Charlene Roth
Blogger
At Mom’s Choice Awards, we know that kids with ADHD often feel out of control. By encouraging your child to participate in the arts, you can help them practice self-control so that they feel more confident managing their own behavior. Plus, art is an excellent outlet for your child’s intense emotions. If you think your child would benefit from the arts, keep reading to learn more!
Build an Art Space at Home
Creating an at-home art space is a great way to get your kids interested in painting, sketching, sculpting, crafting, making music, and other forms of art. A dedicated art space will contain any mess your child makes while exploring their creativity. This will allow them to create freely! Consider fixing up an unused area of your home and transforming it into an inviting art space. For example, this could be the perfect use for your unfinished basement. Finishing your basement could even improve your home value, so it’s a win-win!
Try Different Forms of Art
Try to incorporate different types of art into your kid’s art room. For example, you could include a painting easel and watercolor paints, a musical corner with a few simple instruments, a dress-up box, and a craft station complete with various markers, stickers, paper, glue, beads, ribbons, and other embellishments. Empower your kids to make their own decisions by offering plenty of options.
Self-directed creation is extremely valuable, so let your child get creative and come up with projects on their own. If they’re not sure where to start, you can encourage their creativity with some simple project ideas. Let them deviate from the instructions if they want to. Structured projects are just a jumping-off point!
Explore Art Therapy
As you explore the benefits of art for your child, you may discover a passion for art therapy! According to Format.com, art therapists help everyone from children to adults, using art to guide the therapy process. They use a variety of art forms to help people build self-awareness, reduce anxiety, improve their interpersonal skills, and explore their emotions. While art therapists often work in healthcare settings and schools, you could also open your own private practice. Launching a business is easy with the help of online tools. For example, if you want to form an LLC to protect your personal assets, you can use a formation service like ZenBusiness to purchase an LLC online!
Be a Supportive Parent
Whether you’re working as an art therapist or helping your own kids embrace the benefits of art therapy at home, there are some guidelines parents should keep in mind. The goal of using art as therapy is not the end product, but the process. Try to take the pressure off and help your kid focus on how it feels to create something rather than striving for perfection. Encourage your child to talk about their artwork so they have a chance to express their point of view. If they’re disappointed by their art, help them talk through their feelings and consider what they would have done differently if they were starting over. This is a great practice in problem-solving!
It’s clear that art is a fantastic resource for kids with challenges such as ADHD. If you have a child who is struggling to cope with their emotions, build confidence, or manage their behaviors, art therapy may be very beneficial! Help your child explore different forms of art and creation so they can learn to express themselves in healthy ways.
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About Charlene Roth
Charlene is a stay-at-home mom of four. She’s a chronic worrywart and can’t help but always be concerned for the welfare of her kids. She feels better knowing that she’s taking steps to educate herself – and her children – on how to stay safe in every circumstance she can think of.
View all posts by Charlene Roth here.
One Comment on “How to Help Your ADHD Child Get Involved in the Arts”
Awesome post… This is great information for all parents w/ ADHD children.