You might have been told by your administration that you need to hand out art awards for kids this year. Maybe you’re wondering if they’re necessary – after all, isn’t everyone an artist?
Will kids feel bad if they don’t get one?
Or maybe it’s not a good thing if all kids get one – after all, doesn’t that make it a participation award?
Let’s untangle this end of the year puzzle. Here are 3 ways to recognize kids in the art room – other than to the “best artist.”
Don’t forget to scroll down to the bottom and download your free PDF of art awards for kids that you can use for your students.
If you’re a homeschooler and wondering if art awards apply to you, the answer is yes! Your art award just may look a bit different. I suggest heading out for ice cream to celebrate a year of creativity!
3 Ideas for Art Awards for Kids
1. Daring to Try New Things
Even though most of us don’t quake at the sight of paint, some kids find art a bit terrifying.
It’s not just the blank canvas that haunts us and tells us “you’ll never create something good enough,” but some of the art supplies feel daunting.
Whether they feel too messy, or maybe they make too perfect of a line, recognizing kids who dare to push through their nerves, and their fear, is a wonderful way to recognize their growth – and to help them develop a skill that they will need as adults too.
After all, it isn’t that we are never fearful, it’s that we learn how to move through it.
2. Recognizing Growth
One thing art teachers excel at is learning the unique abilities of their students.
That means if one student comes in and they scribble color, but at the end of the year they are coloring with markers carefully and methodically – that’s a reason to celebrate!
Recognizing these things that seem small encourages them to look at the other ways that they can grow in their art making.
You can even follow up by asking them, “So – what are you going to work on next?”
3. Out of the Box Thinking
When I’m teaching, one of the first things I’m asked by kids is “But – what if I want to draw x instead?”
Most of the time my answer is “Go for it!” because these creative choices reward students for stretching themselves into thinking of new ways to create art.
Granted, this may not apply to the child who always wants to draw a raccoon for every single project. But if students take your underwater scene and turn into a scene with aliens exploring Earth and it’s back in the time of dinosaurs – that’s pretty incredible. Same is adding a mug of root beer and a plate of chips!
Recognizing kids for their out-of-the-box thinking grows artists – and it encourages others wondering if they can add a little extra to their art next time, to do so. It’s a win-win!
Although handing out awards can sometimes feel over the top – the truth is, recognizing those small achievements helps to create that confidence not only in art, but in life. We all know how wonderful it feels to be acknowledged by a boss or coworker – or a stranger.
Let’s pass that encouragement to our kids – and teach them to be the ones who want to encourage others, and to be those creative changemakers.
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