From a very young age, children display a desire for creative expression. Put them in a room full of crayons, watercolours, paintbrushes, coloured paper, and even recycled products, and you can be sure to see them having lots of fun creating amazing artworks. But many children lose interest in art as they grow up, thinking that they are just not one of the blessed, talented few. The truth is, every child can be an artist if they are nurtured to be one!

Here are some ways we can nurture our children’s artistic talents:

 Discover art all around you

Art is everywhere! Encourage your child to see art wherever they go and to be inspired. Product packaging, festive decorations, street art and, of course, the natural world, are all great sources of inspiration. Practising this also trains your child to be observant and keeps his/her creative mind active.

Provide ample art supplies

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need expensive art supplies to learn and enjoy art. Children can start with affordable tools and materials such as coloured pencils, markers, poster paints, origami paper and clay, which are easy to find in most department stores and supermarkets. Having a variety of art supplies at home can motivate children to make art anytime they want!

Make art with your child

Art is a wonderful parent-child activity that can be done both indoors and outdoors. Not only is it fun, but it also provides an opportunity for you and your child to spend time together and build a positive relationship. However, don’t turn it into an art class where children may feel stressed or discouraged by too much judgment on their still-growing skills! Lavish praise and compliments on your child for making an effort, and soon their abilities will grow.

Develop a long-term interest

If your child is expressing interest in learning techniques in a formal setting or pursuing art in the long run, you can support them through applying for courses for them. Usually, people excel in the things they enjoy doing. But if they don’t get to try, they will never know how great an artist they can become – and neither will you! And even if they don’t ‘excel’ in it, they will certainly have fun trying.

Pablo Picasso said it well: ‘Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.’ Start nurturing your child’s artistic talent today – we need a lot more artists in the world!