Inspiring Preschoolers to Share Art | The Blue Elephant

Art Show and Tell: Encouraging Preschoolers to Share Their Masterpieces

At The Blue Elephant Learning Center, we often talk about our affinity for allowing kids to explore their creativity and expand kids education through art. Art is a crucial tool in early childhood development, and it goes beyond the educational aspects. When children are able to not only create but proudly share their creations, a world of benefits opens up. Sharing their artwork through an art show and tell can help build confidence, communication skills, and self-expression. It also helps build appreciation toward others who share their work.

Creating An Effective Art Show and Tell Experience

The opportunity to showcase creative work with a supportive audience allows children to expand on several skills:

  • Self-Confidence: It can be nerve-racking to put yourself out there, but building this characteristic early on can help enforce it for the future. Sharing something you created can boost self-esteem, making children feel proud of what they’ve accomplished. The positive feedback received will reinforce that, creating positive associations with sharing their work. 
  • Communication: During an art show and tell, the notion of explaining their art can help develop better communication, improve language development, and expand vocabulary. 
  • Social Skills: When participating in a group art show and tell, children will be expected to take turns, be patient, listen to their peers, ask questions and provide feedback, building important social skills. 
  • Art Appreciation: A beautiful thing about art is that everyone has their own style and strengths. Seeing what others have created can open up the discussion to different techniques, encouraging critical thinking about art and creativity. It’s also a good lesson that while not everything – or everyone – is the same, all should be celebrated and respected. 

Allowing children to express themselves is always a positive thing. Set up your own art show and tell, building up the event to bring excitement. Get your children’s friends, neighbors, or family involved to create a supportive atmosphere. Explain the purpose of the event, which is to take turns sharing artwork and discussing it. Invite all kinds of art, and be clear that the show and tell is not about talent or perfection – it’s simply a way to celebrate the creativity and effort that goes into their creations. Set your event up the way it works best for your situation, but these tips can help make it a success if you’re not sure where to start:

  • Set A Date & Expectations: Determine the best date and time for your art show, explaining the purpose and the planned process. Let guests know they will have a chance to share the artwork of their choice and talk about it. If the first showcase goes well, it might be fun to schedule them monthly (or however often you’d like!) to give kids a goal and something to look forward to. 
  • Set The Stage: Create a comfortable atmosphere for your art show and tell. Choose a special chair or small stage for the presenter to be, with comfortable seating available for guests that allows everyone to see and hear clearly. 
  • Put On Display: Make the event more exciting by offering a creative display option. Hang a large bulletin board or dedicated gallery wall for artwork to be displayed at the start of the event. Invite families and friends to be a part of the art show and tell to show their support. 
  • Provide Encouragement: It may take a little bit for children to warm up to the idea of openly sharing both their work and encouragement for their peers, so lead by example. Provide positive feedback on each artist’s creation, throwing in simple questions to prompt them to talk more about their art. Once the nerves start to wear off, others will join in and feel more comfortable with the dynamic. Some engaging conversation starters include:
    • “What’s your favorite part of this creation?”
    • “How did you decide which colors to use?”
    • “Can you tell us a story about your picture?”
    • “What did you like about making this?”
    • “How does this piece of art make you feel?”

Creating an encouraging atmosphere for sharing something they created on their own will help boost a child’s confidence and interest in self-expression.

Embrace Creative Learning at The Blue Elephant Learning Center

Artistic expression, communication skills, and confidence-boosting are all important parts of child development. These ideas are embraced at our private preschool & learning center in Frisco, TX through our preschool curriculum and other programming. It’s important for children to have the chance for hands-on learning both at home and through a structured environment. Contact us to learn more about how your child can excel through education at The Blue Elephant Learning Center. 

Schedule a tour of our Frisco preschool today to check out our facility and learn more about how your child can excel in a supportive, award-winning learning center! Enroll Now at The Blue Elephant Learning Center in Frisco and join our community.  Contact us or call us at  469.287.0332 to learn more about our experienced team.