Creativity is one of the most important tools in a child’s development. It’s more than just a fun pastime—it’s a powerful form of self-expression, confidence-building, and emotional growth. From the first scribbles to more refined creations, drawing allows children to explore their inner world. At Brightkind, we believe that nurturing this spark matters deeply, especially in a world increasingly shaped by technology.
Why Creative Freedom Matters
Have you noticed your child scrunching up paper and getting frustrated with their art? That’s often the early signs of perfectionism. When kids feel pressure to “get it right,” they can lose the joy that makes creativity so special. Encouraging a healthy relationship with drawing helps children take risks, make mistakes, and express themselves without fear.
What Parents Can Do to Encourage Creative Expression:
- Do art with them: Grab a few inexpensive canvases, some inks and paint, and sit down beside them. Show them how there’s no “wrong way” to create.
- Display their art: The fridge is perfect! Use magnets to easily rotate their work and make them feel proud of what they’ve made.
- Create a dedicated space: A simple desk with trays or drawers of pencils, stickers, tape, and plenty of paper gives them ownership over their creativity.
- Support their mindset: If they’re struggling with perfection, give them tools and reminders that every artist makes mistakes—and that’s part of the magic.
The Early Scribbles: 1–2 Years
At this stage, the marks themselves are the magic. Tiny hands grasp crayons and feel the thrill of colour appearing with each stroke. There’s no right or wrong—just joyful exploration.
- Offer large sheets of paper and chubby crayons.
- Celebrate the process, not the outcome.
- Display their art proudly (even the ones that look like spaghetti hurricanes).
The Curious Doodles: 3–4 Years
Children begin connecting shapes to ideas. A circle becomes a face. A line might be a tree. The world opens up with imaginative possibility.
- Ask open-ended questions: “Can you tell me about this part?”
- Keep materials accessible so creativity can strike at any moment.
- Let them experiment: crayons, stickers, watercolours, markers.
The Storytellers: 5–6 Years
Drawings evolve into narratives. Scenes emerge—family picnics, rocket ships, friendly monsters. These are reflections of their thoughts, feelings, and views of the world.
- Create a special sketchbook just for them.
- Encourage storytelling alongside art: “What’s happening here?”
- Offer gentle prompts: “Draw a place you love.”
The Budding Creators: 7+ Years
With growing skill comes growing self-awareness. Some children begin comparing themselves to others and may become discouraged. This is where your encouragement matters most.
- Celebrate effort and imagination over perfection.
- Offer new materials: charcoal, oil pastels, digital tools.
- Share diverse artists to show that there are many ways to be creative.
Fun Drawing Video Tutorials
- Art for Kids Hub: Features step-by-step tutorials with an adult and child drawing side-by-side. Why we love it: The child in the video doesn’t do it perfectly, which shows there are many ways to draw and that mistakes are okay. The videos are on YouTube, and they also have an iPad app, which is great for kids as it has no ads.
Step-by-Step Drawing Guide Books (suitable for kids aged 6 – 12+)
- How to Draw All the Things for Kids by Alli Koch: A delightful and beginner-friendly guide that covers everything from animals and food to everyday objects. Its simple line drawings are great for a child who wants to explore drawing a range of subjects.
- The Drawing Book for Kids: 365 Daily Things to Draw, Step by Step (Woo! Jr. Kids Activities Books): From animals and foods to seasonal themes and silly objects, each step-by-step lesson is designed to be approachable for kids of all skill levels. It’s a great resource for building drawing habits, inspiring imagination, and giving kids something new to explore each day of the year.
Keep Exploring Together
If your child shows a growing love for art, look for local art or creativity classes. Learning new techniques and experimenting with different mediums can deepen their joy. In a world that will soon be filled with computer-generated creations, children need to feel the magic of making something with their own hands.
Keep It Light, Keep It Joyful
Above all, remind your child that drawing is for them. Whether it’s a scribble or a masterpiece, every mark is a milestone. Creativity isn’t about the result—it’s about expression, exploration, and the joy of making something that didn’t exist before.
At Brightkind, we celebrate every stage with art that encourages imagination, confidence and joy. Because every child is an artist—they just need the space to shine.
