Monday, April 20, 2009

Teaching Children to Love Fine Art

"I don’t want to go to the museum! It’s Boring!"
That complaint your children might express at the idea of learning more about fine art could cut you to the quick if you want nothing more than to see your children come to love fine art as much as you do.

It’s a natural instinct we have as parents to want our children to appreciate the finer things in life.
But how do we go about instilling a love of fine art in our kids in such a way that they rush to the car with zeal and enthusiasm at the prospect of going to the museum and enjoying some great art?

Well obviously, we want to avoid making it a chore or something they "have to do" just to get mom and dad off their backs. Yes, it’s ok if they spend time with great art because its part of what you do as a family. But if it becomes the center of a big fight and struggle, that will not instill the love of art that you know and you want them to know.

The first place children will begin to understand the love of great art will be when they see it in you. Even though children, and especially teenagers don’t seem to be learning from their parents, they are learning from watching everything you do and listening to the things you speak passionately about and value in your own life.


If enjoyment of fine art is a value to you, let the children see that passion in you. Don’t keep from dinner table conversation or from your adult interactions your emotions and reflections of the great things about spending time with great art. If it is expressed sincerely and comes from your heart, your children will "hear" that and it will become a value to them.


To youth, the greatest value of all is, "is it fun?" Well, fun is just youthful way of describing something they love to do, that the time doing it passes quickly and they cannot get enough of that event. So you can capture that feeling of fun by making their excursions into the art world fun and exciting. Children love to have fun with their parents.

So when its time to go to the museum or galleries, put yourself in your most fun loving mood. Make every aspect of the trip lighthearted and full of adventure. You can make a game of the trip by creating games with small prizes for the children to play as they go through the galleries and admire the artworks.

Surround your time on "art safari" with the kids with family events that everyone enjoys. When we were children, my mom and dad always started a trip to the art gallery by going to the park near the gallery for a picnic and some time of play.

Then we made the excursion into the galleries a family affair so the children could observe from their mom and dad how to look at great art and see the feelings those art works caused in their parents. Then afterward, it was time for ice cream and discussions about what they had seen and observed.

Special art events have a special excitement that kids just love to be a part of. When the King Tut exhibit came through America, the excitement in each city along the route was phenomenal.

So when you find out about special events, make sure your kids are aware of it and the unique chance to explore some part of the art world that may be a once in a lifetime opportunity. The school may be building that excitement too so you can use the momentum happening at school to make that trip into the world of fine art especially exciting.

Until next time...

Cynthia Goranson
www.GetPaidToDrawToday.com

Painting "Gator Days" http://www.budurl.com/RandyPattonArt

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