My son Joey has seen the world through an artist's eye since he was a toddler. At the playground, he'd ignore the slides and swings in order to arrange some twigs and leaves into a little elephant sculpture. At preschool, he got through separation anxiety by sitting at a desk and drawing wonderful pictures to comfort himself. Lying in bed at night, he can often be found illustrating his thoughts in the air with his finger.

My husband and I have watched in wonder as this artistic passion has surfaced and grown year after year. Now that Joey is in kindergarten, we think, "What should we do with our budding artist?"

There are layers to this question: How can you bring out a child's artistic expression in the first place? And if he is passionate about art, how do you foster that further? The process of creating is so much a part of childhood that it can be said that art starts from infancy. Babies by nature are drawn to painting, molding, stacking – whether it's smearing baby food on a plate or making a block tower. Exposing babies to basic sensory materials from the start can set the stage for creative expression in years to come.

"The focus should be on the process, not the product," says art therapist Julie Liddle. "For children 5 and under in particular, art is a sensory experience. It's a way to learn about cause and effect, exploration, imagination." Liddle runs Art Start, an early childhood art program in Northern Virginia. She focuses on giving children a chance to express themselves without having a set goal or end product in mind. For example, a child should be allowed to enjoy the act of painting: What happens to the colors? How do the brushes feel? However, adults tend to evaluate the result or ask, "What is that a picture of?"

Once a parent looks at art as a process, the next step is to let those creative juices flow at home. That's not always easy, since the artistic "process" is most likely a messy one. Most art teachers advocate setting up a just-for-art space at home – a place where a child can feel free to make a mess. For a baby, it can mean taping paper to a high chair tray and letting the child experiment with markers. "It should be a place where the child can make choices, and there must be the materials and space to do that," says Liddle. One way is to use a vinyl shower curtain liner as a floor covering over bare floors. Set up an easel and work table, and put a range of art supplies within easy reach.

Liddle's favorite materials to have on hand for babies and preschoolers are large-sized paper that allows kids to make big strokes; washable markers, which give bolder colors with less pressure than crayons do; poster paints (temperas) in primary colors, which allow the child to explore how colors mix; liquid watercolors that can be added to water and any variety of play dough to exercise little hand muscles.

Just as important as having a space to create the art is having a place to display it. Not only does this promote the child's self-esteem, but it allows him to talk about what he did and share his artwork with others. Masking tape on a blank wall is the simplest way to do this, but also consider inexpensive frames or mats to set off the artwork.

Up until a child is about 5 years old, the emphasis is on freedom of expression. But by the time he has developed more fine motor skills and confidence with different materials, art can be taught in a more directive way. "My philosophy is, you can promote creativity but also teach the technique of art. Formal instruction is a good thing," says Erin Johnson, who teaches fine arts skills to children and, with her husband, runs Artworks Studio in Bethesda.

Johnson says she starts out by teaching children some of the basic building blocks to drawing: shapes, colors, tones, texture, shading and details. Of the many forms of art, drawing is considered the most important; once you learn the techniques, you can branch out more readily to painting or sculpting. "It's very important to learn how to draw. Once you can put together what you're trying to express, then you can use your own creativity to add to it."

By the same token, drawing books can be very helpful for a child who is having trouble making his visions translate to the page. Johnson says that step-by-step books for how to draw animals or other subjects are a good tool, especially for children ages 10 and up.

She also reminds parents to learn how to use the art materials themselves. Even if you don't take a class, familiarize yourself with how certain paints or clays work so you can participate with your child.

If the child is ready for some sort of extra art instruction, do some research into what's offered in your area. Art classes abound, but many consist of a series of crafts projects to keep little hands busy, providing little creative stimulation. If possible, talk to the teacher before signing up to find out her focus. Any good course will expose children to a variety of materials and allow a lot of opportunity for individual expression.

Whether it's simple crafts or more advanced drawing lessons, "as long as children are doing something with their hands, it's better than nothing," says June Yun, who started Little Picasso Art Studios with locations in Annandale, Va., and Rockville, Md. After years as an art teacher with Fairfax County Public Schools, Yun saw how little day-to-day exposure to art the children were getting. She believes children of all ages benefit from anything that exercises their hand muscles and their interest in art. She cites the teaching she experienced in her native Korea, where children learn much earlier how to cut with scissors or use a straight edge because art is so integral to their education.

"Some people are very against using coloring books or teaching a child how to draw a horse step-by-step," says Yun. "I say, 'Let them do anything!' They need to move their fingers to exercise their minds, and they need to develop hand-eye coordination." At her studios, children learn very specific skills – such as drawing the human figure – but are encouraged to add their own flair. "If they say the sky is red, the sky is red."

If a child is maintaining a strong interest in art all throughout primary school and has taken some formal instruction, the next step is often to start preparing a portfolio. This may be simply for the purpose of having a record of their best work or for use as part of an application for further schooling. By high school, a portfolio can be an integral part of a college application. Yun describes how her students prepare a set of slides to submit with their applications; she says it sets applicants apart when the college admissions committee can see the student's body of work at a glance.

Another point to remember in fostering your child's love of art: Expose him to art whenever possible. Whether baby or teenager, take your child on frequent trips to art museums and galleries, visit an artist's studio or simply call attention to things you see in nature or in books.

"Point it out, talk about it, discuss colors, textures, techniques," says Liddle. "At a pretty early age you can do things like look at the art of a particular artist, like Matisse, then try using cut-paper technique to make a design." She says to bear in mind the developmental level of the child so as not to frustrate him. For example, a child who can't use scissors well might be encouraged to tear the pieces in different shapes. For the youngest set, simplify the project even more by having them attach collage materials to contact paper that has been taped to a wall or table.

"Art is everywhere," says Yun. "Anything can be art to a child."

My son Joey certainly thinks so. Now all his mom needs to do is go out and buy some new paints, big paper and an extra-large shower curtain liner–then let him do his thing.

Cindy Hsu Han recently moved here from Pittsburgh with her husband and three children–Alex (9), Joey (5) and Katie (3)–all of whom are budding artists.

Artworks, fine arts school, 301-656-0044, Bethesda, Md; www.artworksmd.com.

Little Picasso Art Studio & Portfolio Prep, school of visual arts; Annandale, Va., 703-256-2910; Rockville, Md. 301-294-3600; www.littlepicassoart.com.