How can you help students who are having trouble using art materials?

Answer 1

The best way to improve fine motor skills in the art area is to always have available a variety of art supplies in the art center for free art.
Your art center should always consist of :
scissors
pencils
color pencils
fat colored chalk
thin colored chalk
thin crayons
fat crayons
thin markers
fat markers
glue sticks
glue bottles
several colors of construction paper
white paper
hole punch
a variety of collage items such as:
cotton balls, pom poms, feather, Qtips, yarn, ribbon, tissue paper, foam shapes, beans, pasta, rice,popcorn...anything you can think of. I usually like to have at least 5 or more of these items.

Extra items that I always have in my center are:
stamps and ink pad
stickers
several decorative hole punchers like hearts, stars, etc.
several different kinds decorative scissors (scrapbook scissors)
water paint and paint brushes
smocks if they want to use them ( I do not encourage or discourage the use of them. It is their choice)
red, yellow, blue, black and white tempera paint
glitter
sand

Never use a 'sample' model in this center. You should encourage the children to use their imagination and be creative. You can point them in a direction that you would like them to go. However, remeber that it is the process not the product that matters. If you are currently learning about shapes in the classroom suggest that the child use their shapes to make a house or a person. You can sit down at the table with the child and do your own art project. "I am making a flower." "I think I'll cut this red paper into circles to use for rose petals!" "I think my flower should have a green stem." "what should I use for my green stem?" "That's a great idea Johnny! I'll use the green yarn for a stem." "Should I cut the yarn short or long?" When the children see that you are using your scissors to make your shapes, you'll notice that they'll begin to try and use their scissors to make shapes. The object is to keep the child's interest while encouraging them to be creative and use the materials that you have made available to them. Just like the old saying goes....practice makes perfect! The more readily available these items are to your children, the more they will practice using them.

Answer 2

Show them how to use the materials. Maybe you need to down scale your expectations by simplifing the projects.

Answer 3

What kind of trouble are they having? Could you please give a few examples? Thx!! :-)