Developing Children’s Arts and Crafts Skills at an Early Age
From an early age, most children have a love for art. Most parents can attest to this as they have wiped down countless countertops where their kids spilled paint, and maybe even placed furniture to strategically hide parts of the wall where their kids chose as the canvas for their latest artwork! There is little doubt about the importance of arts in early education.
As children get older, their love for art and their skill grows, and parents can find ways to channel that skill into the right activities. Soon, you’d have a mini Picasso on your hands, and your walls will be plastered with your child’s latest artistic creation. However, if you are still in doubt about the importance of arts and crafts in your child’s early education, we hope to change your mind as we shed more light on the many ways art can help children develop in more ways than one.
Your child will reap all the benefits that come with arts and crafts, and they will be having fun while doing it! To get your kids started, you can print free coloring worksheets and provide them with crayons, or enroll them for arts and crafts classes.
Is Art Really Important in Early Childhood Education?
The straight answer is; yes, including art in your child’s early education will help them in terms of academic growth and in other areas. It will also allow your child develop emotionally as they express themselves using art.
Art and crafts will help your children harness their creative side, but it can also help them in other areas.
- Spatial reasoning and math skills
Art and drawing often deals with shapes, and children who begin art at a young age will be able to explore shapes and size before their peers. Before long, they will learn to differentiate between shapes, and also learn to compare objects and their sizes; honing in on their math skills. Also, painting and drawing exposes children to spatial reasoning. Spatial reasoning will allow children picture three dimensional shapes; preparing their minds for more advanced math and science problems.
- Fine motor skills
Children are not born with fine motor skills; it is something they develop through practice. Before children can write properly, they must hone in on their fine motor skills. Holding crayons and art supplies is a perfect way to develop children’s fine motor skills. Wielding other art supplies such as glue and scissors also requires a dexterity which kids will perfect as they spend more time doing art.
- Develop language skills
Every time children complete an art project, there is no doubt that they feel some sense of accomplishment and pride. Most times, children will want to share with their parents how they made the artwork, and the process that it required. This is how art develops children’s early communication skills. As they excitedly talk about their art project, they are strengthening their language skills and practicing new vocabulary they have learned.
- Practice decision making
As your child works on their art project, they may ask for your opinion on what colors to use or what design you think works best. However, the ultimate decisions rest on their shoulders and they will enjoy this absolute control for the most part. Art can serve as an avenue to show kids what independence feels like, as they make decisions on what colors to use and how best to personalize their artwork. These choices require critical thinking and careful analysis.
