What teaching Art to Adults is teaching me…
What Teaching Art to Adults Is Teaching Me
I’ve been an art teacher for nearly three decades, and in that time, I’ve mostly taught teenagers and young children. Over the past six months, however, I’ve been teaching adults through my Calming Art Workshops—and I thought it was a good time to reflect on the differences.
Firstly, adults are definitely more emotionally regulated than children. This makes for a calmer experience, but it also means I have to tune in with all my senses to see how things are landing. I like to differentiate and respond to different needs in my teaching style. With kids, this is really obvious—if they’re ready (or not) to move on from an activity, they’ll tell you. With adults, it’s more subtle. It’s in the body language, the shifts in focus. I find myself needing to be more intuitive—while also keeping an eye on the clock to ensure we finish on time.
Kids, for the most part, are used to everything being new, so it doesn’t scare them. With adults, it’s more nuanced. Around the age of 11 or 12, we begin letting go of creative play and instead want to be good at things quickly. Perfectionism creeps in, along with the need to feel in control and the development of preferred learning styles. As adults, we often find it harder to learn new things—especially when it comes to playing just for play’s sake. Just for the fun of it.
We’ve been conditioned to seek tangible outcomes—key performance indicators—and to only value things if we judge them as good. This makes us harder on ourselves. But in art and creativity, as in fitness and sport, we shouldn’t stop just because we’re not at a professional level. We can still enjoy something, and get pleasure and stress relief from it, even if we wouldn’t hang it in a gallery. We need to value the process, not just the product.
The people-pleasing tendency is strong in adults. I always prefer honest, constructive feedback—it allows me to adapt and improve, and it can still be delivered with kindness. For that, I’m always grateful. It’s far more useful than a negative online review that could affect a small business long-term. Fortunately, I haven’t encountered that myself. I’m always trying to improve, grow, and learn how to deliver a better experience. The workshops I taught in January have already evolved by June.
In contrast, kids give you honest, in-the-moment feedback—or, you know, throw a tantrum if they’re not happy. It’s a very straightforward (if occasionally difficult) feedback system. Having said that I have received some lovely hugs from grown-ups after my classes too!
One of the joys of teaching adults, though, is how quickly we can dive into content—without all the classroom management and herding needed to settle kids. This means I’m actually teaching and creating an experience for people, and I can quickly set the tone for a calming learning environment. Adults pick up on cues more quickly: the safe and friendly vibe, the tranquil music, the relaxing herbal tea, the fresh lavender and gum leaves, the gentle tone of my voice.
Adult lives however are more complicated—we have more responsibilities, we’re busier. This means I’ve dealt with more cancellations, reschedules, and smaller workshop groups. Sure, kids get sick too, but you rarely lose more than a few at a time.
Adults seem genuinely surprised and delighted when they actually do feel calm and relaxed during a Calming Art Workshop. This probably reflects the fast-paced lives we lead—we forget how good it feels to slow down and reconnect with our creative selves. It’s not rocket science: it’s often the simple things that make us feel better. Kids know this. They would race into my art room with pure enthusiasm! Their love for art is now backed by science.
Just 20 minutes of doodling has been shown to lower cortisol (stress hormone) levels. Over the past decade, research into neuroscience and neuroplasticity has highlighted the benefits of engaging with the arts for our wellbeing. In fact, one UK study found that participating in an art experience just once a month can increase life expectancy by up to 10 years.
One of the advantages of teaching both kids and adults is that I’m deeply tuned in to the benefits of creative play.
What if the key to feeling calmer was as simple as putting down your phone and picking up a pencil or paintbrush during the week?
Em Power Moore teaches Calming Art Workshops across Melbourne and online, and provides Calming Art Kits for at-home creative moments.
