Children are natural artists in a way, usually diving right into the finger paints and chalk with abandon, unafraid of what anyone will say about their finished masterpiece. They are future Picassos. They draw without fear, paint everything in sight, and believe that their painting deserves to hang in the front entry of the home forever because it’s the most beautiful thing ever created. In a way, every child is right!
Art reflects culture, and culture influences children’s views of the world around them. If children live with beauty and stimulating images around them, they will learn to be perceptive to beauty in their world. If they are taught to express themselves through art, allowing their thoughts and emotions to be conveyed outwardly through paint, clay, pencils, or other media, they will learn to allow their emotions to flow outward in a healthy manner that benefits their surrounding family and culture. Certainly there is much to be gained by exposing children to art in its many forms and encouraging them to explore their own involvement in different venues.
There is a caution, however. Children can easily be overwhelmed by too many choices, too much material, and too wide a circle of opportunity. Their minds perceive a slightly smaller circle than an adult’s mind, and their exposure should be geared to feed their curiosity, not bombard them with more than they can take in at once. Every great adult artist was once a curious child. That’s a good point to remember.
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