Okay, so you might be asking yourself, is my child too young? As a former preschool teacher I believe that if your child has the motor skills to hold a crayon, a brush, a stick or even has the capability of dipping their hand in paint, then yes they are ready! Granted, if your child is still putting things in their mouth, then yes adult supervision is required, but just seeing the joy on their faces while they create is amazing! My 19 month old little girl LOVES to color! She knows exactly where we keep HER drawing pad, construction paper, markers, and crayons. At least twice a day she asks to "color". Yes, we do have to watch her while she creates because she also wants to taste every color in her crayon box and has just learned that her masterpiece creations can be created anywhere, as in walls, chairs, mommy's desk, and the floor! I personally do not need a home makeover, so she usually has someone creating with her. Right now we use the Melissa & Doug Triangular Crayons, because it helps her grasp the crayon correctly while developing the preferred grip for later needed writing skills. In the picture below you can see that her crayons have teeth marks and scratches on them. Not only does she explore crafting with art supplies, but she is also learning about texture and materials. She has also just discovered stickers, so we let her stick them on her page once she is finished drawing. Her favorite one right now is the Melissa & Doug Font Sticker Collection because of the letters and numbers or anything with Tinkerbell and the Princesses. Even my 16 year old younger sister enjoys sitting with her and crafting! Here is a picture of my daughters newly decorated crayon box and one of her art works :0) HINT: Try to write the date on the page, this way you can look back and see the progress your child has made!
There are so many different sites that really help parents and teachers with new crafting ideas. Check out Kids Perks a great resource for parents, teachers, educators, home school families and children. They have done their research for some amazing Craft Sites. Remember Craft is the skill of doing or making something in the arts. So it doesn't matter what you use or how the final product turns out. Just remember to encourage your child to explore through art! Check out all the different Kids Crafts Supplies we have on our website, including Eco-Friendly supplies. If you ever have any questions about choosing an age appropriate product for your child, please feel free to send me an email at abccreativelearning@yahoo.com.
If you are in the Orlando, Florida area make sure to check out the 52nd Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival happening this weekend! You will find my family and myself enjoying the beautiful art & weather tomorrow Sunday!
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