Incorporate art into your next experience with young people

By Anna Rose

"What is your favorite way to be creative?" That was the question I posed to the youth who attended our art day camp earlier this summer. The answers were as unique as each kid in the room; one youth member shared that their favorite way to express themselves was by eating food—specifically their mom’s cooking, and Cocoa Puffs. While that was not the answer I was expecting, I did appreciate this youth member’s out-of-the-box thinking. It was creative and authentic.

Creativity and art are essential to positive youth development. There are many benefits of art education: 

• Art encourages youth self-expression in such a way that words are not required, welcoming youth of all abilities. 
• Creating and consuming art allows youth to create connections with their peers and relate to their communities in introspective ways.
• While creating art, youth explore the creative process; they can learn how to problem solve while expressing their individual identity. 

4-H Portraits of Home uses arts-based methods to support youth in exploring and strengthening their connection to both place and people in the place they call home. During a pilot of 4-H Portraits of Home I led, youth crafted masks that showcased their inside and outside selves. This project offered a safe space for youth to share their inside selves (characteristics they hold close to their heart) and their outside selves (characteristics they are more willing to share with others).

To create their masks, youth interviewed a partner to gather information for the outside of the mask. Favorite foods, hobbies and more decorated the masks’ exterior. The inside of the mask was decorated by the individual with identity markers that may be held closer to their heart. Some youth share more about their families on the inside of their mask. In an exit ticket, one youth shared about the importance of art programming: 

• Exit ticket question: How might a community create an environment that is more welcoming to your inside selves? 
• Exit ticket answer: If the school added more activities like [this mask activity], I would like school a lot more. 

Through identity masks and abstract art, youth had the permission and freedom to express their authentic selves and appreciate their peers' creations.

My newly published lesson "Anything But a Brush" provides a starting point for incorporating art into your teaching. Youth learn about abstract art by experimenting with different methods of painting using household items. The lesson can be used for a multi-hour day camp or parts could be used at a club meeting. Check out more expressive arts lessons in the youth development curriculum library. 

If you aren’t ready to implement a full arts-based lesson, consider working art into your lessons in other simpler ways:

• Using legos, playdough or clay, welcome youth to your program with sculpting time.
• Have a free dance break during your program.
• Encourage youth to draw about their experience in your program during reflection.

Whether you find your creative self in Cocoa Puffs, abstract art, photography, nature, or another avenue, I hope you will work art into your next experience with young people. What is your favorite way to be creative? What experiences do you have creating art with young people?

-- Anna Rose, Extension educator

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