Cooler weather is here and winter is on its way. Parents are looking for wholesome indoor activities to keep children busy and support their growing minds. Art projects usually top the list.

You imagine your child contentedly coloring, making a picture you’ll both enjoy. You’re not trying to nurture a Picasso. But you believe that art helps your child express creativity, gain mastery of the materials, practice flexibility and frustration tolerance, and — best of all — feel joy.

She gets to explore and experiment, to make something pleasing, and to see right there on her paper a picture reflecting her effort and inspiration, her own creation. Forget the coloring books and paint-by-number. Forget the screen-based art apps. This is about your child getting the full-bodied, full-sensory experience of creating her own real art.

Or maybe this feels like a burden. Like most parents, you’re probably stretched thin. You probably already feel too responsible for your child’s growth. You might even wonder how to encourage your child’s art without setting expectations. You want to strike the right balance.

And you certainly don’t want the art tear-stained or torn to shreds.

It’s reassuring to remember that humans have evolved to create and to appreciate beauty.

We’re hard-wired for aesthetic pleasure: Frederick Turner, poet and literary scholar, describes “neurocharms,” those harmonies in words, music, movement and images that we’re born to enjoy. The natural world shows endless beauty: the color and shape of a sunflower, the bold and intricate pattern of a peacock’s tail, the pleasing proportions of a conch shell. When we create art, we express something deep within, something that connects us to the natural world.

At its best, making art is the freedom to do what comes naturally. It is spontaneous and joyful. It is a deep pleasure. And children, better than any adult, remind us of its delight.

My advice is: keep it simple. Have basic materials for your child’s creative use — crayons, markers, simple paints and lots of paper. For older children, you can add scissors and glue, construction paper, fabric scraps, anything colorful. Egg cartons, cardboard and pipe cleaners make great sculptures. And there’s always the play-dough you make from scratch.

When the materials stay basic, there’s lots of room to experiment. You don’t have to worry that supplies are too precious.

Emphasize the process. Resist the temptation to show what you can make with the egg-carton.

If they want your help drawing a horse or a tree, kindly and firmly remind them: “You get to draw it the way you want. I won’t put my marks on your paper. Then it wouldn’t be your picture.”

You might, in a child-appropriate way, remind them of Aristotle’s view: “The aim of art,” wrote the ancient Greek philosopher, “is to represent not the external appearance of things, but their inward significance.” Or, as Paul Klee (the Swiss-born German artist) said, “one eye sees, the other feels.”

Once your child has finished the picture, you get to enjoy it together. You don’t have to hover and discuss every work as soon as she’s done. Let her come to you when she has something to share. Or, if that hasn’t happened, find a natural time — like the end of the day — to say you’re interested in seeing her pictures. I always find it helpful to reflect back the child’s effort: “Wow, you drew so much detail here. And over here, you added so many bright colors.”

And most important, I say how much I like to look at it.

Then, there’s the story the picture tells. I avoid direct questions, because they can come across as intrusive and demanding, too close to test questions, with the pressure to “answer right.” I’ll start with an invitation to tell me about the picture, and then show interest in the details. “And this here? You added something else.”

With an action-packed picture, it’s natural to say, “There’s a lot going on in this picture. I want to hear the story.” Sometimes I might explore further. “Oh, she looks so happy. Something made her happy.” Or, “oh, a big fight here! There’s a reason they’re fighting.” At times, I might even add a musing of my own, a trial balloon that doesn’t take over. “Did she take his favorite toy? But of course, it’s your story.”

I try to keep an open, curious stance, interested in the picture’s endless richness, and still respectful of the child’s privacy. Most important is that delicious experience of sufficiency, the satisfaction that we’ve talked enough, without my always pushing for more. Children enjoy the gift of easy hanging out, relaxed enjoyment of their art, open space if they want to add a thought.

Remember, we’re also hard-wired to connect, to share understanding. We probably all over-do it at times, forgetting to trust that connections happen naturally. With my suggestions here, I’ve tried to keep things simple and fun as you support your child making art. If you feel over-burdened, take this advice with a grain of salt. Every family finds their own way. Most important, you and your child have a rich opportunity. You get to share one of the deepest human pleasures — the enjoyment of beauty and creativity. It becomes a year-round, and life-long, pleasure.

Miriam Voran consults with parents and practices psychoanalytic psychotherapy with children and adults in West Lebanon and Montpelier. She is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth. She lives in West Lebanon.

Resources

PBS Kids. Parent Resources for the Arts. This website gives age-by-age tips and activities for enjoying the arts with children ages 2-8.

https://www.pbs.org/parents/learn-grow/all-ages/arts

National Association for the Education of Young Children. “Supporting the Development of Creativity.” This blog describes the difference between process and product art. Plus, you’ll find other useful resources at: naeyc.org/our-work/families/supporting-development-creativity.