Out of all the roles that we play in our lifetime, nothing is as important and lifechanging as the role of a parent in one’s life. Parenthood is a beautiful gift that comes with an incredible amount of responsibility, since as parents, our influence shapes the lives of our children. In this fast paced age that we live in, where consumerism and materialistic pleasure is abound, it is a mark of good parents to make their children realize that the most important thing of all is the time that we spend with our loved ones.  

We are all well aware of the detrimental effects that smart devices and mobile technology have not only on young minds but also on adults as well. Particularly speaking of children and screen time, it has become a challenge to regulate their screen exposure with the current global pandemic ushering in the age of distant learning and virtual classrooms.  I feel, these device stressors are not only hindering child development but also impairing children’s social skills and cutting into quality time that can be used for meaningful family interactions.   

It has been shown over and over again through numerous studies that creating art and fostering creative hobbies in children can be incredibly beneficial for their mental health and in their journey to becoming a well-adjusted adult. It not only aids in their motor development but also provides them with an artistic experience that helps them channel and process strong emotions that they might find overwhelming otherwise.  

With June 1 being the Global Day of Parents, I thought why not dedicate this “Art and Parenting” blog to all the fellow parents out there who are trying to win the battle against the domination of superficial social media trends, growing screen time and tech-addiction. Moreover, I would also like to share some of my ideas on how art can be used to break down the barriers being raised by the devices in our pockets 

So, here are a couple of art activities that you can sit down with your children with and let the creativity flow: 

• Doodle prompts 

Grab some plain papers and a pack of colouring pencils, markers or water colours. Then sit down and just start drawing using all sorts of different prompts. For example: what a perfect day would look like, creating a funny monster or a crazy house to live in. After some fun doodling and colouring, take some time to go over your child’s drawing, admiring their efforts and asking open ended questions about their work which will encourage them to talk about their ideas and develop feelings of competence and confidence. 

• Selfie Collage 

This activity would require a full body photo of your child (preferably around 8 inches by 10 inches) and all sorts of fun, unconventional craft items such as googly eyes, puffy stickers or colourful strings. With a help of a glue stick, you can help your child make a fun collage in which they will be using their own photo as a base to create a fun and colourful character. You will end up with a memorable collage to hang in your home! 

• 3D Art 

There is nothing like a 3D effect to get kids excited about arts and crafts. This activity is super easy and fun. All you need to do is draw a simple image on a piece of cardboard or on the blank side of a cereal box. Then, ball up pieces of crepe paper and stick them to the drawing with some tacky glue. You will end up with a drawing that has a 3D effect because of tiny balls of crepe paper. 

These are fun and easy activities that will require minimal clean up and guarantee some quality bonding time with your little ones. To cut down on the mess, get your children a dedicated arts and crafts apron that can keep their clothes clean and also use a low table that can help them move around and not cause any unwanted spills. 

With that little list of fun activities, I hope you would be using art more often to connect with the little ones and having some refreshing downtime yourself. To make the most out of this, try doing this as often as possible to help inculcate an arts and crafts hobby that the whole family can benefit from.  

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