Aesthetic Communication for Kids

Bright and Beautiful

• If your child's room or classroom is filled with furniture that is the right size, has posters that appeal to him and to his friends, and is decorated with colors that create a mood that makes him comfortable, you are both experiencing a type of aesthetic communication. People didn't always understand that surroundings make a difference to the way people feel. John Dewey, the guy who started a lot of ideas in American education, describes in his book, "School and Society," how he looked all over his city for chairs and desks that were comfortable and attractive, and had plenty of room for student work materials. He believed that a good work space, one that was pleasant and encouraging, helped students learn. He was practicing a type of aesthetic communication.

Sounds to Uplift

• The sounds your child hears during the day can make a difference to the way he feels, as well. If you and your child are listening to classical music, nature sounds, a heavy metal band or loud traffic noises, each of these things will create a different feeling. Rebecca Isbell, of Early Childhood News, says that music stimulates special parts of the brain. When you play soft music to help your child go to sleep, or bright bouncy music to help everyone get chores done, you are practicing a type of aesthetic communication.

Lilting Language

• Isbell also points out that picture books are a collage of aesthetic communication. They combine the power of words with a variety of illustration styles. Line drawings in older publications, such as Andrew Lang's Fairy books, can help your child develop an appreciation for a realistic style of art, as well as helping him make connection with stories from long ago. If your child likes bright, glittery things, the modern illustrations in series such as "Fancy Nancy," by Jane O'Connor, combine glitter, lots of pink and fabulously mouth-filling, delicious vocabulary. Books about nature, illustrated with photographs, can bring the world to your home for some shared armchair travel. Add art and writing supplies, and your child is prepared to create her own aesthetic communication in the form of stories and pictures.

Scents to Remember

• Natalie Angier, a writer for "The New York Times," describes scent as an emotional time machine. Perfumes, cleaning compound, cooking spices and more trigger memories and develop associations. Give your child the opportunity to select room fresheners, add spices to food or even to select the scent of cleaner used in her room. She might even learn to create potpourri or make drawer sachets. This gives your child another opportunity to personalize her world or to even make gifts for others. She might even surprise you with some of the scent and decoration combinations she creates.