AboutMaryAnn F. Kohl Expertise Art for children and how to bring creative art into your home... easily... without too much mess.
Experience Former teacher, now an author of books about art since 1985... writing my twentieth book now... all my books are about creative art experiences using materials found commonly in the home.
Publications Parenting, Fisher Price, Scholastic, Donna's Day, Disney, and others
Question What are some way of pulling a six year old away from TV/DVD/video/Computer to spend more time on creative art pursuits
Answer HI, Roger.
I hate to make this sound so simple, but you just have to say "You get 1/2 hour on the cmputer or 1/2 hour with the TV. What do you choose?" Then turn it off when they're done. You simply must limit the time your child spends on the computer. Being parents isn't always easy. It's ok if he gets mad. It isn't always easy being a kid!!
I would have some fun art project set up in the kitchen when the computer goes off...like a ball of white playdough with a drop of food coloring hidden inside. When your child starts to squeeze and play with it, the color will start to mix. SURPRISE!!
Six year olds like to "build", so get some golf tees and a small hammer or other pounding tool like a block of wood. Then find a big block of Styrofoam. Let your child pound the tees into the styrofoam. Who wouldn't love that?
Check my website for more free art ideas. Go to: http://www.brightring.com, then choose FUN ACTIVITIES, and then click on anything that comes up! I think your child would like "Scribble Art" activities and also "Mudworks" activities.
Hope that helps!
MaryAnn Kohl
maryann@brightring.com
www.brightring.com
