Bedtime and a child’s room are sacred things. The bedroom of a child is supposed to be a safe haven, a place where they feel completely secure and loved – a place where they can go to bed and dream, then wake up and be inspired by their surroundings, all in total safety.
The way we design and outfit a child’s room is also a great opportunity to introduce the concepts we want our children to grow up with. Someday they will make their own decisions, but as parents we can lay groundwork and ensure they are aware of a wider world and a deeper history, while creating for them a warm, comfortable space where they can let their minds and spirits wander.
Why Choose Aboriginal Art for Kids?
Aboriginal art and the concept of Dreamtime can be introduced into both your bedtime routine and the overall design of the bedroom to create a powerful experience your child will remember and treasure – and be influenced by – their whole lives.
There are many reasons why Aboriginal art for kids is ideal: this style of art is, above all else, part of our inheritance as people, something that belongs to all of us and should be perpetuated and learned about. This art form is also very fundamental, celebrating nature and the natural world around us using simple symbols and colours that are both appealing to a child’s imagination and easy to incorporate in their own creative play. And Aboriginal art is beautiful, often stunning in its effect, and every child should go to sleep at night thinking and seeing beautiful things.
The Symbolism of Dreamtime
In Aboriginal culture, Dreamtime is a place where the past, present, and future all exist as one. It is where we go when we pass away, and can be entered through dreams or rituals while still on this Earth. Knowledge was accumulated and passed down via ancestors, which made Dreamtime also a concept of cultural identity and belief. Many of the art works of the Aboriginal people depicted this Dreamtime in a personal way, telling stories that kept old traditions alive and taught new generations about the world they lived in.
We can use these concepts with our children and the art style of the Aboriginals to create our own Dreamtime images, spinning our own stories that combine our family’s past and the knowledge we’ve gained into entertaining lessons that will send our kids to bed with their brains teeming with ideas and images.
This style of art is also perfect for introducing the subject of symbolism, engaging kids in a discussion about what the simple but powerful Dreamtime symbols mean. Most symbols have multiple meanings that change based on context, making this type of art simultaneously easy to learn (as the symbols are easy to draw) and yet complex and capable of expressing very subtle and powerful stories through nothing more than colour and lines.
Why not start off a family tradition by making it a ritual to sit with your kids and learn about these symbols together? Looking at examples of Aboriginal style dot paintings and discussing the symbols and the stories behind them, will spark curiosity and get the kids started down a road of creativity and expression combined with respect for other cultures and their own legacies.
Dreamtime Décor
Because the symbol-based style of this art is instantly interesting and fun for children, this style of art is perfect for the design and decoration of any child’s bedroom. Graphical, iconic, filled with earthy colours and each one telling a story, they make ideal design elements for children as they engage the mind and the heart in equal measure.
Best of all, as your child learns the meaning behind the symbols, they can create their own Dreamtime stories to go with their picture, giving them a creative outlet and stimulating their ability to think innovatively and interpret things in their own way. And once a story gets a little tired, simply change a symbol’s meaning or adopt a new perspective to create a whole new version. The perfect fodder for new and unique bedtime stories!
If you’re interest in exploring the concept this a little further, take a look at our dot painting collection with your little people and choose a print or two that speaks to them, by reflecting their own spirit and personality.