Art therapy for children. Art therapy (art therapy) for children Art therapy methods for children

IRINA BRATTSEVA
Art therapy in work with preschoolers

Art - therapy in working with preschoolers»

Training for teachers

Topic: Art - therapy in working with preschoolers»

Target group: tutors of OS.

Target: acquaintance with non-traditional forms of health improvement of children in OS.

Tasks:

introduce new, modern technologies for improving children;

creation of a favorable environment for joint cooperation in the process art therapy games.

Materials and equipment: ball, musical accompaniment for games, large paper, sheets of paper, circles cut out of paper, brushes, paints, felt-tip pens, colored pencils, wax crayons, jars of water, scissors, glue.

1. Theoretical part.

Modern life dictates to a person special terms: you need to be self-confident, active, purposeful, open to everything new, have a non-standard approach to business, be creative. In accordance with the new modern requirements of education before preschool institutions, the task is not only to form the necessary knowledge, skills and abilities in children, but also to create the maximum conditions for strengthening their psychological and physical health, to socially adapt to schooling, to promote the development of creative potential

One of these areas is the impact through fine art - art therapy, or "Creative Expression Therapy".

Basic goals art therapy - self-expression, expansion of personal experience, self-knowledge, harmonization of personality.

Methods art therapy is used with preschoolers of different ages. To activate the creative process, stimulate the child and diversify his sensory and emotional experience during art therapy classes, children are offered various materials (paints, charcoal, colored pencils, felt-tip pens, wax crayons, plasticine, clay, sand). At the end of each session, there is a discussion of the feelings caused by work with one material or another. Music is often used during classes. It affects the consciousness in the form of images, causes an emotional response, relieves internal stress, movement and dance, storytelling are also used. To the most popular types art therapy can be attributed:

Isotherapy - therapy with fine arts, primarily drawing, as well as work with reproductions, with various artistic material: clay, plasticine, paper, straw.

Music therapy is the controlled use of music in the education and upbringing of children and adults;

Dramatherapy - exposure through the theater, images, as well as the use of ready-made materials (films, performances);

Dance therapy is all about movement: rhythmoplasty, dance movement therapy.

fairy tale therapy,

play therapy,

bibliotherapy (correctional influence by reading specially selected literature,

artsintezterapiya (seven types of arts combined in a single training system: associations, painting, versification, dramaturgy, plastic arts, theatre, rhetoric,

sand therapy,

color therapy,

phototherapy (therapeutic and corrective use of photography, video therapy,

mask therapy,

animation or cartoon therapy.

Basic Principles and Commandments art therapy:

Similar phrases "I can not draw", "I can not dance", not accepted! A task "draw, mold, dance beautifully" not that it is not put, it is generally contraindicated. The main thing is to splash out, draw, dance, give vent to accumulated emotions and stresses in order to better understand, understand, rethink, find a solution, get rid of and improve your mental and physical health. Therefore, first of all work should be analyzed not by a psychotherapist, but by the author himself. Analyzing and simply contemplating your "masterpiece", a person himself begins to realize the essence of his problems and ways to solve them without anyone's help, without "crutches". As a rule, this does not happen immediately and very rarely after the completion of a specific work, therefore, you need to save your creations and return to them from time to time, considering them in a different mood and from different angles.

tricks art therapy can be included in both individual and group forms work. Despite the apparent simplicity of the method, art therapy allows you to treat:

neuroses;

Increased anxiety;

low self-esteem;

Difficulties in relationships with others;

Consequences of stressful situations, etc.

Art therapy allows everyone to remain themselves, not to feel shame, embarrassment or resentment, comparing themselves with others, helps to reveal the internal resources of the body and psyche. Art therapy classes develop creative and spatial thinking, speech, fine motor skills of hands, the ability to understand a partner. Helps relieve emotional stress, negative emotions, work out disturbing situations. They give the opportunity to try new roles, ways of behavior and response, activate the function of the imagination of children. Children with a rich imagination are more successful in solving non-standard tasks, more easily survive troubles and gain respect among their peers.

The visual techniques used in working with children:

Drawing with bulk materials (sand, dry leaves, cereals, etc.).

Using bulk materials and PVA glue, you can create images. A drawing is applied to a sheet of paper with glue that is squeezed out of a tube. Then the dry leaves are rubbed between the palms into small particles and scattered over the adhesive pattern. Excess, non-adhered particles are shaken off. Also used in work sand, cereals and other bulk materials.

Plasticine drawing.

Plasticine can create various images. This is a time-consuming technique that requires perseverance and long-term concentration of attention from the child. It is good to use this technique with hyperactive children.

Technique "Monotype".

On a smooth surface - glass, plastic board, film, thick glossy paper - a drawing is made with gouache paint. The material on which the paint is applied must not pass water. A sheet of paper is placed on top and pressed against the surface. The result is a mirror image. It may be less clear than the original, more vague, the boundaries between different colors may be erased.

Drawing objects of the surrounding space.

Children can draw with crumpled paper, rubber toys, cubes, sponges, toothbrushes, sticks, string, cocktail straws, erasers, and more. Purposeful "rocking" movement and functional stereotypes creates the basis for a general strengthening of the emotional sphere, reducing dependence - in particular, on rituals - improving mood, developing imagination, and adaptive abilities.

Finger painting.

Drawing with fingers is not indifferent to a child. Due to the non-standard situation, special tactile sensations, expression and atypical result of the image, it is accompanied by an emotional response.

Drawing to music.

The basis of music is sound. Sound, like an acoustic signal, affects the cells of a living organism, changing their activity. The cardiovascular system, the respiratory system reacts to music, music affects hormonal metabolism, etc. Invite the children to listen to music, imagining its color and movement of sounds. Then, when repeating the sound, offer to depict what they represented with visual materials that do not create resistance on paper and do not require muscle tension when work. It is better to use watercolor or wax crayons.

Marania technique (splattering paint).

Playing with paints is very enticing and mesmerizing, especially if it is allowed to splatter and "dirty" paint sheet. Children perform these work with great pleasure and interest.

If you leave blots of different colors on one part of the sheet, and then fold the sheet in half and open it again, you get the original drawing. Ask your child to name their masterpiece.

Technique "Mandala"

Spontaneous Work with color and shape inside the circle contributes to a change in the state of human consciousness, causes a variety of psychosomatic phenomena and opens up the possibility for the spiritual growth of the individual.

Drawing on wet paper.

Unusual work can be done, if it is performed on paper pre-moistened with a spray gun. It is interesting to watch how the colors spread and mix on wet paper, this will give the child a special pleasure and give a lot of positive emotions.

2. Practical part.

Teachers are invited to take part in a series of games and exercises, wearing art therapy character. Data art therapy techniques teachers can later use in working with preschoolers.

An exercise "Compliments"(play therapy)

Target: creating a positive mood, a positive microclimate in the group.

Material: ball.

Move. The teacher asks the participants to stand in a circle. The players pass the ball to each other, while complimenting their neighbor on the right, praising him, noticing his merits.

An exercise "Drawing in a circle"

Target: development of reflection, knowledge of the inner world of the child. Children are given circles cut out of paper and are invited to draw a picture on both sides. topic: "Good and evil", "White and black", "Joy and Sorrow", "Day and night", "Happiness and Sadness". You can try to see the meaning in the scribbles, or you can just drive a pencil across the paper while listening to your body.

An exercise "Beautiful garden"(music therapy, isotherapy)

Target: knowledge of the inner world of the child, the development of imagination and emotional sphere. Close your eyes and imagine that we are in a garden. Imagine yourself as a flower. If you were a plant, what would you be? What would your leaves look like? Would you have spikes? What about flowers? What colour? Flowers in bloom or just buds? What does your stem and roots look like? Where do you grow up, and what surrounds you around? Is anyone taking care of you? And now you're coming back. Open your eyes and when you're ready draw your flower. Don't worry about how you draw, as long as you can describe your flower. Everyone portrays themselves as some kind of plant, real or fictional. If you wish, you can tell about your drawing. Then they cut it out and place it on a large sheet of paper, forming a huge beautiful garden. Then you can listen to music and draw your flower in a dance. The exercise is done in the same way. "Land of animals". Children are invited to imagine themselves as some kind of animal, to draw. Tell me about this animal. With whom it is friends, what it fears, what it dreams about, what it rejoices at. Then depict an invented image in a dance.

The game "Applause for each other"

Target: relieve tension and fatigue, thank all participants for work.

All participants sit in a circle. The host begins to clap his hands and looks at one of the participants. They both start clapping. The participant looked at by the facilitator looks at the other participant, including him in the game. Thus, all participants begin to clap.

3. Conclusion:

Classes for art therapy or with elements of art therapy give children the joy of learning, creativity.

Having experienced this feeling once, the child will strive in his drawings, applications, games, etc. to tell about what he learned, saw, and most importantly experienced, felt.

Thank you for participating! See you soon!

Psychotherapeutic work with children requires not only patience and caution, but also the use of special methods. After all, not all the techniques that psychotherapists apply to adults are similar to children. Babies have a different type and they do not react to the word in the same way. Children are more emotional, their behavior is controlled not by the mind, but by the world of feelings.

One of the most effective and safe areas of work of a psychologist with children is art therapy. It not only has a beneficial effect on the emotional state of very young children and adolescents, but also contributes to their mental and creative development.

This type of work with children is currently becoming one of the most popular areas in psychotherapy. It is soft and at the same time effective in influencing the emotional sphere and promotes development. In addition, people who do not have a special psychological education, for example, kindergarten teachers or parents, can use the technique of art therapy, including in working with children.

What is art therapy

This is a direction of psychotherapy, which uses the means of artistic creativity to correct the emotional state of a person, their self-knowledge and general. There are two areas of art therapy, the purpose of which is to harmonize the personality.

1. The use of works of artistic creativity (paintings, sculpture, music, fiction, etc.) to influence the mental processes of a person, primarily the emotional sphere. Contact with outstanding works of art can not only create the necessary emotional background, but also help to overcome the condition.
2. Occupation with various types of artistic and decorative arts. The process of involvement in creativity has a very strong tonic effect, relieves emotional stress, allows you to look at the world from a positive point of view and creates conditions for personal development.

Both of these directions have long been actively used in psychotherapeutic practice in work with both adults and children. But in recent years there has been a significant increase in interest in the second direction. I think this is largely due to the fact that people who have not previously been involved in creativity have realized how positively it affects the psyche. They become active propagandists of art therapy.

But this has to do with adults, and as for children, artistic creativity has always been considered a favorable environment for the development of a child's personality and was actively used by teachers. However, children's art therapy has its own characteristics, which should be taken into account when organizing classes with kids.

Art therapy classes with children: principles, rules, features

Children have a flexible and receptive, but at the same time vulnerable psyche. And although they express their emotions more openly than adults, it is often difficult to establish contact with kids, they are shy and withdraw into themselves. And teenagers may even refuse to draw or sculpt, as they consider these activities to be frivolous and do not want to demonstrate their inability. Therefore, when doing art therapy with children, it is necessary to follow some mandatory principles:

• Create a friendly environment where even the most shy and withdrawn kids feel comfortable.
• Take into account the age characteristics and interests of children when selecting exercises, techniques and materials.
• Do not allow negative assessments of the results of children's creativity. If a child, instead of a meaningful drawing, crossed out a sheet with chaotic lines, then this chaos is in the soul of the baby, and the psychologist must help the little patient deal with it.
• Encourage and praise any manifestation of creativity, trying to support each participant in the art therapy session, and find something important, meaningful, individual in any craft or drawing.
• Organize classes in such a way that children develop a positive, friendly and respectful attitude towards the work of others; not allow evil criticism and ridicule - children are often cruel.

Undoubtedly, working with children is more difficult than with adults, but the payoff in case of success is much greater.

Goals and objectives of children's art therapy

The main goal of art therapy practice is to create favorable conditions for the harmonious development of the child. The process of growing up, the adaptation of the baby to the social world is always associated with psychological problems and difficulties. They are quite natural, but often for a child they are a source of negative emotions, and. Art therapy is the most gentle method of preparing children for and overcoming their consequences. In general, it contributes to the development of children and helps teachers and parents to solve a whole range of tasks:

• overcoming phobias, complexes, and isolation;
• development of the emotional sphere of the child;
• the formation of a positive emotional background, the creation of conditions for relaxation and getting rid of the effects of stress;
• development of fine motor skills of the hand and higher mental functions: thinking, imagination, speech;
• revealing the creative potential of the child and instilling interest in;
• the formation of communication skills in a group and the ability to benevolently evaluate the work of others.

Special mention should be made of the joint activities of parents and children. Now, within the framework of art therapy, the practice of organizing such creative interaction is spreading. It is extremely useful and important for the development of babies. When a child sees in his parents not just strict adults, but like-minded people who are passionate about a common cause, his relationship with them moves to a completely different level. This is not a relationship of subordination, but of partnership, mutual interest and respect. Such relationships with parents are the basis of friendship and trust that will last a lifetime, and nothing will interfere with this friendship. Believe me, I know this from my own experience.

Techniques and exercises of art therapy for children of different ages

You can engage in various types of artistic creativity from early childhood, of course, choosing suitable techniques and conducting exercises in a playful way.

Classes for children 2-4 years old

At this age, there are several key points that should be considered when organizing classes. First of all, this concerns the development of different abilities of the baby:

• emotional sphere;
• fine motor skills of the hand;
• speech activity.

The inclusion of these areas in creative activity has a beneficial effect on their condition and development. Emotions of babies are closely related to perception, including visual and tactile. Therefore, we can advise you to pay more attention to working with paints, pencils, plasticine, colored paper.

For classes, it is better to select materials of bright colors, preferably warm. A well-known researcher in the psychology of color perception B. A. Bazyma called the shades of yellow, orange and red “color vitamins” necessary for the normal development of babies. As additional, you can use pale green, light green, blue, turquoise colors.

Exercise "Palms"

For this exercise, you will need a sheet of paper, finger paints and colored pencils. Ask your child to make a handprint on paper. If there are no finger paints, then the child’s pen can simply be circled around the contour, and then offered to paint in a bright color.

Admire the print with your baby. Ask what does it look like? What would a child like to turn their hand into? You can, for example, draw a flower on each finger, turning the palm into a bouquet, or depict the head of a cockerel on the thumb, then the rest will become wing feathers.

Try to have the child draw and tell on his own, only occasionally helping him, prompting, but not suppressing the initiative. Compose a story with him about the character that turned out. You can draw other birds or fish to get the whole picture. If several kids are involved, then it will be good to do teamwork.

Classes for children 4-6 years old

These children are already older, they have better coordination of movements, they are more independent. And most importantly, they actively use figurative thinking, and it is not for nothing that this period is called the age of dreamers.

In art therapy classes with children 4-6 years old, you can already use a combination of several techniques, which will contribute to their creative development. Art therapy during this period is already often used to work with fears, anxieties, internal problems of kids, and classes help to overcome them.

It is very important to actively use speech activity with children of this age, encouraging them to pronounce their fear and take it out of consciousness, thereby getting rid of it. The same function is performed by drawing.

Exercise "Little storyteller"

A fairy tale is an area in which a child can imagine his fear and get rid of it by finding a way out of a difficult situation. Of course, at first, the child will need the help of adults.

One of the common childhood fears is the fear of getting lost, getting lost, being left alone. Therefore, in the fairy tales they invented, the hero (a boy, a kitten, a puppy, etc.) often finds himself in this fictional situation. Helping your child think up a plot and adventures of the characters, guide the child's mind to solving the problem. After all, a fairy tale should have a good ending, the hero should find his home, parents, friends, and in the end everyone should be happy.

At first, writing fairy tales with children takes the form of the teacher's guiding questions and the child's answers. For example:

• Who will we be talking about? Maybe a kitten? Or about a puppy? Or about a boy?
• What's his name?
• Where does he live?
• What happened to him?
• And then what happened?
• Who helped him?

Please note that there should be a conflict or adventure in a fairy tale, when the hero finds himself in a difficult situation, and the child needs to come up with a way out of this situation.

At first, difficulties may arise, because inventing fairy tales is not an easy task. But then the children get carried away and will surely delight you with the wonders of their imagination. The main thing is to be patient and willing to help.

A drawn illustration for a fairy tale invented by yourself is a very positive moment. Visualization of characters helps children's imagination. Therefore, it will be better if the guys begin to not only invent heroes and adventures, but also draw them. And with what delight they meet "real" books with their stories and illustrations!

Classes for children 7-10 years old

Children of this age are characterized by the development of spatial thinking and a passion for various types of design activities. Girls enthusiastically draw and equip dollhouses in notebooks, and boys - robots, cars and spaceships. When organizing art therapy classes, you need to take into account these hobbies.

Exercise "City of the Future"

Invite the children to draw (make from plasticine, glue from colored paper) a fantastic city of the future. Most children (as well as adults) have trouble coming up with something on their own. Therefore, it is first worth discussing with the guys what they would like to see in this city of the future. The discussion will also play a psychotherapeutic role, forcing you to free yourself from timidity and indecision, pushing your imagination. Speaking, children better represent the visual picture, understand what and how they would like to draw.

Drawing, children not only demonstrate their creative abilities, but also comprehend their dreams, expectations, life ideals. After the drawing is completed, you need to discuss it, praising each participant in the class, noting something original, interesting, unusual in the drawing. Be sure to ask why certain details were depicted, why these colors were chosen, who lives in this city, etc.

Classes for children 11-15 years old

Adolescence is a difficult age, and the guys are not always willing to make contact with a psychologist, especially if you ask them to draw or mold something. And it’s not easy to make them come up with fairy tales, although you can, of course, find the necessary incentives. Therefore, the psychologist should seriously think about how to interest adolescents and at the same time try not to embarrass those who do not feel the ability to artistic creativity. One of these exercises, equally effective for both adults and children, is the "Doodle Game".

Exercise "Doodle Game"

This technique was invented by the English child psychiatrist D. Winnicott. It allows not only to identify internal problems and conflicts of a person of any age, but also to help him overcome them. In addition, the "Doodle Game" can captivate even the most skeptical and stubborn teenagers.

All you need for this exercise is a blank sheet of paper and a pen. It is necessary to offer the teenager to draw any scribbles, zigzags, in short, any tangled tangle of lines. It is best to do this with your eyes closed.

And then ask the children to open their eyes and look carefully at their scribbles. Ask: What images were they able to see? Ask them to trace the outlines of the shapes, perhaps add something or shade. If necessary, help the children look at the fuzzy images and make them more complete.

These are just examples of exercises that can be done with children as part of art therapy. But this technique is not only diverse, effective, but also convenient. Everyone is able to come up with their own exercises and bring something of their own to the classes. Moreover, art therapy contributes to the creative development of not only children, but also those who are involved in it - teachers and parents. Try it and you won't regret it.

It is no secret that many diseases in both adults and children are closely related to psychological aspects. And without eliminating the root cause, the prerequisites that formed the basis of the disease, it is quite difficult to cure a person. To identify hidden psychological factors of the disease and to help a child who has health problems, there is such a method as art therapy. About what it is and whether it is effective, we will tell in this article.

What it is?

Art therapy includes many methods of influencing the psyche and emotional sphere of a child with art, creativity, and the creation of beauty. Art therapy classes are quite widely used by child psychologists, psychotherapists, psychiatrists, as well as social educators and rehabilitation specialists.

Through clear and simple actions that make up the essence of the method - drawing, dancing, music, modeling, etc. - a child can open the hidden corners of his soul, express anxiety and excitement, which are not always due to age or other factors can express in words.

Art therapy exercises are widely used in diagnostics: a psychologist or psychotherapist, based on the results of children's creativity, may well determine the causes of his anxiety and even diseases. Quite successfully, art therapy is used in the treatment and correction of emotional disorders, neurasthenia, post-stress disorders, child personality disorders, and some mental illnesses.

Fascinating activities help social educators in the rehabilitation of difficult teenagers, children who find themselves in difficult life circumstances. Teachers use exercises and some methods of this type of therapy in classes with preschool children, as they contribute to a more harmonious development of the individual. Quite effective is art therapy in the rehabilitation of disabled children. The results of such “treatment”, which children go for with great pleasure and enthusiasm, sometimes surpass the results of traditional medical and physiotherapeutic methods of therapy.

Official medicine has long accepted and recognized these methods, due to which art therapy is often included in the overall combined course of treatment. The availability and simplicity of the methods give parents additional opportunities: even if there is not a single art therapist in the entire locality, mothers and fathers may well master the basic methods and types of art therapy on their own and work with the child at home.

Art therapy has a rich past. The term was first coined by the artist Adrian Hill in 1938. He successfully applied some methods and techniques in working with patients of the anti-tuberculosis center. Then the techniques were adopted by American psychologists. They were mainly used for the rehabilitation of children with disabilities (disabled health).

The most amazing results were achieved in work with kids and teenagers who were taken out of fascist concentration camps during the Second World War. The world's first professional Association of Art Therapists was established in the United States in 1960.

Indications

Art therapy is recommended for a large circle of children and adolescents of various age categories. There are no contraindications to it, so anyone can do it, such therapy is not capable of harming the psyche and health of a small patient.

But primarily methods and types of treatment by art are recommended:

• children who demonstrate difficulties in expressing feelings and emotions (capricious, hysterical, withdrawn and shy children);
• children who have experienced severe stress;
• children with depression:
• emotionally unstable guys;
• foster children who may experience a sense of their own "uselessness", rejection by the world;
• children and adolescents who are in conflict with their parents and peers;
• children in whose families there is an unfavorable and psychologically unfavorable situation, as well as children from single-parent families;
• children suffering from various phobias;
• children with autism;
• children with disabilities from birth (cerebral palsy, etc.);
• children who become disabled as a result of illness or injury at a reasonable age;
• children with low self-esteem;
• children with disorders of the central nervous system, with delayed speech and psychomotor development);
• anxious and hyperactive children.

You can do it from a very early age, some methods are even suitable for children under one year old. Parents will also benefit from the classes, since the basic methods are also effective for adults. Therefore, joint activities are only welcome.

Kinds

Art, from which the method of treatment takes its name, is multifaceted, therefore there are quite a lot of types of art treatment. The main methods are as follows.

• Isotherapy (treatment by drawing)- is widely used to diagnose psychological trauma in a child, the difficulties of adolescence, in shy and secretive children.

• Bibliotherapy (treatment with a book)- the most famous subspecies of this method is fairy tale therapy, used for children of primary preschool and school age.
• Music therapy (music therapy)- a method that is rarely used for diagnostic purposes, but is widely and quite successfully used to relieve increased anxiety, emancipation and relaxation. It is often used to correct the psychological state of children and adolescents with visual impairments.
• Dramatherapy (treatment by initiation to theatrical action)- the method shows itself well in working with anxious and overly emotional boys and girls.
• Puppet therapy (treatment with puppet theater)- the method was developed specifically for classes with children who have speech disorders, autism spectrum disorders, post-stress disorders.
• Dance therapy (impact by dance)- a treatment that has proven itself in solving the problems of restrained and secretive children, children suffering from mental retardation (mental retardation).

• Sand therapy (manipulation with sand and small figures)- method of analytical psychotherapy. It is also used in traditional psychiatry for the diagnosis of certain perceptual disorders. Such lessons are especially effective for autistic children and toddlers who have experienced serious psychological trauma and violence.
• Clay therapy (sculpting treatment)- this method is a kind of isotherapy, but it has a number of advantages: during modeling, the nerve endings on the fingertips and on the palms are stimulated. This is what gives positive results in the correction of conditions in children with CNS disorders, visual impairment, hearing impairment, enuresis and other pathologies.

Today, related varieties of art therapy are also becoming popular, which appear as technology naturally develops. So, in recent years, phototherapy is gaining momentum - a method that is used for adolescent children, especially for the so-called "difficult" children.

By creating photographs, choosing angles and composition of the frame, children open up, become more understandable for an adult (parent, psychologist). Understanding the motives and problems of a particular little man allows an adult to find the only true "key" to the behavior and actions of the child.

Goals

Only at first glance of a skeptical adult, drawing or modeling from clay does not solve the main problem of a child if he has an incurable disease or he has become a victim of psychological abuse. In fact, the processes that occur during an art therapy session, although they are invisible visually, are of great importance for the rehabilitation of a child.

First of all, art therapy allows the child to throw out all the negative internal emotions, which often become the cause of illness (fear, anger, irritation, intolerance, rejection of the outside world). After transferring these emotions to a piece of paper, a piece of clay, to dance-motor activity or to a photograph, the child experiences relief, and a psychologist or psychosomatic specialist gets the opportunity to identify the disturbing factors, problems and troubles of the little man in order to find a way to solve them.

Official sources of encyclopedic quality explain the effect of art therapy by the process of sublimation - it is the transfer of the contents of the inner world to the outside that allows the child to free himself from the negativity or horror that has settled in him and begin to perceive the world differently.

As an auxiliary technique, art therapy has proven itself in the medical practice of psychiatrists and psychotherapists. Teaching a child to draw or dance allows an adult to quickly establish contact with even the most unsociable and withdrawn child.

It has been proven that even one course of art therapy increases children's self-esteem, develops self-control in a child, instills a good habit of analyzing and being aware of their own feelings and emotions, and also develops creative abilities, which, as you know, absolutely every person on Earth has.

Characteristics of species - how to do it?

Certain types of art therapy need separate explanations, since many parents would like to try out such activities with their children. Let's take a closer look at some of the types.

isotherapy

There are no children in the world who would not like to draw, and therefore this particular method is considered the most accessible and common. The method is passive and active. In the first case, parents will have to take the child to an art gallery or show reproductions of famous paintings at home, telling what they depict, why and how. Be sure to discuss the picture with the child, give oral characteristics to the characters and the plot.

Passive isotherapy is not suitable for very young children who are not yet able to formulate thoughts, as well as for children for whom the identification of visual images is difficult (visually impaired and blind). It is unlikely that this method will be interesting for teenagers.

Active isotherapy is the drawing process itself. This uses several techniques. For a child of any age, the so-called projective isotherapy is suitable, in which you can afford to transfer dreams, goals, plans, fears and discomfort to paper. Tasks for such drawings can be anything, as long as the child, in the course of drawing, can imagine the situation in relation to himself: “I am in the future”, “How I spent the day”, etc.

Personal isotherapy allows you to work mainly with children of primary school age and older. The point is to allow the child to put their stress into the drawing, thereby freeing themselves from it. To do this, the task is to create a drawing on a free theme. Unlimited by subject, the student will immediately begin to portray exactly what excites him most.

For children who have experienced stress, fears, you can use the “Draw your horror” technique. Actually, this is the theme of the picture. Do not be surprised that the child uses black and red colors, sharp corners, incomprehensible shapes. The more aggressive the drawing, the better.

There is a category of children and teenagers who do not want to draw. Special anti-stress coloring pages have been specially created for them. A large number of small details that need to be painted will help you calm down, focus, relax.

If a mother decides to engage in isotherapy with a child, it should be understood that each pictorial “masterpiece” must be discussed with her son or daughter, try to make the child tell what and why is depicted, how he personally relates to what he depicted. To help beginners, you can recommend reading the book by E. Svistunova “Colorful Childhood” or the book by Armine Voronova “Art Therapy for Children and Their Parents”.

Bibliotherapy

Treatment with a word shows excellent results for children of different ages. In psychotherapy, fables, fairy tales and stories are most often used. With regard to children, fairy tale therapy is more popular. Listening to a fairy tale or a fable, the kid can associate himself with one or another hero of the story. He gets a rare opportunity to experience a variety of fears, to go through various trials without going through them in reality. The child will survive all stressful situations in his imagination.

Treatment with a book is very useful for children with a delay in mental and speech development. It enriches their ideas about the world, stimulates their intellectual abilities, allows them to find their place in society, and also gives an idea of ​​ways out of difficult situations, following the example of their favorite characters.

Parents who would like to practice fairy tale therapy should pay attention to Russian folk tales with simple and understandable plots. It is also recommended to read the manual of the group of authors Prokhorov, Rubanova and Otradnova "The healing power of a fairy tale - fairy tale therapy for adults and children."

Music therapy

Everyone knows about the wonderful properties of good music. Some mothers turn on classical music not only to their small children, but also to unborn babies during pregnancy. Indeed, the harmonic effect of sounds on the human cerebral cortex can hardly be overestimated.

Active music therapy is available for children of preschool and school age. For kids - mostly receptive music therapy. The method of listening to musical compositions is called receptive, and the method of independent music playing on musical instruments is called active.

Classical melodies are suitable for passive listening, most often in psychotherapy they use the music of Bach, Mozart, Vivaldi. It is full of emotions and allows the child to associate their own feelings with sounds and harmony (sadness, joy, expectation of something).

For teenagers and middle school students, you can use special musical compositions for relaxation and meditation.

Mom can practice music therapy at home as an accompanying method when drawing, sculpting, and dancing. Quiet and unobtrusive music can play almost constantly - while cleaning together with a child, while cooking.

It has been proven that passive listening to music reduces the level of emotional tension, allows you to relax and get rid of stress. Active music-making awakens creativity, improves communication skills, learning abilities. So, children who attend a music school are more successful in mathematics and drawing, in geometry and in learning foreign languages.

For the correction of special conditions and individual diseases, there are selected types of music therapy. To learn more about them, you can read the following books: “Music Therapy for Stuttering” (S. Mashura, Z. Mateyova), “Music Therapy for Children” (Methodological Guide), “Fundamentals of Music Therapy and Genius” (A. Roshchin), “ Music Therapy for Children with Autism” (D. Alvin).

puppet therapy

Two outstanding child psychologists I. Medvedeva and T. Shishova developed a unique method of influencing the child's psyche through puppet shows. This method is very helpful in resolving conflicts and treating phobias.

The adult's task is to act out a small impromptu performance about the incident or situation that traumatized the child. The main role will be a doll or soft toy, which the baby fully trusts and which is his favorite toy. What kind of puppets mom wants to use for home performances does not matter much - puppets, finger puppets, mitten puppets, as well as the most ordinary dolls and toys will do.

What gives the child such a performance? It relieves tension, allows the baby to look at his problem or fear from the outside. Mom can come up with any ending to the story, thereby telling the child a way out of a difficult situation for him. In addition, the puppet show develops, educates and educates.

If the imagination of the parents is not rich enough to invent and act out a story, and the action requires both voice imitation and certain acting skills, you can use the experience set forth in the following books: “Children, dolls and us - a guide to puppet therapy” (Irina Shishova, Tatyana Medvedev), "Fundamentals of puppet therapy" (L. Grebenshchikova).

sand therapy

This is a very interesting method that will allow the child to better understand himself, calm down and tune in to recovery and overcoming various life difficulties. Homework will require certain expenses - to purchase a set for sand therapy, but if you wish, you can make it yourself. The set is a tray, the bottom and inner sides of which are painted blue. The dimensions of the tray are 50X70X8 cm. You will need purified yellow or white sand, water and a lot of different little things - from buttons to small figures, shells, pebbles.

No skills required. A child and teenager will surely enjoy creating sand compositions, finger drawings, building mini-castles using small figures and shells. The lesson is simple and interesting for both adults and kids.

What gives such an occupation? The answer is simple - a child can express in the composition all internal conflicts and experiences, fears, stress, fears, expectations. If the child is small, the mother must definitely work with him, make sure that the child does not eat sand, swallow or inhale a small shell, but it is strictly forbidden to impose your vision of the picture of the sandy world on the baby. It is better to ask more often why this object is placed by the child there, and this one here.

clay therapy

Not plasticine, not kinetic sand, but clay has the greatest therapeutic and prophylactic effect. Clay modeling art therapy classes can be done at home using special kits for creativity. The clay is warm and pleasant to the touch, it improves blood circulation in the fingers, the process of modeling from it is a pleasure for both adults and children.

In addition to the development of motor skills, clay therapy can help children with delayed speech development, difficulties in expressing emotions, children with problematic behavior. Such exercises are very useful for children with cerebral palsy and other forms of paralysis and cuts, because nerve endings and the cerebral cortex are stimulated.

The child should be engaged under the supervision of adults, who, in turn, will be helped by the book "Clay with character" (A. Lelchuk).

conclusions

It is not necessary to choose one method, many of them are perfectly combined with each other: you can sculpt to the music, dance to the music, draw and at the same time listen to your mother's healing tale. How to combine classes is up to the parents.

It is worth noting that homework is good for prevention, for relieving daily stress, fatigue. If problems or illnesses arise for no apparent reason, it is still better to visit a specialist - a pediatrician and a child psychologist. If a child needs correction by art therapy, the specialist will give individual recommendations and tell you which methods to choose to solve a particular problem.

Today art therapy is more than affordable. Many schools and kindergartens hire their own art therapist or psychologist with relevant knowledge and experience. If there is such a specialist, do not neglect his advice, if possible, let the child visit him.

Art therapy is an auxiliary method. Do not think that serious diseases can be cured only with the help of drawing or music. Refusing treatment in favor of art therapy is not worth it. It is best to skillfully combine them - the result will be excellent.

See the following video for all the secrets of art therapy for children.

In recent years, in the preschool educational system, they are trying to introduce progressive innovative methods of improving children's health. They allow you to effectively fulfill the tasks that today face the teaching staff. One of the most sought after areas is art therapy technique.

Art therapy- this is one of the most effective methods of psychotherapy, where creativity and various artistic techniques are involved. Art therapy correction is the softest and most productive. It allows you to solve various problems, ranging from the problems of social adaptation and ending with the development of children's potential. The leading goal of art therapy is to master the process of self-knowledge in a child and develop his ability to express himself.

Types of art therapy

• Isotherapy. A productive type of therapy with the introduction of various means of art: modeling, appliqué, drawing. When conducting drawing therapy, classes are held aimed at improving the perception and children's imagination. Creativity helps the child to open up, improve sensory-motor coordination and specifically imaginative thinking.
• Bibliotherapy. The literary work is the main instrument. It allows you to solve the internal problems of the child. Novels, fairy tales, stories can be used as literary sources. Bibliotherapy helps to overcome psychological problems, including shyness, insecurity.
• Music therapy. Effective therapy that helps to strengthen the health of the child. The teacher selects in advance suitable melodies and sounds with which you can have a positive impact on the psycho-emotional state of the child. In practice, both individual and group music therapy are distinguished. The first is necessary to restore a trusting relationship between the teacher and the child, the second is to develop communication skills with other children.
• Kinesitherapy. Modern therapy, which includes choreotherapy, dance therapy, corrective rhythm. At the same time, the child moves as he wants, without subordinating all actions to the coach. Dancing helps children throw out all the negative energy and get a lot of positive emotions.

The most effective methods also include phototherapy, color therapy, game therapy and sand therapy. All of them help to overcome the feeling of rejection and allow you to increase self-esteem in your own eyes.

Art therapy methods

• Active. In this case, the whole procedure is aimed at designing a new creative composition. The child learns to translate his own creation into reality without assessing the quality and beauty.
• Passive. The main purpose of this technique is the use of pre-prepared arts, for example, listening to a musical composition, watching exciting videos.
• Mixed. The child uses the available art to design their own personal creations.

The use of art therapy is the most productive way of social adaptation. Its introduction into the field of preschool education allows children to take a full part in the life of society, develop creative thinking and integrity of the individual.

Art therapy in work with children

The main task modern technology of art therapy is the transition from negative experiences to positive emotions. Progressive methods used in preschool educational institutions allow revealing the inner potential of the child and maximizing his performance.

Main means of art therapy various materials that are used in art perform: pencils, felt-tip pens, pens, 3D pens, paper, brushes, 3D printers, video materials, melodic music and much more. 3D devices that allow you to create three-dimensional objects are becoming increasingly popular among children and adolescents. They help children develop their own imagination and three-dimensional thinking skills, realize their own dreams and relieve psycho-emotional stress.

As an innovative means of modern children's art therapy can be complex "Creative Workshop" from ANRO technology. It will be primarily interesting for teachers and psychologists because it allows you to combine several types of art therapy at once: sand, water and shadow theater. "Creative Workshop" can also be used as a comfortable children's table for isotherapy.

Children's art therapy plays a leading role in shaping the personality of the child. According to the teachers, the progressive method of therapy helps to unlock the potential and contributes to the best adaptation of our children in society.

Did you know that children can be treated by animals, music, drawing or “digging” in the sand? Most adults underestimate the effectiveness of therapies. But having decided on such a step, the results will not be long in coming. There are many types of therapies for children. It remains only to choose the right one. You don't need a compelling reason to take the course. They are suitable for healthy children to relieve nervous tension. Methods are recommended for anxious sleep, stress, lethargy in a child, developmental problems. Some types of therapies are adapted for children for health reasons and ages.

Zootherapy for children

It is also called pet therapy, animal therapy. The technique is based on the contact of the child and "our smaller brothers." Who heals better than a dolphin, dog, cat or horse. They cheer up, help overcome shyness, anxiety and self-doubt. Zootherapy is suitable for children who have difficulties in communication, learning. Effective for those who have suffered severe injuries, physical or psychological. Some of the sections are used for cerebral palsy, autism, epilepsy. Consult with a specialist to choose a safe option.

Varieties of zootherapy for children

Canistherapy

Children are treated by man's best friend - a dog. The therapy helps to improve the psychological state, increases the motivation for walks and physical activity. Children who are depressed begin to play. Communication with dogs makes it easier to endure stress. For example, moving, loss of a loved one, divorce of parents. The children become kinder, begin to take care of others, communicate. This pet therapy for children can be done passively by observing the animals in the enclosure. Even in this form of communication, there are positive changes. Active therapy involves the contact of the child with the dog: care and concern for the animal, games, walks.

Suitable for: with neurosis, anxiety, fears, mental illness, hyperactivity and autism. Experiencing a lack of trust. Recommended for children with disabilities.

hippotherapy

Treatment with horseback riding. These smart creatures are doing some truly wonderful things with children. Improves coordination, gait, ability to maintain balance. The child makes contact with people easier, becomes more friendly, caring.

Suitable for: Suitable for "closed", incredulous children. With violations of the vestibular apparatus, hearing, vision. Survivors of traumatic brain injury. Often used in autism.

Ornithotherapy

Healing by singing birds and watching them. Bird chirping calms, gives a feeling of security, harmony with nature. It is advisable to listen to live singing, in the morning you can turn on audio recordings.

Types of art therapy for children

• Fairy tale therapy.
  

  This is a veiled way of transferring useful skills to a child. It forms a positive perception of the world, develops fantasy, logic, and calms. It helps to overcome the fears of the child. Through a fairy tale, they explain the problems that disturb the child, but not directly. Various life situations are transferred to the characters and possible solutions are considered. So, in an allegorical way, it turns out to solve the problems of the child, which he is afraid to voice. You can find the opinion of a child psychologist in the article:

  

• Play therapy with dolls or toys.

  The principle is similar to fairy tale therapy. Situations from life are transferred to the characters and played out on objects. One of the most popular types of art therapy for children. Many parents do not even realize that while playing with their crumbs, they are conducting the elements of the course right at home. The main thing is to build the right approach.

• Phototherapy.

  A new word in the treatment of psychological problems. Suitable for older children to express their emotions, talk about the causes of anxiety, show a vision of the world. It will help to cope with self-doubt, find peace, express your thoughts. It will appeal to children who do not like to draw, who want to get a picture that is as close to reality as possible.

• Therapy with modeling from dough, plasticine or clay.

  

  An exciting process that allows the child to realize their ideas. The therapy introduces the property of materials, the creation of forms and their combinations. For example, 3 white balls become a snowman. You can create 3D figures or put plasticine on cardboard, creating three-dimensional paintings. With the help of modeling, tactile sensations, attentiveness and patience are developed. To get the desired result, you need to try.

• Music therapy.

  Music affects a person. Even an adult, hearing a lullaby, involuntarily yawns. We are sensitive to melodic sounds. They are able to enhance emotions, change mood and perception of what is happening. Therapy is not just about listening to music. Children can sing, hum letters, create a melody by tapping on objects.

• Isotherapy.

  

  For such therapy, you need a little: paper, paints and brushes. Suitable wax pencils, felt-tip pens. Give more freedom, no boundaries - let him draw on whatman paper or a special board. You can select a zone on the wall: attach whatman paper, and after therapy, replace it with a new sheet. Due to psychological problems or tightness, the first results of therapy are simple scribbles. Everything is correct. The goal of therapy is not to create masterpieces or full-fledged drawings, but to reveal oneself.

• Sand therapy.

• Mandalotherapy.

  The technique has been known since ancient times. C. Jung is a psychologist who discovered that therapy really has an effect. The principle of operation is to draw circles. The unconscious level of the child is involved here. Based on the drawings, one can judge his problem: quarrels in the family, fatigue, difficulties in communication.

Kinesitherapy for a child

A type of physical therapy. Includes elements of dancing, outdoor games, exercises. It has a positive effect on mood. Forms posture, gait, healthy habits. Increases self-esteem, self-confidence. Kinesitherapy for a child is suitable for socialization purposes, if you choose classes in groups.

Suitable for: sluggish, shy, leading a sedentary lifestyle. Relief of symptoms, pain and treatment of scoliosis, curvature of the spine, obesity. Used to regulate behavior in autism and cerebral palsy.