Q: "How can I help my young children learn to work well with others?"

A: Beginning at a young age, children should work cooperatively on projects with peers. Try this activity to help.

• Why is this a "SMART" activity?
• Teaching young children how to share and work well with peers is an important social step.
• Working cooperatively with others on an art project like this one is a great first step in teaching your child to respect others and their work.
• Together, the children make desicions about how their painting will look. Your child will begin to understand the value of compromise and being flexible.
• Social and emotional growth is an important part of your child's development. Learning how to work well with others without compromising one's own needs will help build the confidence your child will need to be part of a larger social structure in school and other activities.

What is Needed:

• 2 children, 2 paint smocks
• A paint easel or covered hard surface
• 2 identical easel or painting papers
• Paint and paintbrushes

Activity Directions:

1. Set up the easel and place several colors of paints with brushes.
2. Ask the children to discuss what they would like to paint. NOTE - This is a great opportunity for you to let the children speak without your input. Learning to resolve conflict and compromise on their own will boost self-esteem.
3. Allow the children to paint together on ONE piece of the paper and discuss the painting on their own. When they have finished, ask them to tell you about it. It is best to ask open ended questions, as opposed to guessing what they painted. Art should be about the process, not the product.
4. Before the painting has dried, take the extra piece of easel paper and gently press it on top of their painting. This will create a print of the original painting, and each child can keep one painting.

Modifications:

This can be done with fingerpaint and more than 2 children.