Through our actions and attitudes, we convince kids that we have complete faith in their ability to express their own ideas in their own way.
Encourage children to verbalize about their artwork. Talking about their drawings and paintings seems to give them greater confidence – especially when the listener shows a genuine interest in the child’s work.
- Tell me about it! Let the child explain how they created a painting, what they decided to draw, how they used the clay, how they mixed the colors, what story they are telling, what was fun, what was difficult. Let them talk about what is important to them.
- Be curious. Once they have told you how they feel about the artwork, you can begin to dig deeper with questions about details, like “How did you mix that color?” or “Did you use the fat paintbrush here?” Follow their lead. What do they want to tell you?
- What’s the story? Not every artwork has a story, but many do. “Where do you think your owl lives?” “What will happen next?” If it becomes clear that there’s a story, encourage the child to talk more about it. Again, follow their lead. Respect their hesitation if the ideas are too private for them to want to share.
- What was your favorite part about making this? Expand their awareness of the materials and tools they used. Did they like rolling paint with brayer? Did they like the way colors mixed together?
- What was the hardest part? Let kids tell you what their experience was. Art is play, but it is also hard work and risk taking. This question acknowledges the effort they have made, and encourages kids to have their own opinions about their work and what they like.