5 Easy Ways to Make Art Accessible for Kids with Learning Disabilities
written by Charlene Roth
Art is a worthwhile pastime for nearly every person, but for children, it’s beneficial in too many ways to count. For kids with learning disabilities, bringing art into one’s home can offer a healthy outlet and may even improve behaviors and learning outcomes. Here are some tips to help you make art more accessible for your child.
1. Keep Art Projects Open-Ended
Open-ended projects such as nature collage, cardboard creations, clay play and painting with non-traditional tools like sponges, feathers or leaves are accessible to all ages and abilities, and when the process is the focus, everyone benefits from art experiences. Customizing such art activities for children is simple and enjoyable for everyone. A variety of materials and mediums allow kids to explore, experiment and create unique projects that suit their abilities. Encouraging your child's artistic exploration through video creation can be a fun and educational experience.
Start by using an online video creator that’s user-friendly and packed with features to help them bring their creative ideas to life. Encourage children to experiment with different styles and techniques as they try to make a video of their own. This activity not only nurtures their creativity but also teaches valuable technical skills, from storyboarding to editing, that can benefit them in various aspects of their education, such as language arts through scriptwriting, social studies through historical documentaries, and even math through understanding video timing and pacing.
2. Utilize Music
Whether for enjoyment or educational purposes, music benefits people of all ages—from infants discovering rhythm to seniors enjoying its therapeutic effects—and abilities. Parents and teachers can use music to teach social concepts, reinforce positive behaviors, and more. Healthline highlights studies that confirm music’s positive impact on learning, memory, pain, and fatigue.
3. Make Art a Business Venture
Exploring arts and crafts with your kids might inspire a passion for teaching other children, too. You may even feel inspired to make teaching into more than a side gig. Formalizing your passion into a business offers numerous advantages, from setting your own hours to reaching a wider audience. Establishing a teaching business allows you to earn an income while doing something you love.
Also, think about registering your teaching business and forming an LLC for flexibility, tax advantages, and less paperwork. An online formation service that’s already familiar with local regulations can get you set up in minutes, saving you a bundle on lawyer fees. You’ll need to start by choosing a unique name for your business, then appoint a registered agent and register your EIN number.
4. Dabble in Painting
Activities like painting can be therapeutic for people with learning disabilities, mental health challenges and other conditions. Art therapy can even help reduce pain, minimize stress, and alleviate anxiety in adults and children with significant health problems. Painting is also an excellent way to help young artists express emotions and share feelings, even without words.
Children can use standard paintbrushes to create art, but exploring other materials as brushes creates a unique art experience. Take a nature walk to incorporate the outdoors into your art lessons; natural paint from flowers and seeds, impression stamps, and texture rubbings can make every art experience a science lesson, too.
5. Make Space for Art
Making space for art and crafting allows kids to create at their leisure. Updating or modifying a multi-purpose room or space in your home might be the ideal solution to contain messes and encourage creativity. Next, keep track of all those modifications and expenses during your renovation. In the future, if you decide to sell your home, these records might help you secure a higher appraisal value. Adding square footage is one of the most cost-effective ways to add value.
Creating a space for arts and crafts at home is beneficial for children and adults. Taking things slow and giving kids time to find their favorite art or crafting activity will allow you to enjoy the experience and make the most of your home art area.
Guest Author: Charlene Roth.
Guest Writer:
"Laurie Abner is a WFH mom to a 3-year-old and a 5-year-old. She and her husband, Josh, bought a fixer upper three years ago and have been working on turning it into their safe, happy dream house ever since. When she isn’t working on home projects, she enjoys hitting the trails with her kids, couponing, and writing. She created Safe Happy Houses to explore topics of interest and share helpful resources with her readers."
