Monday’s Parenting Thought

Q: Why do we tell children to “stay in the lines”?

A: Because we want them to:

• Learn to use their small muscles,
• Tell the difference between one line and another, and
• Learn about shapes.

Q: Why do we want children to not “stay in the lines”?

A: Because we want their art to be about how they think and feel.

Children need a lot of freedom when doing art. It’s important to let them:

• Create both in and out of the lines,
• Choose what to draw, and
• Decide how their picture should look.

Inspired by the picture book, MORRIS THE ARTIST.

More about making children and art at The Benefits of Art, Choices, and Discipline: Part 1.