Richard Bach, born June 23, 1936, author of the best selling book, Jonathan Livingston Seagull and The Bridge Across Forever, among others, once said, “We think, sometimes, there’s not a dragon left.  Not one brave knight, not a single princess gliding through secret forests…What a pleasure to be wrong.  Princesses, knights, enchantments and dragons, mystery and adventure…not only are they here-and-now, they’re all that ever lived on earth!”

Just like a small child, Jonathan Livingston Seagull believed in the magic.  That magic fills our children’s imaginations, telling them that all things are possible.  Young children dream; they imagine and they create freely, uninhibited by what is or by what should be.  They create by what is exciting, what is fascinating, what is adventuresome, daring and whimsical.  Their free spirits take them to a place where all things are possible, a place where dreams come true and fantasy becomes reality. Bears can talk, mountains can move, dogs can sing and alligators can dance.

The arts allow our children to enter that world of make-believe and they believe in the magic of that world.  Encouraging our children’s artistic efforts is important.  Not only does it allow them to express themselves but it gives them confidence and helps to promote their self-esteem.  It doesn’t matter if the grass in their picture is red, yellow, or green.  Neither does it matter if the cow is pink and the alligator is red – they are expressing themselves – and they believe in the magical world that they create.

Their inner spirit is their inspiration and each child has something different to say, something different to express.  We do not want them to be the same; that’s what makes them unique; that’s what makes them so very special.

Encouraging your child’s artistic efforts is just as important as encouraging them to get good grades or to make the team.  Drawing, painting, writing, singing, dancing and playing a musical instrument are activities that let them be “them.”  That free spirit that is inside has a chance to show itself, to shine brightly as it creates wonderful artwork that only a child can create.

These activities can also become a family activity.  Together you can paint or stencil a border or mural on a wall.  You can write and illustrate a story together, make birthday presents for friends and grandparents, or go to the park to sketch.  The opportunities to create are endless and there truly are brave knights, princess’s gliding through secret forests, dragons, mystery and adventure.  All you have to do is close your eyes and believe in the magic…just like your children.