Today I am sharing some recommendations for responding to your child’s artwork when they are making! If, “Wow! Great job! I love it,” or, “awesome, kiddo,” are starting to sound like a broken record player, use these tips! The responses I share in this post can also help children who seem like they are “rushing” or hand you 8,000 pieces of paper a day. Keep them engaged in their artwork longer with supportive observations and curious questions about their work. There is always an opportunity for connection when we make. Whether we are taking photographs of our children or watching them make something. If you find yourself at a loss for words when your child brings you their artwork, or while you are watching them make, this post is for you.
WHY practice engaging responses to your child’s artwork
I have written about encouraging your child to draw here, and I’ll reiterate some of those pointers now, too! It is critical for parents to create inviting opportunities for their children to create! It is also important to note that when very young children are making, it is primarily a sensory process. The more time you spend supporting them learning boundaries for artistic materials (i.e.- reminding them paint is not to be dumped on the floor, crayons are for paper, etc), the more responsible they will be in the future when given materials (and the more hands off you can be).
My daughter is almost 3 now, and since she was 1, she has always had at least two different drawing materials such as crayons and markers available for her to use at any time of day, without having to ask. Contrary to what you might think, my walls and furniture are actually clean. This is because I spent a lot of time in the early days monitoring and supporting her exploration of the materials. We set boundaries on their use together, with practice.
Most of the magic of making at a young age happens in the process, not the final product. If you only look at a child’s finished artwork, you may never know all of the imaginative things they were thinking as they drew. The end result might look like a page of scribbles, but you may have missed some really creative and beautiful moments while your child was creating it! The same is true if your child brings you a drawing to show off. Instead of congratulating them or simply telling them you love it, ask them questions about it! Give them a chance to share what they were thinking while they created the drawing. There is probably a great story to be unleashed and listening to it may encourage your child to create future stories. If you are thinking okay but WHAT DO I SAY EXACTLY, then read on for my scripts!
Conversation starters
If you are watching your child making, you can be an active observer. While you observe them making, you can ask them engaging questions about their work, or comment objectively on what you see. By engaging, I pretty much mean anything that does not require a yes or no answer from them. Instead of, “is that a cat” ask, “can you tell me about this shape?” or, “what is the cat doing?” By objective I mean do not assume you know what they are making. Comment only on what you know is happening. “You’re making a lot of marks with the green crayon” or “I can see three purple triangles in your drawing.” They may or may not want to respond to your questions or comments, but hopefully you will find that this attention encourages them to continue drawing and creating their own story.
Often after I ask, “can you tell me about this line/shape/color” it will prompt a response about any story they are imagining when they draw and encourage them to keep making and storytelling. Once they tell you who/what/where is there, you can ask follow up questions.
What to say when you receive your child’s artwork
I know that the paper clutter that can accompany artmaking can get very overwhelming. Especially if you have a child who works at lightning speed. If you take the time to actively observe while they create, I think you will find that the pace slows down tremendously. If you are proudly handed your child’s artwork and are at a loss for how to respond, there is a list of scripts to try below this paragraph! Often, I ask the same objective questions I would if I were watching them make it in real time.
- “I saw you working really hard on your artwork. Is there anything you want to tell me about it?”
- “Can you tell me about this line/shape/color?”
- “What was the most challenging part of making this?”
- “What was your favorite moment when you were making this?”
- “Would you like to display this? Where would you like to display it?”
- “Do you want to display this or send it to anyone?”
More help with art education at home
If this post interested you then find a helpful list of related posts below! There is nothing like having an art teacher friend in your back pocket to help you cultivate creativity at home!