Creativity for Connection Art Therapy with Kids
"All children are born artists, the difficult thing is to remain so when we grow up". Pablo Picasso
Begin this article with the words of the artist Picasso. All children are artists. We are all born with a creative capacity that may or may not be stimulated.
With creativity and its stimulation in children we can create a connection with them.
Last Thursday coach Marieke Johnson from Expat Coach, was sharing with us at the Expat kids in Eindhoven Expert Thursday.
Why should we make art with our children?
● Builds confidence and self-esteem
● Family art activities promote communication
● Emotional expression
● Stress tolerance (doing something new) and stress relief
But I'm not an artist! This is one of the big mistakes parents make.... the answer is It doesn't matter!
When doing therapeutic arts activities, the goal is EXPRESSION, NOT PERFECTION.
We don't expect to find the next Van Gogh or Monet, but to create a safe space to communicate and understand our emotions.
There are no "rules" except one: it is a judgement free zone!
So don't judge or comment on your own artistic ability (or lack of it) and support your child if they express that they "can't".
Now dare to work and stimulate creativity in your children. You saw and I remind you that it's not about being an artist, it's not about being perfect. Your children will love that you are You and that you create fun spaces with them .... The whole family will love it.
Coach Marieke also shared with us a series of ideas for activities to do with your children. So let's do it.
Color my day mandalas
- Draw your own or copy/print
- Starting at the center, use color to express feelings during the day.
- Discuss what colors were chosen, what happened during those times, what happened to change from one color to the next
Picture your emotions
- Ask your child to draw what their “anger monster” or “sad monster” looks like
- Talk about the personality of each “monster” - how do they act? When do they show themselves? What do they eat? What makes them feel better?
Clay families
- Using play clay, ask children to sculpt family members
- During the activity, ask “why” questions and ask children to describe each sculpture.
Body Tracing with affirmations
- Using big paper, trace the outline of your child.
- Decorate them - get creative! Yarn, old clothes, paint
- Family members write affirmations and positive messages on the paper
- Ask child about how they feel about themselves and how it feels to see affirmations
Transformation
- Making something beautiful out of something ugly.
- Together, sit down and make a list of all of the terrible things about COVID-19.
- Color the words, draw pictures, use magazines for letters.
- Tear them up and make something else! A butterfly, a vacation scene.
- Talk about how all of you are feeling during this time.
Masks
- Recommended for older children 12+
- Create a papier Mache or paper mask
- Decorate the outside with “how people see me”
- Decorate the inside with “how I see myself”
- Ask your child to share
Our coach ended with a quote from the beloved and remembered Fred Rodgers. Here I share it with you.
“Anything that's human is mentionable, and anything that is mentionable can be more manageable. When we can talk about our feelings, they become less overwhelming, less upsetting, and less scary. The people we trust with that important talk can help us know that we are not alone.” - Fred Rogers ( Mister Rogers)
Remember every Thursday our Thursday with the experts at 21:00 CET for our group. Don't miss it every Thursday I try to bring you a topic with a guest specialist in these issues that will help you in this process of parenting.
If you want to have contact with our guest here is the link so you can contact her.
Here are her contact details:
Marieke Johnson - Owner/Coach
06- 15 43 53 47
And please don't forget to have courage and always be kind,
With love,