Art and Children: Beyond the Fridge

What kinds of arts activities do you enjoy with your children and why?

My children have been around the arts since before they were born, literally. I was one of “those parents” who put earphones up to mommy's stomach so they could listen to classical music and show tunes.

And that effort didn’t stop once they found more roomy accommodations. I took my daughter to her first play long before she could walk and talk. Ditto for my boy child.

We still go to plays, art shows and museums on a regular basis. These outings aren’t just “family time” with them now that I am a weekend dad, but they have purpose. I want to raise critical thinkers. As a college educator, I find that many of my students fail to grasp the whole concept of thinking for themselves. They don’t understand that I don’t just grade them on the vocabulary words they drop into their research papers, that were largely cobbled together after doing Internet searches on their subjects. I want to know what THEY think about the subject, not that they can do keyword searches on what others think.

Art builds those skills in my children, thus the outings.

South Sounders are lucky in this regard since there are plenty of child-friendly arts events for like-minded parents. The Third Thursday ArtWalk around Tacoma means museum and gallery admissions are waived, so families can venture out without damaging their wallets. , Tacoma Little Theatre and Tacoma Playhouse all have theater programs for children that stage family works as well as offer classes targeting young thespians. Tacoma Art Place, Tacoma Art Museum, Museum of Glass and the Washington State Museum have activities for children as well.

The key, at least for me, was to do little things at a time and make arts outings fun. Nothing rolls eyes faster than telling children they are going to a museum to study art. Be goofy about it. Have “worst art” or “best art” contests with them and have them defend their selections, for example. Then stand back as they explain their thoughts. But also be ready to just punt and do something different. Viewing, making or talking about art should be fun, not a chore. If the time is not right, the time is not right. Go with the flow.

My daughter now sings in Tacoma Youth Choir, has acted in several plays and takes violin and piano lessons. Taking on those activities were her choice, not mine. Other activities have come and gone, but those have stuck. All of those activities are better than being a couch potato, so something is working.

It all starts with planting a seed. The rest, well, is for them to decide.