An Art-filled Life, A Living Art

Where did the days go?!

Today ends May, and as much of a delight as it has been to explore the role of art in your preschooler's life (and life in your preschooler's art) with you, we are also struck by all the things we didn't even get to.

Like our list of all-time fave Crayola colors (hint: cerulean is a lock for #1; another hint: thistle ties with red-orange (but not with orange-red)).

Our shout-out to this wonderful article that Great Schools wrote about ideas for teacher gifts (aimed at bigger kids but very preschool-friendly too).

Our musings on non-obvious ways of being creative, like through books/writing/reading perhaps (you know of our library of Savvy book reviews with all those dozens of chock-full categories in the list but do you know about Design Mom's book reviews or about this great vintage kiddie lit blog) or through cooking (start with City Mama's menu planning, for instance).

But our goal was to inspire, not to exhaust. And so we are pleased with the thought of all that is left to create!

Looking back, did you catch...

• our inspiration for this all
• our review of Child of Wonder and Ginger Carlson's magnificent guest post
• our guide to taking your little one to a museum
• our lifesaver guide to managing your little one's artwork
• our movie review of "My Child Could Paint That"
• our favorite illustrators
• our art-based best of web list
• our great activities ideas (plus ones specifically for waiting, and for when you can't clean up again, and for enjoying the open skies above)
• our ideas for using crayons to banish nightmares
• our call for tiny photographers
• our favorite artists for Art 101 (the Preschool Edition)
• our wish to be a Creative Family
• our thoughts on talking about the little artist's work
• our primer on developmental skills shown in your child's art
• our guide to art gifts your child can make
• our props to Taro Gomi
• our many favorite art-inspired quotes
• and our saving-the-best-for-last guest post by the ever dazzling Design Mom (see below!)
  

And, looking ahead, June promises great stuff here at Being Savvy. On your little one's favorite topic. On a subject so very near and dear to your heart. Start guessing, and stay tuned....

Being Savvy Welcomes: Design Mom

Wise Words from Willa Cather

Fridays are quote day here at Being Savvy.  Today's quote also serves as a coda as we wrap up our creative romp through May, highlighting art's role in life (and life's role in art).  Tomorrow we'll finish out the month with a look back, around and ahead. 

But first, some wise words from great author (hmmm...perhaps a summer re-read of My Antonia would be a good idea....):

"A child's attitude toward everything is an artist's attitude."

-- Willa Cather, The Song of the Lark

Art in the Open Air

As the days grow longer and the weather warmer, outside is where we all want to be. Especially the little artistic types among us. Because there's no more inspiring place to make art than under the big blue sky. Here are a few ideas for bringing your child's creativity out into the open air.

• Take the easel outside. It's that simple. Little painters really enjoy the change of light and sights and surroundings.  And they can make any old mess without worry.
• Get in the habit of bringing a sketchbook and crayons, markers or even a simple watercolor set with you on all outdoor expeditions. If you're planning a picnic at the park, you'll be surprised how much the children enjoy taking a break from running around to draw or paint!
• Gather rocks, flowers, pine cones, moss, sticks, and more for a still life. Have the children arrange their finds on an outdoor table and then draw together. Or the smaller ones may just enjoy making their "sculpture."
• Introduce the art of flower arrangement. Wild flowers are everywhere these days, and few little hands can resist picking them. When you get home, all you need are a few empty jars and cups of different sizes ( just raid the recycling bin) and some water and scissors too. Let the kiddos experiment with different combinations of flowers and containers. Water and clippings will get everywhere, so it's a good one for the stoop or the backyard. Display the little bouquets somewhere special when they're done!

• A Giant Welcome Mat
• Nature Silhouettes
• Bubble Painting
• Popsicle Painting

And They Slept Happily Ever After: Using Art to Tame Nightmares

Your pediatrician may well have warned you that your 18-month-old might start showing signs of some pretty vivid dreams.  She may not have mentioned, however, that those dreams might swell into full-fledged nightmares over the next few years.  Further, she may not have mentioned that a preschooler's nightmare almost instantly becomes his entire family's nightmare.  You may all need some peaceful sleep at this point.

We sure do.

Nightmares are, of course, an absolutely normal part of a child's life.  Much as we might wish the fears and conflicts and struggles to play themselves out during normal business hours, the truth is that they must play themselves out whenever and however they will.  Sigh.  And whether your little one is adjusting to a new sibling or a new preschool or a new city or just a new day, nightmares are often a preschooler's way of making sense of it all.  And it just saddens (and maddens) parents that this sense-making takes place at 2 o'clock in the morning.  Poor sweet babes.  Them, we mean.  And you too.

And again, art to the rescue!  There are things you can do to help during the long daylight hours. (And are you being sure to luxuriate in just how long these late May days are?! Divine!)  Ask your child to draw some of the things she was worried about last night.  It may be that the simple act of recreating the scary beast on paper gives your child enough control over it to ease the night troubles.  Oh, and don't be reticent to bring it up and trigger a drama -- your child either won't be upset by it in the day, or else she will be upset but because she was already ruminating on it even before you mentioned it. 

Ask him to act out what happened in the dream.  Now, can he change the ending?  Experts call this "rescripting" -- a phrase we Savvy parents love, because there are plenty of moments in our days we'd like the chance to rescript!  Draw a different monster this time -- perhaps the monster turns into a nice monster.  Perhaps he takes off his mask.  Perhaps -- well, let your little one fill in the rest. 

Or ask her to write a note to the nighttime bad guy and decorate it and put it up on her door as a keep-out sign. 

This kind of art therapy helps a great deal, we've seen (and we've been told by the researchers).  Some kids integrate magic into their art, and then that magic reappears in the nighttime to tame the bad guys again.  And other kids use their drawings to grasp that the things that terrified them last night aren't real, and that's enough comfort to last until morning.  Of course, like all things, there's no easy answer, and one conversation over markers and paper isn't going to ensure placid nights all season.  But talking it through and drawing it out and acting it into being do help.  And for that alone we weary parents and kiddos, both, are grateful.