Help your child develop creativity
EXPLORATION: In-home mini art studios can inspire kids to use their imaginations
After time spent in early childhood education and experience running her own children’s art studio, Megan Schiller of California now helps parents design mini art studios for their kids in their homes.
She calls her business The Art Pantry because she believes that it’s just as important for kids to have room to do art as it is to have room to store and make food.
We talked to Schiller, whose daughters are now seven and four, about children and art.
Q: Why is it important for kids to do art?
A: It’s about knowing how to use supplies and take them into their life. For example, if they’re playing with their toys and they want to have a rocket ship, they can go and build one. It’s not about the product and what it looks like in the end; it’s about letting them touch things and get messy. A lot of kids like to squeeze a whole glue bottle out because they’re learning to use their muscles. I like to let them do that, because it teaches them what’s too much glue. If they’re allowed to explore, then they learn why, and that will carry with them as they get older.
Why is it important to have easy access to art?
In general, if kids have access to supplies, then they can develop confidence — though, I don’t let a twoyear-old have complete access to paint and things. If kids always have to ask permission, they won’t feel confident and they might not use the supplies very much. If supplies are accessible but disorganized, they might not use them either. In a dedicated space, with easy access, art becomes a part of their life.
What is an ideal place to set up for art?
For young kids, or kids who want to be close to their families, it’s important to have it close to you. The kitchen is great — the kids are more likely to use the space while you or other kids are engaged in other activities. If you don’t want to see it all the time, or if you have guests over, then you might dedicate a cabinet in the kitchen. Or even have a portable caddy — one of those plastic boxes with different compartments, and carry it around in the house. You can also have closed cabinetry that’s just dedicated to art supplies; an armoire or something. For older kids who like to have their space and don’t mind going into another room without their parents, a bedroom or someplace with the most room would work.
Do kids need easels? Why kind do you recommend?
I don’t think easels are essential. But it is different for kids to try to draw or paint in a vertical way (rather than flat on a table). I like to have things against a wall so that you can save floor space, but I like to mount something onto the wall. If you like easels, there are also some that are adjustable or smaller for toddlers, or even tabletop easels, that give them the experience of painting or drawing, but you can put it away when you need to.
What five items should each art space start with?
Washable tempera paint, because you can do finger painting, paint on an easel, mix colours and do colour theory. Liquid watercolours are really fun because toddlers can mix and pour and stir as if it was water; older kids can use droppers or do resist projects with crayons. For drawing, I always start off with beeswax crayons because they’re softer and have more vibrant colours so they’re easier for kids to use. And then markers. And for modelling, either Play-Doh or clay.