https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 16 Apr 2026 04:41:13 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/ideas-to-get-4-year-old-interested-in-art#post-2857568 Mon, 19 Nov 2018 20:32:40 +0000 autumnleaves 2857568@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@muffinsmuffins: When my 4 year old was 3, his teacher said he was not interested in doing art at school and I felt that was because we didn't encourage it that much at home. I had the materials but DH doesn't like for things to get messy at home so I didn't take out the paints that much. I talked with DS about how his teacher said he wasn't interested in doing art at school and between that and finding mediums that he likes to use at home that aren't too messy - he seems to have become a lot more interested in art at school and at home. It may have also just been the timing. I make play-doh for him and he loves to get creative with that and he also loves the Melissa &amp; Doug paint with water which DH does with him every weekend. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/ideas-to-get-4-year-old-interested-in-art#post-2857565 Mon, 19 Nov 2018 20:04:00 +0000 Mama Bird 2857565@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Carrot: same here, zero interest until DS started K. He just wasn't ready till he was ready. Now he's really into drawing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/ideas-to-get-4-year-old-interested-in-art#post-2857543 Mon, 19 Nov 2018 16:40:49 +0000 annem1990 2857543@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@muffinsmuffins: Your clear involvement and concern for your child is the most important thing. You sound like you’re doing an amazing job. I’ve seen so many degrees of parent involvement and it’s amazing how kids excel when parents are involved. </p> <p>In regards to something like the letter circling: Is he having trouble circling because he still needs to develop those fine motor skills, or he just doesn’t want to do it? They’re definitely two different things. It can be challenging to “make” kids do certain school work, especially at home. Does his teacher have a hard time getting him to do those things? He could just need more practice/discussions about how practicing things in school is important even when you don’t want to do it. Overall, just continue to try different mediums of learning at home and support what the teacher is suggesting as well. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/ideas-to-get-4-year-old-interested-in-art#post-2857534 Mon, 19 Nov 2018 16:03:27 +0000 muffinsmuffins 2857534@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@annem1990: I guess I just equate not liking anything to do with art to not wanting to write letters, numbers, participate in projects the class is doing. That’s primarily what I’m concerned about fostering. I just want to provide opportunities for him to practice his skills since even circling 10 of the same letter is like pulling teeth (the only take home thing we are encouraged to do each week) but yes, I agree with the way you put it.</p> <p>@looch: this is exactly what I wondered! Maybe I just haven’t exposed him to the right medium as you said. I’ll check out some classes.</p> <p>@gestalt: yes we were just talking about making things more accessible so I will definitely do that.</p> <p>@Mrs. Carrot: thanks! This makes me feel better. I feel like every kid we know is so into drawing and painting and practicing letters and my kid has no interest. The teacher isn’t pushing anything but I know the main skill of letter tracing is what they are working on as well as themed crafts. </p> <p>Thanks everyone for replying! Glad to hear others have kids not as interested. I’m definitely not trying to push him to be ‘artsy’ it’s more that I would like him to participate and be confident in letter and number tracing and make it fun, which seems hard when he won’t even pick up a crayon. Just wanted to be sure we weren’t overlooking an easy way to help him expand his interests as he continues with school. Or that we have turned him off drawing/art skills by focusing so much on cars and whatnot over the years! Plus I’m sick of playing cars ha! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/ideas-to-get-4-year-old-interested-in-art#post-2857529 Mon, 19 Nov 2018 15:49:23 +0000 smuckers 2857529@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Just saying, this could be pretty fun for him :)</p> <p><a href="https://playtolearnpreschool.us/painting-with-cars/" rel="nofollow">https://playtolearnpreschool.us/painting-with-cars/</a></p> <p>ETA: Just google "painting with cars" brings up a TON of fun things that a car-minded kid might be into. Might whet his interest in art, might be a 1 time fun thing, or might not be interesting to him at all. Worth a shot, though :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/ideas-to-get-4-year-old-interested-in-art#post-2857528 Mon, 19 Nov 2018 15:42:47 +0000 hellobeeboston 2857528@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My older son never was, and still isn't really, into art. He's 6 now... when he was younger he LOVED painting with cars. We did that a lot and he loved it.</p> <p>I got canvases, and cheap hot wheels cars, did blobs of paint and he got to run the cars through the paint to make tracks. The art looks pretty cool in the end too! the cars got covered in paint and i glued them to canvases to hang in his room. You can do it on heavy kraft paper too.</p> <p>Now that he's older he will participate in some projects, but he's not really into it still :( I'm an artist too, so i'm hoping he comes around eventually. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/ideas-to-get-4-year-old-interested-in-art#post-2857524 Mon, 19 Nov 2018 15:27:52 +0000 Rocker2014 2857524@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm not sure there's any need to push him towards art, he's into it or he isn't. </p> <p>However, if you really want to make it happen, what about an art or craft kit that involves cars? Like one of these:</p> <p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Doug-Decorate-Your-Own-Wooden-Craft/dp/B01CQTWNWU/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&#038;qid=1542659150&#038;sr=8-3&#038;keywords=paint+car+toy" rel="nofollow">https://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Doug-Decorate-Your-Own-Wooden-Craft/dp/B01CQTWNWU/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&#038;qid=1542659150&#038;sr=8-3&#038;keywords=paint+car+toy</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Made-Me-Build-Wooden-Horizon/dp/B007MZ7VE4/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&#038;qid=1542659150&#038;sr=8-4&#038;keywords=paint+car+toy" rel="nofollow">https://www.amazon.com/Made-Me-Build-Wooden-Horizon/dp/B007MZ7VE4/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&#038;qid=1542659150&#038;sr=8-4&#038;keywords=paint+car+toy</a></p> <p>I remember my brother having a lot of fun decorating a pinewood derby car! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/ideas-to-get-4-year-old-interested-in-art#post-2857505 Mon, 19 Nov 2018 14:11:38 +0000 looch 2857505@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Art classes! Let him experiment with materials...as my son's art teacher says, everyone is an artist, it's just that some people haven't found their preferred materials. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/ideas-to-get-4-year-old-interested-in-art#post-2857489 Mon, 19 Nov 2018 13:40:03 +0000 KT326 2857489@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Time. My oldest wasn't interested until Kindergarten (he was 5.5 when he started). Before that he just wouldn't do it or it would be scribbles. Now at 6.5 he can draw with great detail! </p> <p>Now my almost 2 year old? He loves to scribble and paint! I have a feeling art will be easier for him. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/ideas-to-get-4-year-old-interested-in-art#post-2857484 Mon, 19 Nov 2018 13:14:39 +0000 gestalt 2857484@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My kids have a dedicated art area on the main floor where they are free to do whatever they want. I have pencil crayons, markers, crayons, safety scissors, stickers, etc. that they can use without supervision. Nothing fancy, but it gets used daily. When my kids were younger, i would sit next to them and colour/draw together. I would draw something they requested, and then suggest colouring or "making designs" together. I found that participating in the art helped with their interest.</p> <p>If he is not into colouring, what about stamps? stickers? paints? cutting paper? Play-doh? You could also have him paste construction paper cut outs with a glue stick? There are different items you can use - my kids are not big fans of colouring so i get your kid's disinterest. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/ideas-to-get-4-year-old-interested-in-art#post-2857483 Mon, 19 Nov 2018 13:12:52 +0000 annem1990 2857483@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>As a former primary teacher, I’d say don’t push it. Bring out paper and crayons a few times a week, but if he’s not into it there’s not much you can do IMO. You could try coloring books with characters you know he likes, drawing in playdough, cooking etc to encourage fine motor skills. Other than that, just let him develop and do what he likes at home. Obviously school will be more rigorous and I’m sure the teacher will do plenty of these skills. If she has any ideas, definitely try to implement them, but again don’t force it down his throat. </p> <p>If the tables were reversed and he LOVED art would you be telling people to stop buying art supplies because he needs to work on other skills? My guess is no. It’s so hard and we want our children to be well-rounded, but you can’t make someone enjoy a hobby/skill. He will learn to write, but it may not ever be his favorite subject. It might always be a struggle. And that’s okay. We all excel in some areas and have weaknesses in others :heart: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/ideas-to-get-4-year-old-interested-in-art#post-2857482 Mon, 19 Nov 2018 13:12:41 +0000 Mrs. Carrot 2857482@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Honestly, nothing had my daughter interested until she started kindergarten. In the last 3 months that she's been in school, she's been drawing nonstop, after literally occasionally just scribbling before that. Nothing we bought her got her attention, and even now, what excites her is free/imaginative art - drawing stories that she's conceiving of in her head, starting to write words - rather than coloring books or particular supplies. Is there a particular skill (ie, motor development, etc.) the school is trying to encourage? I was never drawn to art myself so I never pushed it with my daughter and now I'm struggling to keep up with her lol </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/ideas-to-get-4-year-old-interested-in-art#post-2857479 Mon, 19 Nov 2018 13:01:21 +0000 muffinsmuffins 2857479@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DS is 4 and in J.K. (we are in Canada) He has always had limited interest in colouring and art so we didn’t push it. He loves cars and imaginative play. We have lots of art supplies available to him and try to encourage it when we can. Usually that involves him watching me colour and then going off to find his cars.</p> <p>Now that he’s in school and learning to write and participate in crafts and whatnot, we want it to be a regular thing in his play rotation. His teacher noted on his progress report that they will work on encouraging art activities with him. Parent/teacher interviews are this week so I plan to ask them for ideas but wondering if anyone has a kid like this and/or what helped, any fantastic supplies, kits, ideas, that made your kid interested? I’ve told everyone no more cars for Christmas but I don’t want art stuff to be sitting unused either. At this point even getting him to circle letters for the letter of the week poem is a struggle. </p>