Arts and crafts are a wonderful way to engage your little one’s hands and mind in creative play. With so many options for crafting out there, knowing what is right for your child at what time can be a challenge to figure out.
Stephanie Shevitz, owner of Red Panda Art Studio, in Chevy Chase, Maryland, knows all about that struggle. Since 2018, she has been offering a variety of activities and classes at her kids’ art studio to help children explore art and their own creativity in different ways, using sensory play, arts and crafts and play-based arts projects.
Here, she offers several examples of how parents can encourage artistic exploration in their kids, as well as tips for different age groups.
Finding the Right Space
A space to allow children to explore their environment and develop ideas can be a key element in encouraging a lasting interest in creative crafting.
“I recommend a spot in your house that your kid knows where to go, and different materials they have accessible to them that you’re comfortable with them [using],” Shevitz says.
When setting up the arts and crafts station, she suggests having supplies in the space that are easy for kids to grab but also easy to put away.
Observe Your Child’s Interests
Shevitz likes to remind parents to lean into their child’s interests.
“If they’re really into stickers, have stickers available. Paint sticks are a really fun material. Anything that’s bright and colorful that really captures their interest is a really good thing to have in your arts and crafts area,” she says.
As children develop more interests, Shevitz encourages parents to also get creative and try to think outside the box.
“If [a child] is really interested in throwing balls and you have the space for it, why not have a cardboard box with a ball that you can dip in paint, and then you can explore how different things can make different marks on paper,” she says.
Recycle and Reuse
While every good crafting space has the basics, such as crayons, paper, stickers, glue, and maybe paint, art supplies don’t always have to be expensive, Shevitz says. One good place to start would be with recycled materials.
“There’s so many things that can be done with paper towel roll tubes and tape,” she shares.
Use what materials you have before seeing what little add-ons you can get from the store to finish the project.
Art for Older Kids
As kids get older and can sit down for longer periods of time, Shevitz urges parents to help them continue to explore their imagination by encouraging them to think about their own personal interests. One thing she says to remember is, “If they’re distracted, you can always come back to a project at a different time.”
Arts and crafts projects don’t have to end with young childhood. By showing an interest in what your child is doing, you can help a growing adolescent maintain a curiosity about the world and their own creative possibilities.
Shevitz likes to remind teens that being expressive is an important part of our increasingly connected world.
“We are inundated with ideas online. What can you do to make yourself an individual and bring your own creativity to life?” she asks.
Ultimately, for Shevitz, art is a wonderful way to engage and explore the world around us. She loves seeing kids learn and grow as they discover their own interests.
“Art is a really powerful tool for kids to express themselves,” she says. “Art is as much about the process as what they create, so really focus on how your child is engaging with those materials, and noticing what choices they’re making, and really celebrating your child as an artist and an individual.”
Art by Age Group – Tips from Stephanie Shevitz
2-3
“For the 2- to 3-year-old crowd, nature is the perfect source of inspiration. A simple stick can be transformed in so many ways. You can paint it to add color, wrap yarn around it for texture or even turn it into a magical wand.”
4-5
“For your 4- to 5-year-old crowd, I love using recycled materials in creative upcycled ways. There are so many things you can make with cereal, boxes, paper towel rolls, milk cartons, bottle caps and egg cartons.”
Elementary-Age
For elementary school -aged students, see “what [they can] make with washi tape, construction paper and scissors. Or how about combining watercolors, oil pastels and postcards? What can you sculpt out of salt dough?” Shevitz sees open-ended crafting as “the perfect way to connect with your child.”
Local author and mom, Katie Schubert grew in the DMV, moved around the world and is delighted to be back.
