Art for Kids Sake- Experts say Showing Baby Art Creates Essential Skills

According to child development experts, showing junior real pieces of art is essential in developing your baby’s understanding of pictures and words.

Even the most restless children will be engrossed and calmed by the pictures- which were specifically created to engage young babies through their high contrast images. In focusing on these sharp contrast images, experts believe babies will take their first step in picture recognition.

Aiding a little ones visual literacy skills, the collection of innovative images include works by artists such as Damien Hirst, Julian Opie and Keith Herring.

The artists themselves are just as enthusiastic about their involvement in the book:

David Shrigley who’s image is called ‘Untitled” says,

“I’m not a parent, but most of my friends have kids. Babies respond to really weird things in my experience.

“You can rattle your keys at them and they seem to find it entertaining. I’m not precious about my images. If very young eyes appreciate them, one should be flattered”.

‘Raphael’, by Julian Opie was inspired by the artists’ daughter:

“As a baby my second daughter would gaze intently at a Paul Morrison black and white landscape that hangs in our living room.

“I realised that the strong, simple flowers and trees made sense to her and were mesmerising”.

Art for Baby was devised by Yana Peel from the Outset Contemporary Art Fund in association with Templar Publishing and the NSPCC.

Art for Baby retails at £14.99 in all leading bookstores. Also included is a removable frieze featuring all 12 images which can be put on the nursery wall, or taken in the pram. The book is on sale now and £1.50 from the sale of the book will be donated to the NSPCC in England or CHILDREN 1ST in Scotland to provide vital help and support to vulnerable children and young people.

CHILDREN 1ST are one of the charities the People’s Postcode Lottery supports in Scotland. Funding to CHILDREN 1ST amounts to over £800,000 to date, as 40p from every ticket goes directly to charities in Scotland in unrestricted funding.