Hands up anyone who could use a little bit of unbridled beauty in their day to day life right now? Keep ‘em up if you think it might be a wonderful thing to discuss with a little thinker?
Cool. We think so too, so just as a reminder that there is still so much beauty in the world (and that it’s so much fun to explore it with kids), here are a bunch of big, fun questions to share.
- What does it mean for something to be beautiful? Is it something about the thing itself, or is it more about the person who is looking at it?
- Is beauty the same for everyone? If not, can we still share our ideas about it? ‘
- Is beauty all about our 5 senses, or can something be beautiful in a way that we can’t see, hear, feel, smell or hear?
- What makes something art? Does all art have to be beautiful?
- Can someone make art by accident, or is it always something means to do?
- Can art be useful, like food and clothing?
- Do other animals have ideas about art and beauty too? How can we tell?
Maybe the most wonderful thing about discussions about art and beauty is that they can be had anywhere, anytime, about anything. You can chat on a hike through the woods, while digging in the garden, while doodling with markers, or while banging pots and pans together. Sporting events, story time, and bird watching are all fair game too.
Talking about art and beauty with your little thinker will not only help them to develop skills in critical thinking and communication, but it will remind both of you that even in weird, tough times, there are still beautiful things to see, make and appreciate. That’s a boost we could all use right now.
Happy thinking!