����Ӱ��

Is it coloured papers and stencils, a sheet of white paper and pencils or plastic eyes glued to a pine cone? Works of art at children’s exhibitions are usually indistinguishably similar. They are easily understandable to adults and show recognisable items and creatures, but what does this offer to the child, asks Edna Vahter, a lecturer of arts didactics at Tallinn University.

Researchers agree that there is no need to teach a child to draw before the age of 10.

The child gets used to imitating, copying, obeying and will not try to find unique solutions. At the same time all these princesses, engines, dragons and pirate ships live on in their dreams and eventually make their way on the paper in their own unique way. It doesn’t matter that the princess’ head is three times the size of her body and the pirate ship looks more like a ball of yarn with ears.

Children should be allowed free expression without oppressive guidance so they could use all the deeply rooted creative impulses and be confident in their self-expression. The role of the adult in the children’s artwork should be one of a guide and supporter. They should not think, crop or decide for the children.

Adults, both teachers and parents, can offer possibilities based on their knowledge and experience for their children to think, experiment, make mistakes and try again, since artistic self-expression is as characteristic to human beings as are talking and walking.

The main value of making art is the mixture of unique personal experiences and understanding of the world. Children learn best by experiencing and discovering on their own. Thus, it is extremely important that children could create their artworks free and without limitations.

Their wish to create can trigger an expectation in adults that the child should depict items and objects exactly as they can be seen. But in children’s art, seeing the process is more important than a beautiful result.

One should always ask the child about what they are doing or what have they drawn. Even if the answer seems weird, the child should be supported and not pushed into a proverbial box by saying that this splat does not look like a house and then “teaching” them by assembling a square, a triangle and a few rectangles to make a real house.

Let children find their own solutions and possibilities to depict things and characters.

Edna Vahter suggests we trust children and let them enjoy thinking, creativity and characteristic expression, as the 21^st century society needs people with independent thinking. Let children’s art be their own creation throughout the whole process.