Little Hands and Faces

June 10, 2008

by Eliza Clark

Before children learn how to draw figures, they love to fingerpaint, and especially to make handprints. If you let them, they'll spend hours slapping their paint covered hands down onto paper, filling pages and pages with smeary imprints of themselves. They never seem to tire of making their own mark.

And once they get the hang of drawing faces, many of these little artists move into their self-portrait period. The inevitable grown-up question "Who are you drawing?" almost always elicits "Me!" Of course. Did we need to ask? But if the drawings are always of "Me," it's a me that is always changing. As we wrote last month, being creative is how young children create and understand their own growing selves. So it's worth paying attention to these images. 

For instance -- we know one four-year-old who is smack dab in the middle of this self-portraiture phase. She's got bobbed hair, but always draws herself with long multi-colored locks. And there's usually a rainbow in the picture too. But we figured out just how revealing these pictures could be after a none too happy visit to the dentist. (The jaw clenched, lips sealed no matter how many bribes, entreaties, and videos you throw my way kind of visit.) Since then her self-portraits have always included teeth. Very very pointy teeth. Fangs, really. In other words: stay away from my mouth, Dr. Dentist, or you'll be sorry. Got it. 

So: for invaluable insight such as this into your little one's psyche, do encourage their handprints and self-portraits. (And don't forget to date them for posterity!) It being Tuesday (List Day), we offer you our short list of the many relevant prompts for doing so from the Savvy Activities Encyclopedia.

• Handprint Art

• Annual Self-Portrait

• Life Size Paper Doll

• Face Collage

And by the way: sometimes an activity that's all about your preschooler can also yield a lovely gift for someone who thinks that preschooler is the best thing ever. Namely, Dad. Or, for that matter, Grandad. Because, don't you know, it's Father's Day this Sunday. (Ack!) But there's no need to panic. Because if you don't have the perfect thing already picked out, all you've got to do is pop one of these handprints or self-portraits into a cheerful frame, tie it up with a bow, and there you have it. And for more Father's Day inspiration, keep reading...!

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