How to help kids enjoy art without perfectionism

When we are learning a new skill, we need to encourage ourselves that it takes practice and to keep trying. Mastery doesn't come overnight, and when it comes to drawing, most of us are still learning.

Have you heard the phrase, "Practice makes perfect?" When I was growing up, I sure did, and I probably said it to my kids, too. But lately, I think I prefer the phrase, "Practice builds confidence," or, "Practice helps us grow." ("practice makes proficient?") What do you think is a better thing to say to kids as they are learning something new?  Especially in art, trying for perfection is an exercise in frustration and an encouragement to just quit. Who of us can ever draw perfectly? With growing children, perfect doesn't need to be the goal. A better goal as they are learning is the goal of accomplishing trying something new and not giving up when it's hard. Learning a new skill is hard, and practicing that skill until we feel somewhat comfortable with it is something to applaud and build upon.

If we give up too early because of the fear of messing up or some other reason, we miss the joy of seeing the improvement that comes with practice. We miss experiencing the feeling of effortlessly doing the thing itself. We could miss the joy of sharing our accomplishment to bring someone else happiness.

For example, learning to play the piano takes  years of practice before we get to the place where we can feel the flow of the music seemingly effortlessly flowing from our fingertips. We practice a piece until we can play with confidence both for our own satisfaction and to bring beauty to our listeners.
This week and last week, I have provided a few ways to practice drawing palm trees. By the time your kids finish last week and this week's videos, they will be drawing palm trees in their sleep! But more importantly, I hope they will have experienced that in drawing and in being creative, "messing up" is just part of an ongoing learning process of discovery. The more we practice, the more we learn, and the more relaxed we feel with our new skill! Not to mention that we have more fun when we don't have to concentrate so hard on learning like we do the very first time we try!

In today's 25 minute video, we use watercolors, markers, and paint sticks to create more palms trees. I hope feeling free and practicing will inspire you and your kids to create their own backgrounds for the palm trees they've drawn. 

Check out 3 more ways to practice drawing palm trees here. 

This week, encourage your kids to practice drawing for the joy of learning rather than the fear of messing up.