Kids and Art

Outdoor art show season is upon us. Last weekend’s Art in the Park in Columbia, MO, was a huge success. And it warmed my heart that two of my paintings that sold were to children (adults in tow). Kids are not strangers to my booth at these shows. Art fairs are family friendly events. Kids like my business cards because they feature a painting on one side. If I remember, I give them a small easel to place the card on. And I always have bookmarks—upcycled art made from paintings. The children I meet love bookmarks (I like to think that means kids still enjoy books). My observations tell me they enjoy art, too.

I’ve also found that children can have strong opinions about the art they see. Out of the mouths of babes in my art show booths:

   “You mean if I draw that, I can make $500??”

   “Mom, don’t buy that. That’s not even any good.”

   “Can we go home now?”

But the late Barbara Hunt McLanahan, a former director of New York’s Children’s Museum of the Arts (CMA), claimed that attitudes about what qualifies as art are generally limited to adults: “Children are way more open-minded.”

What’s important to know is that research shows that art—of all kinds—is crucial to children’s development. The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) says evidence shows that art has a positive effect on young children, beginning with infants. An article in Artsy says research shows, “Kids who grow up making and seeing art—be it visual art, music, dance, theater, or poetry—are not only more empowered to express themselves, they also have stronger language, motor, and decision-making skills, and they’re more likely to excel in other school subjects.”

If you have a child in your life, I hope you’ll take them to one of the many art fairs going on this summer. Their art appreciation, their criticism, and their enthusiasm might warm your heart, too.