The children's book illustrator and author, who was appointed as the sixth Children's Laureate in June, has called for one day to be set aside each year for children to play simple games that would encourage art.
Mr Browne said that he believes that the focus on children's reading skills means that parents and teaching staff are encouraging children away from picture books.
He said, 'I go to book festivals where I talk to children and sign books and have often heard parents saying that picture books are for babies. I think parents believe that children will not progress unless they leave picture books behind, and it seems to be that children stop drawing at around the same time that they stop looking at them.
'However, I think that encouraging children to give up picture books does not help them to love reading or to be enthusiastic about books, or want to read on their own, so in the long run I believe that it is unhelpful.'
He added, 'I think over the past few years, educational policy has drifted too far into the realm of ticking boxes and the idea that children should reach a certain stage by a certain age. I think we should let children progress at their own pace and not try to force them. When I was at school I was praised for my drawing and writing, and this encouraged me to carry on with it.'
Mr Browne said that he did not share the views of other well-known authors of children's books, including Philip Pullman, Anne Fine and Anthony Horowitz, who said last month that they would no longer visit schools because of the new vetting and barring scheme (News, 21 July).
He said, 'Everyone who goes into schools has to be vetted, so why should writers be immune from that? It's like saying that we are different, and one of the things I tell children when I go into schools is that writers are no different from them.'
Further information
www.childrenslaureate.org.uk
