Are you an elementary school art teacher? Are you finding it challenging to manage a class full of an overly excited bunch of kids? Do you think twenty-five-minute long class duration is not enough to teach the young ones? Well, you can find solutions to all your queries in the following sections.
How to teach kids to paint?
The kids are lovely beings. Each kid has a talent of his own and sowing the seeds to develop their interests is any teacher’s responsibility. The art periods for elementary kids are a way to unleash their inner energy. And if they are given the proper direction, they can become great artists one day. Teachers who have spent years of teaching elementary kids to paint say that philosophy to be a great teacher is: to motivate kids no matter how they draw, engage them with your passion, and provide them with age-appropriate subjects. Check out for some awesome painting ideas for kids.
No pencils and no eraser
Though the concept seems to be weird, there is a logical reason for this tip. It is found that kids spend a long time drawing and erasing a portrait until they are satisfied. Erasers give them a chance for second-guessing. The whole practice can take away the time of the young kid who would not be able to perform anything fruitful at the end of the period. Another reason cited by the expert is that small pencils can lead to short creativity. So, instead of spending time on the drawing with pencils, kids should be encouraged to use oil pastels and markers directly on the papers. Kids learn to enjoy the process rather than worrying about the details.
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Do not give them palettes
Children tend to spend a lot of time mixing colour in a palette. Instead of mixing the colours in a palette, encourage the young ones to do the mixing on the paper. This painting idea for kids is essential to save time in the classroom setting, and the kids get an opportunity to learn colour combination techniques on the go. Sometimes these techniques, which are also the base of double loading technique, can produce fresh results.
Learn from mistakes
Learning from a mistake is a fun method of teaching kids some cool artworks. Teachers should teach young kids simple drawings. Try replicating many versions of the same subject. In case you are drawing an elephant; try drawing some realistic, some animated or some silly versions of it. This can increase the kid’s engagement as they love everything fun. If possible, create mistakes and develop art from those mistakes. This is essential learning for kids that mistakes can be turned into something creative.
The quiet time
The teachers can give their kids a ten-minute ‘quiet time’ after handing them out the papers and other supplies. The quiet time allows them to reflect on their work and the steps they have to follow to complete the art.
Subjects must be fun
Always remember, kids, engage or relate to everything fun. Hence, it is vital to select the topic wisely and probably the essential painting idea for kids. If you are successful in nurturing a bunch of students dashing into your classroom anticipating an exciting session, then half your work is done. Choose subjects that kids relate to or something they like to see. It can significantly improve the interest in following the art.
Smaller the art, more the engagement
If you are using the standard 12” x 18” drawing sheet for your students, try to reduce the size into half. This can encourage the kids to finish their painting in a shorter time. You can very well save on the supplies too.
Complete with outlines
While many artists would argue that kids must be encouraged to create sharp, crisp, clean edges with dark and light shades, it would be great if the kids draw outlines to make their creations pop out. This painting idea for kids is the right way for the kids to become more appreciative of their artwork. The watercolour paintings outlined with pencils is an excellent way to create contrasts. Similarly, you can encourage students to use a waterproof black marker, oil pastels, or a small brush and black paint for drawing outlines. You can even try a blue or red shape for a change.
Clearer picture
If your school has enough funds to spend on a Document camera and a projector, it would be a great help for teachers like you. With the facility, the kids can watch you paint on a big screen, and you can save repeating steps. Kids get to view the finer details of the painting process.
Painting ideas for kids can change according to ages. Hence, it is imperative to keep that critical aspect in mind to act appropriately.
