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Toddler art creations are messy.
So to make cleanup easier, put his
work area in a place such as the
kitchen, or a non-carpeted area
of the playroom. Cover the work-
space with newspaper, or a vinyl
tablecloth. And provide your child
with old clothes that you don’t
mind him messing up.
Since toddlers are prone to put-
ting things in their mouths, always
sit with your child so you can
supervise closely during art proj-
ects and use non-toxic materials.
When your toddler completes his
masterpieces, hang them around
the
house at his eye level for him to
enjoy.
Visit Art Museums
Art museums not only help kids
appreciate the visual aspect of art,
it helps them develop emotional,
verbal, and social skills. Art muse-
ums also improve children’s un-
derstanding of shapes, textures,
and dimensions. You can opt for
a traditional art museum, or you
can take your toddler to one that
caters to children. During your
visit, encourage critical thinking
in your little one by asking him to
discuss what he observes during
his visit to the museum. You can
ask, “What do you think the artist
was thinking about when he
painted this picture?” Or “Why do
you think the artist selected these
colors?”
Read Wordless Picture Books
“Pictures can interpret stories,
convey meaning, communicate
ideas, and express emotion
without the use of words,” says
early childhood teacher Amanda
Harris. And there’s no better way
to reinforce this than to make
wordless picture books a part of
your toddler’s book collection.
When you’re introducing wordless
books to your toddler, allow him
to examine the pictures and come
to his own conclusion about the
story being told. Some great pic-
ture book selections for toddlers
include Pancakes for Breakfast by
Tomie DePaola (Sandpiper, 1978),
and Rosie’s Walk by Pat Hutchins
(Simon and Schuster, 1983).
Providing plenty of art materials,
taking your youngster to art mu-
seums, and reading books without
words are all ways to give your
child the early art experiences he
needs to grow into a well rounded
individual.
toddler paint to the beat of the
music.
Non-Traditional Painting: Give
your toddler a few non-traditional
items such as a clean deodorant
roller bottle, toothbrush, Q-tip,
and a flyswatter, and let him paint
with each one of the items.
Toddler Mural: Line an entire wall
with butcher paper and tape it se-
curely in place. Give your toddler
a crayon, and let him draw to his
heart’s content.
Food Collage: Gather dry food
items such as cereal, popcorn,
and macaroni noodles. Let your
toddler glue the food on a piece
of card stock to create a master-
piece.
Other Activities to Encour-
age Early Art in Toddlers
Personal Wordless Picture Book:
Let your toddler draw some
pictures, collect them in a binder,
and encourage him to make up
stories about the pictures.
Feet Painting: Spread butcher
paper on the floor. Put some
washable paint in a shallow pan,
and let your toddler use his feet
to paint with.
Musical Painting: Turn on some
classical grooves, and let your
“
Since toddlers are
prone to putting things
in their mouth, al-
ways sit with them so
you can supervise closely
during art projects...
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