Encouraging Development and Creativity in Childhood Through Color
A child’s development begins from an early stage and in its aid come simple basic activities one might not consider important or essential. It has been proven that the simple act of drawing or scribbling has a crucial impact on the cognitive and physical development of a young mind, empowering creativity and imaginative thinking, exercising dexterity and wrist control and challenging discipline and self-control.
In an early stage, the child starts mimicking the surrounding world and environment, trying to cope its meanings, to understand and reproduce with pen on paper the reality in the manner he manages to perceive it. Scribbling as it is entitled represents the simple act of putting pen to paper and forming shapes. Basic forms, lines, squares, circles are being used separately, then in mixtures to create the basic human body, the shape of the fairy tale house with smoke coming out from the chimney, birds flying happily in the sky and trees and flowers surrounding everything.
This can be considered the conceptualization phase, where the child creates abstract forms in the attempt to reflect the surrounding world.This is a phase we come back to later on in the study of the liberal arts, the art of abstraction.
Colors, hues appear, raw and solid, brutal at first, softer later, proportions are better understood, perspective take its toll and the creative, imagination phase is soon forgotten, all the childhood dreams cast away. Do not suffocate the child with endless coloring books from this early stage. They do have their role in exercising control yet the creative period is so important, so definitory for the evolution of the child, do not rush things, let everything run smoothly and naturally.
Here is where skill is being practiced and where professional help should be sought if an artistic inclination is being manifested. Constant encouragement is a must for building a child’s confidence in his abilities, his determination to carry on this wonderful gift and transform it into pure, true art.
So how could a parent encourage a young mind when it comes to the art of drawing and coloring? Well, first of all, supplying the necessary materials such as pen and paper is required, of course. Offering constant positive feedback is another crucial aspect, encourage each creation as much as possible, remember that every single person is different and sees the world differently, appreciate that color is a matter of taste and perception. Provide with professional aid if you see a sparkle of greatness in your young one, impose a certain discipline with the help of coloring books which can exercise control in wrist movement as well as follow the given lines.
Associate drawing, coloring with music, it is known that classical tones induce calm as well as productivity. Last, but not least, allow your child his freedom of choice when it comes to materials, technique, hues, almost anything involved into the creative process.
All creative endeavors are important for a healthy development of the child, encourage your little one as much as possible and stand by him in his multiple attempts.
Photo Courtesy of Homesthetics Magazine
