Patience Webb learned long ago that the way to encourage a child in art is to find out what makes him tick. Webb, who has taught art for 27 years, tells the story of seven-year-old Chuckie, who thought he couldn't do anything right in art class. So he wouldn't even try. But then Webb discovered he loved cheetahs. So she asked him to do a study of them. He spent weeks on his drawing and was so proud of it that he used it for the cover of a school report he did on the big cats.

USE YOUR CHILD'S INTERESTS

Figure out what interests your child, says Webb, even on an unconscious level. What colors does he like? What does he collect? What are the constant themes of his life? Use what he likes as the basis for an art project. It takes some thinking: Does he love cars and like to draw? Make a map together of a town with roads for his toy cars. Is he an outdoors-lover? Make a miniature clay campsite.

Whether you have a hesitant artist or a kid who already loves art, he can benefit from your thoughtful direction on occasional projects. Here's where you have the advantage over art teachers: "You see your child up close every day," says Webb. "So you will notice what interests your child before the art teacher does."

CREATIVITY TIP
Turn art into play. For young children, avoid comments like "Okay, let's quit playing and go into the kitchen and do art." Keep it simple and fun, a point you can demonstrate by eagerly joining in on the project. You could make tiny stick dolls with box cradles, for instance. If your child is not immediately interested in the art, draw her in by asking her for help.