Color with your child. This activity is a chance for you to model staying in the lines, but do not demand that he stay in the lines yet. Until fine motor skills are better developed, children rarely stay in the lines. Coloring with your child will also be a nice bonding time, making the child feel good about art and want to continue with it.
Create sculptures with play dough. When your child begins sculpting shapes with play dough, she begins to get a sense of shapes. Again, you need to play with your child during this process to bond and to ensure she doesn't eat too much play dough.
Give your child a pen and dot-to-dot sheets. Use a pen because children press pencils too hard, breaking the points. Dot-to-dot pages allow children between 3 and 5 years old to draw their own pictures. Have them color the picture, too, so that they are making a finished product.
Teach your child to draw shapes. A picture of the shape, rather than the three-dimensional object, is easier for him to conceptualize. Point out the shapes your child draws. Do not correct your child's shapes unless he asks for help. Again, coloring in the shapes when he finishes will provide him with a completed project.
Provide your child with watercolors, a paintbrush, water and computer paper. Allow your child to begin painting. You can give him a picture to reproduce or allow him to create from his imagination.
Praise your child when she has finished a picture or sculpture. Any time you can display your child's art, do so. This will create a sense of pride and develop confidence in her.