: Hands.

Experiential art activities are more immersive and hands-on. This style encourage kids to engage with their project on a deeper level and push the boundaries of their creative expression. I aim to teach between 5 to 15 minutes so that the rest of our time is focused on making and exploring. There is never a hard expectation of what young artists should be making. As long as they are engaging with the program in positive ways, then they are free to create and make as they see fit.

As an experienced art teacher, I see time and time again the importance of kids teaching each other or their grownups about their art project. By providing opportunities for them to teach in their own words, it reinforces what they know. The amount of pride in their work and their knowledge is immeasurable, and I can see how they proudly carry themselves throughout the rest of the program. Last year at my embroidery class, Fiber Art: Stitched Lines, I saw kids showing one another how they tied their knots and incorporated different stitches they learned from home in order to add to their creations.

In addition to sharing what they know, I always encourage kids to share what they made. Many are eager to share with each other and are curious to see what others have made. Even kids who are on the shy side light up when they talk about their art.

If you’re interested in incorporating more creativity and art into your children’s lives, visit events.spokanelibrary.org.