Sponsored Post By Amy Moore, Director of Education & Programs, Capitol Hill Arts Workshop
When my youngest child was two, she received for her birthday an art book that organized masterpieces into kid-friendly categories such as animals, families, and weather. She gravitated toward specific pictures like the early 17th c. painting depicting two peasants making a big deal over a baby with a smelly diaper. Frances thought that was hilarious as we pinched our noses, made faces and shouted “pee yew” at the page. I was struck by the fact that in addition to never really having considered baby poop as a subject in 17th c. Dutch painting, or the logistics of changing diapers at that time in history, there was this thing in this really old painting my two year old could completely relate to. It was not removed from her in any way like, say, in a museum where she couldn’t run around or be loud disrupting the serious art patrons. She could enjoy that painting completely on her own terms.
Really engaging in art with your kids – even if you don’t feel like you know what you are doing (an all too familiar feeling in the world of parenting) – is precisely how they get the freedom and tools to think and create for themselves because you are there making connections between art and life with them in a way that no other teacher can. Observing and playing with art and artistic things together provides a platform for fresh and refreshing conversation, context for understanding beauty and strife, and a framework for tackling tough subjects at every age. Developing an early ease about and around fine art enables kids to access language, relationships, empathy, detail and about a zillion other things that I don’t think are readily available to them otherwise.
For the full post by Amy about art engagement with young children, please visit the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop’s blog www.chawbeyondthewalls.wordpress.com.
The Capitol Hill Arts Workshop fosters family engagement in the arts through classes and hosts the following FREE upcoming programs (please call to reserve space at (202) 547-6839):
Photo courtesy of the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop.
Saturday, February 8, 2014
“Urban Eyes” Photography Exhibit in the CHAW Gallery
Family Friendly Gallery Activities with Artist Camille Clifton
Pre-K 10:00-10:45 a.m.
What do you See & Feel?
Families explore the exhibited works with flash cards and games to identify signs, colors, shapes, and moods.
Grades K-2 11:00-11:45 a.m.
What do you Find & Discover?
Families discover the exhibited works by comparing and sharing their thoughts/observations on their findings through games.
Grades 3-5 11:50 a.m. -12:35 p.m.
Can you Create & Wonder?
Families examine the exhibited works to create or re-create from a piece and learn to wonder about how a photograph stimulates the five senses.
Saturday, March 15, 2014
Saturday, May 31, 2014
“Day at the Ballet” Performances and Art Activities
Save the dates! CHAW hosts Connect the Dots Dance Company “A Day at the Ballet.” These interactive ballet performance are perfect for children ages 3-12 and include performances from major works, ballet crafts, costumes, and more.
For more information on CHAW’s upcoming programs and classes, please visit www.chaw.org or (202) 547-6839.
I’d really like to know the title of the book you mention at the beginning of the post. Would you please share it? Thank you!