Art Therapy

Art plays a multi-faceted role in any society for everyone in general and children as well. Art in itself is therapy, all art forms are the best engaging activities, especially for children in all age groups. Children/ students in all age groups, who have suffered, had the loss of a dear one, or watched someone close passing away, or have suffered from illness themselves,will have the scars and trauma for a long time. Art, like therapy, can be very healing and help them cope with this situation. Parents need to facilitate and encourage art activity for the child/ children daily, which will make them confident, satisfied, and accomplished. Parents need to support and participate in some activityto get engaged and engage the child/ children and other family members daily or at least 3-4 times a week in some art activity. Parents should support children and encourage them rather than criticizing their efforts and discouraging them.

Foundation Stage (Age 3-8yrs)

• Playing, singing, listening, dancing, drawing, mimicry, storytelling, etc. These are the instincts every child has when they are involved and full of energy.
• Parents have to encourage them to get involved in physical and creative activities with whatever materials are handy and appropriate for this age group.
• Parents also need to be part of these activities and never discourage children to draw, scribble, paint, sing, dance or imitate, because they do all this when they are happy.
• Narrating a story and listening to stories, is what children of this age group love. Create situations for this.

Preparatory Stage (Age 8-11 yrs)

This is the age group when children starts equencing and organizing things, they start questioning with some sense and have a very keen observation. They have a lot of energy that they need to channelize meaningfully. Day-to-day incidents, especially in the current situation, have a lasting impact and can not logically conclude them. Art activities can be very helpful to engage them meaningfully and it will be very cathartic.

• Parents will have to be good and patient listeners to them; encourage them to draw, sing, paint, create stories, write poems, illustrate them, observe and imagine.
• Never criticize their work or try to find faultsin it, parents may correct them very naturally.
• Learning through, toys, games, drawing, singing, etc. is much faster and fulfilling for this age group, parents have to facilitate this

Middle Stage (Age 11-14 yrs)

This is a very important stage of growth and development in the life of a child where parental guidance is required.

• Parents should daily get engaged with the child/ children for half an hour to forty-five minutes every day for some constructive activities and create something together. In fact, all family members should do a collective activity, be it painting, drawing, craftwork, singing, playing instruments, or simply listening to music, dance, cooking, story telling or flower arrangements, etc. and enjoy whatever they do.
• Collective engagement gives a chance for parents to recognize the interest/ talent of their children. Also, this is an opportunity to inculcate values of bonding, cooperation communication, bridge the gap, and develop socio-personalskills.
• Most of the activities of arts do not require too many materials and most of these are found at home.

Secondary Stage: From Adolescent to Adult age (Age 14-18 years)

This is a stage when students transition from adolescence to adulthood, trying to find their own identity and individuality, it is a more sensitive stage of life, to be handled even more sensitively. School is a veryimportant part of theirlife even forsocialization. They are more hurt, especiallyin the current situation where their interaction and social activities have been cut down to devices, friends have become a far-reaching reality, many of them feel depressed and may think of taking some extreme steps. In absence of meeting friends and limited interactions, in today’s situation, it is difficult for parents as well to support them mentally. In such a precarious situation, a constructive activity like pursuing an Art form can have a tremendous therapeutic effect on all domains of students.

• Parents can encourage children to get engaged dailyfor about 40-45 minutesin some artistic activity which could include an appreciation of arts by just listening to some good music, singing or playing an instrument, creative writing, taking virtual tours of museums, and look atthe art pieces and simply enjoy.
• They can create/ compose something, the process of art will heal them while they will get engaged meaningfully and enjoy.
• If possible, let them join some online classesto learn an art form.
• Art activities can be conducted without using many materials and can be done with materials usually available at home.
• Students may prepare a portfolio/ record their music or songs, craftworks, etc., and find ways to showcase them, even if it could be organizing a small exhibition in the house or an event.

Source : Ministry of Education