Yule's art work

Since about 2 years old (or even earlier), Yule likes to doodle... perhaps also because of my training in art therapy, I have also encouraged free doodling since young to develop a means to express herself.

Lately, as she is still struggling to get used to the routines at child care, not comfortable about sleeping there etc, I also encouraged the use of art to express her frustration. It works! One of the day when she came back from child care, she was frustrated, seemed to have oppressed feelings the whole day, was throwing tantrums back home, and was constantly nagging and whining about not wanting to go child care. She even stood near at the window, looking out and talked to herself about not wanting to go child care. I was sad to see such a sight. Such a young child, and having such feeling of oppression is probably unbearable. To manage that, I took out the oil pastels and taught her to use different colours and strong strokes repeatedly to translate the frustration on the drawing paper. I stayed beside her to watch her (while Yuxi was sitting on my lap of course) and encouraged her to continue the process with minimum guidance from me. It works! At the end of that 15 minutes of heavy strokes, I did not see any trantrums, and neither the repeated whining 'I don't want to go child care' for that day.

Since Yule has my influence and is very much into art as a form of expression, I thought I should begin to record some of her 'art pieces' to record her milestones. And as in art therapy, its the process of engaging, fulfilment, creativity and emotional learning that matters.




One of her first drawings of 'potato' persons. This was drawn on the flight
back from New Zealand. Yule was 2 and half years old then.



A drawing done on the MRT ride with me to Funan Centre. She said she is drawing herself and Daddy holding hands. Dated 10/12/2010.

 

The use of oil pastels to release negative energy. Done in Jan 2011.

A recent drawing of family, on her little white board. This should be the first time she just randomly drew a family and really surprised us!

One of her proudest work! This was one time where I was busy with bathing baby etc, gave her her crayons and ask her to draw anything she wants, and there she drew our family playing hopscoth outdoor. Really delighted us with a first complete drawing.

Just a random silly collage piece. All I did was give her drawing paper, an unwanted brochure, glue and scissors and she just started cutting and gluing on her own. She's kinda proud of her final product though.

Another self-made silly collage piece, using cotton wool, colour paper, paper plate, scissors and glue. She said its a birthday cake she's making!