Part 3: Provide a Broad Theme

From: Process Art for Kids: What Parents Should Know

Process art can help K-8 students express their emotions and practice critical developmental skills.

By Katie Loos

While parental guidance is helpful to begin process art activities, experts say it is important not to direct a child's art with specific prompts or directions. Instead, one way to kick-start the creative flow is to simply ask, "What can we do with these materials?" and to let a theme form naturally.

In her therapy sessions, Bakri uses a simple word or phrase like "dream," and from there kids can think about the concept as it applies to them. They can consider what feelings the word or phrase evokes and take their art in any direction without the weight of a parent's expectations.

Keeping the theme broad can lead to healthy emotional expression, Bakri says. "We can't assume that we know what's going on with a child or their feelings. We may see something on the outside that looks like anger, but inside it's actually about frustration or sadness."

Process art can allow kids to freely show parents their inner thoughts and emotions, without a child having to respond verbally or even make eye contact if they are not comfortable.

Read more next Sunday.