ART IMPACT ON CHILD DEVELOPMENT: The Importance of Art on a Child’s Development
For most parents, the idea of giving a child artistic freedom to paint, draw or create anything they want at first seems like too much of a messy hassle for little to no outcome. Supplies can be expensive or easily break. Clothes and furniture will eventually get ruined. The best it may do is keep the kid preoccupied long enough so the parent can finish some tasks around the house or start making dinner. So how does a stroke of a paintbrush, coloring with a marker, or squishing of clay benefit a child? Art is a multifaceted outlet that benefits a child’s physical, cognitive, and social, and emotional development at any age. Children heavily depend on observational learning to help them understand and interpret the environment they’re in. They are constantly wanting to experiment with new things that peak their interest and art activities naturally support this kind of learning and free play. This vital aspect of art lets children experiment which helps their cognitive development by allowing them to learn patterns, cause and effect, and practice critical thinking skills. For example, if they mix new 2 colors together, they get a new color and cannot return to the prior color. In addition to helping cognitive development, art also helps physical development such as strengthening fine motor skills. For example, practicing how to grip a pencil and making small, controlled movements. Art also provides the ability to help children with their social skills by learning how to communicate about their artwork and practice their language skills (Rymanowicz, 2015).
Another important characteristic of art is its therapeutic qualities. Many individuals partake in artistic hobbies because of how well it benefits their emotional and mental health and it's just the same for children. In fact, expressive therapies like art help individuals process their thoughts and emotions in ways that talk therapy cannot (Shore, 2013). Especially children at a younger age, art activities may help them process their feelings since they are still learning how to self-regulate and also may not have the language skills to communicate how they’re feeling. Overall, art is an endless stream of creativity and possibilities. There are countless different kinds of art mediums that can be done inside or outside, alone or with others. And simply, it's just pure fun. Children often learn the most when they are enjoying what they’re doing. Even though it may not seem as practical as reading a book or practicing mathematical equations, art is extremely beneficial. So go ahead, let your kid paint a canvas, draw with some sidewalk chalk, and make a clay vase. You’ll be pleasantly surprised with what your child can do when given the opportunity to explore the world of art.
ART IMPACT ON CHILD DEVELOPMENT 3 References Rymanowicz, K. (2015, January 22). The art of creating: Why art is important for early childhood development. MSU Extension. https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/the_art_of_creating_why_art_is_important_for_early_ childhood_development Shore, A. (2013). The Practitioner’s Guide to Child Art Therapy: Fostering Creativity and Relational Growth. Routledge.
Another important characteristic of art is its therapeutic qualities. Many individuals partake in artistic hobbies because of how well it benefits their emotional and mental health and it's just the same for children. In fact, expressive therapies like art help individuals process their thoughts and emotions in ways that talk therapy cannot (Shore, 2013). Especially children at a younger age, art activities may help them process their feelings since they are still learning how to self-regulate and also may not have the language skills to communicate how they’re feeling. Overall, art is an endless stream of creativity and possibilities. There are countless different kinds of art mediums that can be done inside or outside, alone or with others. And simply, it's just pure fun. Children often learn the most when they are enjoying what they’re doing. Even though it may not seem as practical as reading a book or practicing mathematical equations, art is extremely beneficial. So go ahead, let your kid paint a canvas, draw with some sidewalk chalk, and make a clay vase. You’ll be pleasantly surprised with what your child can do when given the opportunity to explore the world of art.
ART IMPACT ON CHILD DEVELOPMENT 3 References Rymanowicz, K. (2015, January 22). The art of creating: Why art is important for early childhood development. MSU Extension. https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/the_art_of_creating_why_art_is_important_for_early_ childhood_development Shore, A. (2013). The Practitioner’s Guide to Child Art Therapy: Fostering Creativity and Relational Growth. Routledge.