The Arts have long been an integral part of quality early childhood programs and are included in the new Early Years Learning Framework. However, once children commence “big school” literacy and numeracy become the major areas of focus, with subjects such as the Visual Arts being treated as mere add-ons. Teachers with little training, and therefore confidence, in these areas often rely heavily on reproducible images that are churned out endlessly from fatigued photocopy machines. Children then colour in, paint, cut out, fold, and apply collage (often in the form of tiny crumpled pieces of crepe paper) to these identical outline drawings. Once displayed the viewer is then confronted with a sea of products that are devoid of individuality, imagination, creativity, critical or divergent thinking, poetic sensibility, and scope for meaning-making. The teachers themselves are not to blame for this sad state of affairs; the problem I believe stems from broader social attitudes towards the Arts in our culture.

However, this is about to change, with a blueprint currently being prepared by the federal government to introduce the Arts as part of the national curriculum in Australia. The actual implementation is still under review and sitting uncomfortably beneath a cloud of controversy (the topic for another post?). Perhaps, though, this new focus will begin a process of greater public awareness towards the benefits of the Arts in the context of learning and also in broader cultural growth. We may also see our tertiary institutions devote more time to providing trainee teachers with a comprehensive Arts education.

A recent article in the Sydney Morning Herald by Dan Harrison, “Academic Paints a Picture of Arts as a Priority in Classrooms”, reports on the current findings collated by Professor Robyn Ewing, that the Arts strongly support increased self-esteem and greater academic achievement in children. They also cultivate “creativity and imagination”. Professor Ewing is quoted as saying, ”If we don’t empower kids to think creatively and to be imaginative and also to see things from a range of different perspectives, which is what the arts do, we’re selling them short in a world in which actual knowledge is changing so rapidly”. The Arts may one day be viewed as an integral and vital part of the overall curriculum. Perhaps positive change is on the way…I hope so!

I once took a group of children aged seven and eight years to the Art Gallery of NSW. They were somewhat overawed by the open spaces and sometimes huge artworks. The children’s excitement told me immediately that their experience of this gallery would be very different than mine. I had become accustomed to the exhibits and saw them mostly from a social, historical and in some cases psychological viewpoint. As an artist I also examined the formal qualities of such aspects as colour, composition and tone. However, my rather dry viewpoint was quickly replaced with one of curiosity and fresh enthusiasm.

The children asked questions about the people and places they saw in the paintings, and made observations I’d failed to make myself. The highlight of the day came when we entered the gallery of Eastern art. One of the children, who’s father had recently died, had been living with her mother in a nunnery attached to a Buddhist temple. To our amazement and delight she spontaneously stretched out on the ground in front of a large statue of a Buddha. Her simple act of worship transformed a beautiful museum exhibit into a living piece of art…it’s original meaning restored. How apt that the Sanskrit root word “budh”, from which the word “Buddha” is derived, has the meaning “to awaken” or to “be aware”.

Children have much to teach us if we’re prepared to learn!

Here are a few ideas you can use as a starting point to encourage reluctant children to participate in visual art activities:

• Look at the structure of the child’s day.  Are there opportunities throughout the day for them to make art? Are art materials packed away after morning play? Some children may prefer to engage in other activities in the morning, but may feel more inclined to settle down to draw in the afternoon.
• Check to see if the area where children make art is inviting. Do children have access to a variety of materials? Are art materials organised and tidy? Do children have sufficient space to spread out, or perhaps work on the floor? Is the area for making art too close to a noisy area such as block building?
• Think about providing drawing materials outside the art space. Outdoor areas, dramatic play, block building and areas for making music may inspire children to work on art projects individually or together.
• Provide opportunities for a variety of experiences other than the usual standards. These may include making puppets, building with junk materials that can be painted or drawn on, producing books, constructing with craft wire instead of clay, or drawing from real objects in the children’s environment.
• Introduce drawing as means of record keeping or exploration to groups of children working on a project. A child reluctant to make art may feel more motivated to have a go when working with friends. For more information check publications produced by Reggio Emilia schools, or Ursula Kolbe’s book, “It’s Not a Bird Yet: The Drama of Drawing”.
• Invite the child to assist in the preparation of art materials.
• Provide visible documentation for families of children to see the many uses of art other than just making a picture destined for display on a refrigerator.
• Find ways to engage parents in art-making activities.
• Encourage parents to dress children in casual clothes. Also have paint shirts or aprons on hand if a child is worried about spilling paint on their clothes.
• Surround children with beautiful handmade or natural objects.

When working with a child who is reluctant to engage in visual arts activities we need to be aware of their individual circumstances. Putting strategies in place is a process that needs to be carefully thought through and implemented.

In this light I feel it’s important to share with you some approaches that have the potential to discourage a child from making art:

• Forcing a child to draw or paint will more than likely make them feel that art-making is an unpleasant chore or a punishment. This also deprives a child of independent thought and choice.
• Bribery is another instance that can be counter-productive. There is sometimes a temptation to tell a child that they may only participate in an activity they enjoy once they’ve produced a drawing or painting first.  Such action devalues the art experience and removes it from the context of a dynamic, enriching environment that promotes experimentation and discovery.

The temptation to engage the above approaches often stems from the fact that a painting or drawing may be the only evidence of  ”work” a child has produced during the day. However, with increased access to technology the use of photographs, photocopies and digital scans, helps to provide ample visual information in regard to a child’s learning.

I’m sometimes asked how to deal with children who are reluctant to join in art activities. My first response is usually a “why” rather than a “how”. I feel it’s important to establish reasons for avoidance before putting any strategies in place. Here are a few starting points:

• Some cultures, while having strong artistic traditions, may not see the educational value of the visual arts. This is particularly so in relation to future careers and job prospects.
• The arts are sometimes seen to be a feminine pursuit by some parents, and boys may be discouraged from participating. There are also parents who perceive that an interest in art might cause their child to become gay or to be perceived as gay.
• Some children could come from families where there is little money to buy art materials. These children might therefore have had little experience of art. This may result in a lack of confidence or skill.
• There are children who feel uncomfortable with messy materials. Such a reaction may stem from an adult telling them to keep their clothes clean, or they may experience physical discomfort from touching art materials.
• There are children who have been criticised by an adult or another child over an artwork they’ve produced. (I’ve heard some “doozies”: one teacher commented to a child, “If you’re just going to scribble then I might as well tear it up!”, or this one, “Everyone else has painted a lovely picture, why can’t you?”…ouch!)
• Children sometimes belong to a social group that sees art-making as “uncool”.
• Some children may be naturally drawn to areas other than art. For example, they may prefer to learn through more physical activities such as building with blocks or playing in the sandpit. (For more information on this point you can look up Howard Gardener’s theory of multiple intelligences).