Guest Blogger:
Music and Art for Autism: Helping Your Child Embrace Creativity and Enjoy the Benefits
Chloe Pearson and Kelly Coleman with Consumer Health Labs
The arts and music have long been recognized as highly effective therapy forms for children with autism and other learning difficulties. In fact, kids on the spectrum are often inclined to excel in at least one art form, and encouraging your child’s strengths is essential to building their self-esteem. Plus, painting, playing an instrument, and engaging in other kinds of art can add significant joy to their life! So if you’d like to introduce your child to the arts, you’ve come to the right place! Consider these practical tips to help you get started.
Assess Their Interests
Every child is unique, and there is no one-size-fits-all art form for children with autism. Finding an activity that inspires your child to learn, engage, and relax is key.
Maybe your child has an ear for music and would thrive by learning to play an instrument. Perhaps they have a knack for visual arts and would love to try out painting, drawing, or graphic design. Explore different ideas with your child and gauge their interest.
It’s also important that you choose an art form that will be easy for your child to understand and perform. Start with easy projects and work your way up to more complex ones after your child has built their confidence.
Make a Space
Once you and your child have determined what kind of art to learn, The DIY Nuts suggests creating a space in your home that allows your child to fully engage and have fun. If you have a spare room, consider converting it into a multipurpose space for arts and crafts. You might be surprised by how much value a multipurpose space can add to your home.
Acquire the Right Supplies
You also need to ensure your child has everything they need to succeed in their new art venture. For example, if they’re learning to play the acoustic guitar, Guitar Skills Planet points out that they’ll need a guitar with low action so they can easily make chords. They’ll also need extra strings, a tuner, and cleaning supplies.
If your child is leaning more toward arts and crafts, supply their creative space with paper, posterboard, paints, brushes, chalk, acrylics, scissors, glue, and anything else they might need. You may already have some of the necessary items lying around the house. Take it project by project, and search local and online shops for the best deals for art supplies.
Consider Broadening Your Scope
Many parents feel lonely in their efforts to help their child. However, there are others out there facing the same challenges you have. If you’re inspired in your journey or just want to feel more connected, why not broaden the scope of your undertaking? If you would like to establish a fulfilling career or sideline teaching other kids about art and music, launching into a venture of your own might not be as complicated as you think. In fact, you might find it very satisfying.
Record Your Lessons
Recording sessions with your child can benefit both your work with your youngster and help others. It can be as simple as setting up equipment and recording your sessions. Then you can teach classes online or prepare recorded lessons for people to download at their leisure. Plus, having these sessions to review can help you see time together in a whole new light, and reviewing them can give you ideas for how to advance.
As you sort your plan, it’s important to identify your target audience before preparing lessons because your lessons and how you teach will be different, depending on who you want to focus on. Then, identify what you want to cover in a specific lesson before you create an outline. Remember that skill sets will vary, so you need to slow down and explain things as you go.
Teaching private lessons or creating online courses will require you to adopt a mind for business. Start by creating a business plan, marketing strategy, and legal structure.
Enjoy the Journey
Lastly, don’t forget to enjoy this special time with your child. Few things are more rewarding than seeing them overcome challenges and learn new things. Don’t force your child to do something they don’t enjoy, and make time for exploring different art forms. Also, make any necessary adjustments along the way, encourage your child, and be patient. And while you want to help them succeed, do so in a way that allows them to lead.
