By: Liz Loizou-Smith, owner of pop up shop, The Barefoot Book Club, and owner and Director of The Creative Little Nook, a children’s Art Center, brings literacy and art into the homes of you and your children
Well, any art project will do! Books and art make a great combination. Reading, Art and Creativity all come together when you just let it flow. There are a number of books that you can create fantastic art projects with, whether your child is one or five or ten! You know their abilities so use your imagination, or the internet! There are great resources on the internet these days that will give you an idea for just about anything, I’ve also started an art blog with some great tutorials. When I started teaching art, I began as a traveling art instructor in NYC. I worked with babies 6 months, to preschool aged kids of 5 years old. I branched out to daycares and started going to their businesses and working with the after-school children. 4 years later I am now teaching in my own art studio. Introducing art to wee little ones can be a fun experience for you and them. So moms, get those paints out and dip their little toes in and get them moving. The first few times will be quite an experience for the little ones. It’s sticky and gooey and cold, so don’t be surprised if you get a scream or two. But, once you create the experience as a positive one, they’ll get the hang of making messy fun.
Two really great books for budding artists are, “Harold and the Purple Crayon” by Crocket Johnson and “It Looked Like Spilt Milk” by Charles G. Shaw. Simple one color paints or crayons make this project a less overwhelming experience for first time art with mommy. Create a mommy and me art journal and take pictures of your art journey. Keep these over the years, if you’re like me, you probably want to keep each and every thing your child paints and draws. You probably have a closet or attic filled with boxes of art. Creating an art journal, and photographing in action pictures and final pieces, will keep you organized and able to look back at these times easily and happily.
Some of the greatest moments you can have as a mom are watching your little one’s exploring. I have this great photograph of my eldest daughter hanging up in my home, and I can remember it like it was yesterday. I took poster paper and tacked it to my living room wall. This was one of her first experiences with finger paint. She went to town on the paper and loved squishing the paint in her fingers and hands. This is just one of those events that you will never forget. It was well worth the mess!
My middle daughter has a passion for art, she is constantly drawing and telling stories. I contribute this to book reading every single day with her. She tells her stories by drawing pictures and since she is just learning to spell, she does her best with captions and artwork.
I believe art is a child’s first written language and way of communication. Social and emotional!
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