Drawing is a very useful activity. In addition to the creative component, it is based on many educational elements. Through a simplified drawing, a child gets to know the world, masters its colors, learns to hold a pencil and use a brush. This will help him further develop hand motor skills and take a creative approach to mastering literacy by drawing letters or numbers in the album. We will talk about how to learn to draw for 7-year-old children in this article.
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Drawing is a way of assimilation and transmission of information, mastered by man in ancient times. It is no coincidence that the love for this type of creativity is genetic and manifests itself at a very early age. All children have a passion for drawing. Usually kids, imitating mom or dad, pick up a felt-tip pen or pencil and start moving it across the paper. This activity helps develop imagination, teaches basic mathematical concepts, and develops taste.
In order for a child to learn to draw, you need to create suitable conditions for him.
Usually, by the age of 6-7, children already have a very well developed imagination. By this time, the child’s desire to transfer his fantasies to paper intensifies. Your task is to provide him with the necessary funds and organize a place for drawing. It is very important that everything necessary for the creative process is in a place accessible to the baby. Inspiration can strike children at any moment and, not finding its realization, quickly fade away.
In order for the process to go faster, you need to use step by step pencil drawing method. Even if you don't know how to draw, you don't need to worry about this. Currently, there are many special children's albums, which contain a number of tasks that help children and adults master all stages of drawing, starting from the simplest.
To warm up you can use simple exercise“draw shapes in the air.” This is a great way to stretch your hands. The next stage is “joint drawing,” when the child holds a pencil and mom or dad moves the baby’s hand over the paper. In this way, you will teach your child to boldly draw simple shapes, as well as lines and circle dots. In the future, you can complicate the task by using the “complete the details” exercise. The final exercise could be a “draw it yourself” task.
- To teach a child to draw with a pencil step by step, you need to explain to him what simple figures the drawing consists of, highlight the main elements and, together with the child, draw them separately, simplifying them as much as possible.
- Make shapes from the lines that will serve as the basis for the drawing. Show your child how to draw everything around you using simple lines.
It can be a good workout coloring. With its help, children learn to confidently hold a pencil and not go beyond the lines. The child will also be able to independently select the necessary colors.
Be sure to praise your son or daughter, especially when they take the initiative.
There is no need to redo or “improve” a child’s drawing, even if you don’t like it. Your task is to support the child’s desire for the creative process.
Let children draw not only specific objects or animals, ask them to draw, for example, their emotions, moods or any fantasy.
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A child develops every minute from birth. A mother’s natural desire is to help the baby in his endeavors. Drawing is a great way to prepare your little one for preschool education.
When to start?
You can instill a love of drawing in babies as early as 9 months, when they are already sitting well and confidently, giving them a brush in their hands or creating wonderful drawings simply with their hands. At this age, the baby is very curious and explores the world with the help of tactile and taste buds. Bright jars of paint will undoubtedly attract his attention. At this age, he will not create an ideal landscape, but the abstraction will certainly be bright and will delight the baby. In this case, it is not the result that is important, but the process of introducing the child to paints, their consistency and capabilities. This will teach your child to draw like real artists do. From the age of one year, or even earlier, you can give him a brush, colored pencils or markers so that he can see the difference between colors.
The child begins to create images with meaning, close to the general understanding of the drawing itself, after two years, closer to three. To develop artistic abilities even earlier, direct interaction between parents and children is important. Mom should set an example, draw an object and voice out loud what she is doing and how. This will be a great start to teaching your child how to draw simple drawings.
First steps
When you decide to introduce your baby to colors, you need to be patient. First you will need finger pigments good quality. In any case, the baby will want to taste the new substance. Special finger paints are given a characteristic bitter taste so that you will not want to eat them. You can draw in a regular album, but it is better to unfold a large Whatman paper or get a roll of old wallpaper. The more space available for play, the less likely it is that surrounding objects will get dirty. It is better to dress the child in household items that you don’t mind getting smeared with paint.
After 3 years, children become even more interested in drawings; they crave a variety of materials - paints, pencils, markers, pens, crayons. It is necessary to give the little person the opportunity to develop his imagination, using various techniques. By combining a few simple elements, it is easy to teach a child to draw a person. As soon as he is able to draw on his own, the tasks need to be gradually made more difficult. All classes should be conducted in a playful way, but in no case in the form of training sessions! If the baby is not in the mood, you should not force him - this will only make him alienated from creativity. 
Simple techniques for kids
To fully express emotions on paper, there are many different drawing techniques, the choice of which depends on the quality of the canvas and the shape of the brushes. In addition, the choice of tools determines how smoothly the paint will lie on the paper.
In addition to creative talents, drawing develops fine motor skills, speeds up the process of learning colors, develops horizons, sensory and eye skills. Don't overload your baby. A couple of flowers on the palm is enough for the first acquaintance with drawing.
It’s time to introduce a growing child to various techniques. At about a year old, the baby is ready to pick up a brush and make a variety of strokes, strokes, and lines. It's better to draw while playing. To do this, use cotton swabs, lids, sponges and other improvised materials with which you can truly show your imagination. There are a lot of options: spraying with a toothbrush, “stamping” with a foam sponge or champagne cork, using applique elements and plasticine. 
Painting with paints
It is better to start drawing lessons with paints. They are bright, have an interesting consistency, and you can draw with them without much effort. Babies are still poorly developed fine motor skills, so they don’t have to hold a brush or pencil, but create their masterpieces directly with their fingers.
Initially, after applying paint to the child’s palm, it is important to monitor his reaction. The task of parents is to help the child in an unfamiliar matter. First, palms and fingers leave imprints on whatman paper. Ideally, mom does the same. At first, three colors are enough. The lesson should end before the child gets bored, otherwise he may refuse to draw next time.
To develop motor skills, you can give your baby a cotton swab or sponge. It should be interesting for a child to dip an object into paint and get different prints. In addition, the process itself develops not only fine motor skills, but also concentration. 
After one and a half years, acquaintance with figures, objects, and animals begins. By combining elementary circles, squares and triangles, you can teach your child to draw simple drawings step by step, for example, a man or animal faces.
Children's creativity with pencils
It is necessary to use a pencil to get acquainted with new drawing techniques - shading and outlining figures. If the brush falls down with any pressure, then drawing with a pencil requires effort.
The main condition for the development of creativity of a novice artist is to create optimal conditions. You can’t interfere, you need to give the child freedom of action. Basically, the subject of creativity depends on his age. Younger children try to imitate the sun and flowers. Older children try to draw princesses or cars. From the age of 5, full-fledged children's pictures already appear, the child begins to pay attention to details. He draws not only the main characters, but also the background.
Fine art for kids
Getting a 2-year-old interested is quite simple, just like teaching a 3-year-old to draw. A personal example is needed. It is not enough to explain to a child how something is drawn, it is important to show it. Perfect the right time for conducting classes - the first half of the day, when he does not want to sleep, eats and is still full of energy. The themes for the drawing are first determined by the mother. Most often these are ordinary lines and toys. The child will trace the figures with interest or connect them using shading. In this way, he gets acquainted with the figures and trains to control the pencil to the fullest, concentrating on his own actions.
As soon as First stage will be completed, the simplest elements learned will be used to create full-fledged simple drawings. Soft triangular pencils are suitable for learning. They contribute to the formation of the correct grip of an object in the hand. If you give your child bright markers at first, he may later refuse to draw with pencils. 
Basic techniques for children
How to teach a child to draw simple drawings step by step? To begin with, it is important to know how they are created correctly.
For a child to enjoy drawing geometric shapes, he must be interested in the task itself. If you simply say “connect the dots,” there is a high probability of receiving a refusal. But “help the little dot catch up with the big one” or “connect the dot-mom, the dot-dad and the dot-baby” are much more interesting. The child will be more willing to take on this “mission.”
In addition to the correct drawing technique, you need to pay attention to painting. For the first tests, shading is suitable. It is imperative to remind the child not to go beyond the boundaries of the drawing. It is important that the mother herself shows how the color changes and appearance of the drawn object, if you press harder or weaker on the pencil. You can compare the drawings and ask your child to explain what the difference is to make sure that he understands the essence of the rules and the meaning of painting.
Drawing animals and humans
If parents expect to immediately see a full-fledged portrait, then they will be disappointed. Initially, these may be schematic images of lines and geometric shapes, perhaps not even connected to each other. The easiest way to teach a child to draw a person step by step is to use lines and a circle. When creating the desired image on paper, it is necessary to explain to the baby which part of the body is conveyed by one or another line. If an activity is difficult for a child, it is worth inviting him to cope with this task through joint efforts. 
Creative activities with preschoolers
By the age of five, a child’s imagination is actively developing. This gives him the opportunity to express his fantasies. Parents need to know how to teach their child to draw at the age of 4 and convey their wishes on a piece of paper. Acting as mentors, they must help children open up. At this stage the child learns:
- mixing rules basic colors(red, yellow, blue);
- ways to sketch the background;
- criteria for combining several materials;
- technique for making drawings realistic.
You should not dictate your rules to your child. It is better to follow the flight of his imagination, offering your ideas in the process. It is advisable to be close to your son or daughter when creating the first drawings, so that the children can voice their actions. Mom should ask leading questions that will help reveal the image and may require extra touches. In this unobtrusive way, the child’s imaginative thinking develops, his vocabulary increases, and his oratory abilities emerge.
Full drawings
Having understood the colors and shapes, the child will be able to draw independently. He will be ready to depict not just figures, but entire artistic compositions. If the mother regularly worked with the baby and was able to teach a 4-year-old child to draw, as a rule, he will then become familiar with various techniques on his own initiative. The main thing is to fuel his interest in this activity. Baby must use various elements, details, sketch the background, learn to select shades, apply several techniques in one drawing (prints with palms and cotton swabs, contours of tree leaves and splashes). The result should be a full-fledged drawing with meaning. Let it be simple, and let the objects be distorted or poorly painted. The main thing is the effort and development of the baby. 
Most likely, the first drawings that a mother gradually taught a 4-year-old child to draw, as well as the subsequent ones, will be dedicated to nature or family members. Later, the child himself will choose a theme for his creativity, trying to depict everything he sees around him.
What do children's paintings say?
A child’s drawings, starting from the age of 4, convey his inner world. Children themselves are very impressionable. It is in the drawings that their main experiences are reflected. Psychologists often turn to this technique, associated with drawing, to understand the mental state of young patients. After all, the main thing is not how to teach a 5-year-old child to draw step by step, but how to understand the meaning of his drawings. When embodying his fantasies on paper, nothing limits the baby; he can express what he is not able to say in words or show with gestures.
It is worth paying attention to what colors and shades the child usually chooses and what techniques he uses. It is important to determine the location of the main characters, their mood, and what impression is left of the drawing as a whole. All this will help you understand the child’s emotions.
Art studios
You should not burden the little ones with additional activities. The attention of parents at home is quite enough. Only after 3-4 years can you send your child to an art studio or club if the child has a craving for creativity.
At this age, he will be interested in studying along with other children; he can imitate them and try to keep up. Classes are conducted in a playful way and are not overloading at all. children's body, but only have a positive effect on it psychological condition. Following the advice of leaders, parents should help their child develop his abilities at home.
Drawing is the most popular and rewarding creative activity in many families with young children. You can use different tools and materials, but I will only focus on how to teach children to paint correctly at home. After all, not everyone has the opportunity or time to take their child to an art studio. And they take already prepared children with ready-made skills. These are what we will develop independently in our child.
Where to start?
Firstly, you need your desire to work with your child and his interest in the creative process. How to teach children to paint safely and maximum benefit– this is what will be discussed in this article, based on personal experience drawing with children and grandchildren.
It is most convenient to use water-soluble paints, watercolor or gouache. Because they wash well from clothes and furniture, do not cause allergic reactions in children and are not toxic if they get into the mouth, which often happens to the smallest artists. Agree that this is the most important argument in their favor.
Introduce your child to different brushes, preferably squirrel or pony brushes. They are inexpensive and very high quality, they do not leave hairs on the paper and do not roll off during the art of children who do not yet know how to hold a brush correctly and make movements with strokes.
Choose thick paper. Like this. Like drawing sheets and A3 size. Do not spare money at the initial stage and disappointments will bypass you and your children.
Many art teachers recommend purchasing special cups - sippy cups for water and a palette. But my grandchildren and I get by just fine with ordinary glass baby food jars, in which we fill with water and a white plate instead of a palette.
It is best to start painting with paints for children by learning to hold a brush correctly in your hands and draw strokes with a dry brush on a sheet of paper. That is, initially practice precise hand movements and brush pressure before using paint.
How to teach preschoolers to paint with paints
Drawing with paints and a brush for preschoolers begins with choosing one color, at the discretion of the child. This will maintain interest in the process and will not seem difficult from the very beginning. Let the child first learn to draw curved and straight lines, closed contours, and also color them. Here Emir paints yellow color circles and paints them.
When working with liquid gouache, the child must learn not to take excess paint with the brush so that it does not drip or flow onto the paper. Important. So that the child knows how to properly rinse the brush in water, shake it off on the edge of the cup before using paint. The grandson already understands that in order for the drawing to turn out bright, he must constantly dip the brush in water before each set of paint. When dry it turns out dirty and unclear.
Many parents ask how to teach children to paint. I would say that this is not quite the right question. You need to learn to paint with one paint long enough until the strokes and lines become neat. Only then introduce paint of a different color, also of your child’s choice.
Don't be afraid if he prefers black. Using his example, it will be easier for the baby to understand the need to frequently change the water in the glass and constantly wash the brush when changing colors. Otherwise the paints will become dirty. But accuracy in painting with paints must be taught immediately and without fail.
Emir and I prepared, but we decided to draw the main character ourselves. I helped my grandson decorate the cheeks and mouth, but he will do the cheeks and eyebrows with strokes himself.
I want to immediately warn parents not to expect clear and accurate movements from their baby when introducing the second color right away. Everything will come gradually, because small child difficult to do several things at the same time. If you continue to strengthen the correct skills, then accuracy in your drawings will return.
Drawing objects for children of three is very difficult in the summer. Most likely, their drawings will be chaotic and different. But children develop imagination, fine motor skills, observation and sharpen accuracy and precision.
If you want to complicate drawing for your child, then invite him to draw the show jumping in one color, and paint it with a second color. To summarize, I would like to draw your attention to several important points in teaching children to paint at the very beginning:
1.Children know how to pick up paint with a brush correctly
2.Learn to rinse your brush thoroughly before using new paint.
3.Never mix two colors in a drawing
4.Do not get the paints in the packaging dirty with each other
5.Draw closed lines and paint inside the outline
6.Try to work carefully, without staining everything around with paint, and do not spill water on the table
You can watch a video of how Emir behaves when changing colors
Don't scold your children if they make a mess. But you should always clean it together with the child. Let him wipe up spilled water with a rag himself. It washes out the paints if they are all smeared while painting. And only after that he rests. This is not such a tedious procedure that you feel sorry for the baby and clean everything up yourself. This will continue for a long time. But this is at your discretion. Occupational therapy has never harmed anyone, but the brain develops perfectly.
Don't forget to encourage your children and praise them for their... Great idea, sign the child’s drawings and put a date, so that later together you can observe the progress in classes every year.
Today I focused on how to teach children to paint at the age of two or three years.
If this topic is interesting to you and you are ready to learn the continuation, write about it in the comments. I plan to write about how to teach children from six months to two years old to paint and about basic drawing techniques. So don't miss it. Stay with us.
