Benefits of arts and crafts
It enables children to explore and play with a wide range of media and materials.
Also providing opportunities and encouragement for sharing their thoughts, ideas and feelings through a variety of art activities.
Different experiences allow children to express themselves through various types of representation/styles.
Art activities encourage children to think creatively and express themselves.
While craft activities help children develop important skills such as building fine motor skills, following instructions, and using tools properly.
Why do arts and crafts?
Motor skills
When kids use their fingers to manipulate materials they are devloping their fine motor skills as they use those small muscles in their hands.
Their bilateral coordination skills improve as they learn to use both hands at the same time.
All this happens when they paint, colour, glue and cut.
The quicker their fine motors skills develop the more they can do on their own, from eating by themselves to tying their own shoelaces.
Literacy
Early child literacy skills in art and crafts cover a wide range of areas – from speaking and reading to listening and understanding.
When kids make art or crafts they get to talk about their work which develops their communication skills.
“Why did you choose that colour?”
“Tell me about what you made.”
They learn new vocabulary from parents and when following verbal instructions they use their listening skills.
Math Concepts
Kids get to learn about and recognise different shapes, count and sort out their art supplies and even measure out lengths and sizes of art materials.
To master math, you need good thinking and problem-solving skills which art and crafts activities help with as well.
Creativity
Art allows kids to develop their creativity which is important throughout their lives.
By doing something creative, you allow for self-expression and this lets kids express (and cope with) their feelings.
It also fosters mental growth in children by providing opportunities for trying out new ideas, new ways of thinking and problem-solving.
In children, creativity develops from their experiences with the process, rather than concern for the finished product.
Creativity is not to be confused with talent, skill, or intelligence.
Creativity is not about doing something better than others, it is about thinking, exploring, discovering, and imagining.
Self-Esteem
Art and craft activities give kids a sense of achievement and allow them to take pride in their work which builds confidence.
Making art is a great, safe way to discover that it’s okay to make mistakes and that getting things ‘wrong’ can lead you to a whole new idea.
Kids get to try new things and also develop their “self-regualtion skills” (e.g. when waiting for paint or glue to dry).
This helps them develop patience, which all kids need help with!
Quality time / Parent Bonding
You get to spend quality time bonding with your kids and at the same time, you are creating lifelong memories to cherish.
While you are crafting together you get to talk about what you are making and discuss different ideas and subject matters.
You can talk about what you think, feel and care about.
More Benefits of Arts and Crafts For Children
Helps children develop fine motor skills
Art and craft projects help children develop their fine motor skills by requiring them to use small muscles in their hands and fingers.
This is important for early childhood motor skill development, alongside hand-eye coordination, as these skills are necessary for tasks such as writing, eating and taking care of themselves.
Can boost cognitive skills
Arts and crafts can also help improve cognitive development in children.
In fact, according to the International Child Art Foundation,
“Research indicates that a child who is exposed to the arts acquires a special ability to think creatively, be original, discover, innovate, and create intellectual property—key attributes for individual success and social prosperity in the twenty-first century,”.
Improves self-expression & self-esteem
Arts and crafts projects can also help children express themselves in new ways and build on their self-esteem and self-worth.
As developing a core sense of self-esteem, and a healthy form of self-expression is vital from a young age, self-esteem art can be an extremely valuable activity for children of all ages.
Boosts children's creativity & imagination
Creativity and imagination are two skills that arts and crafts help to develop in children.
By giving them the opportunity to be creative and use their imaginations, arts and crafts can help foster a love of creativity that will last a lifetime, as well as help them come up with creative new ideas and solutions in all aspects of their life.
Teaches problem-solving skills
Arts and crafts projects also help children learn how to solve problems, as arts and crafts projects require children to think outside the box and come up with new ways of completing a task.
This teaches them how to problem solve effectively, an important skill for success in both life and work.
Effective problem solving skills that could be learned through arts and crafts include brainstorming, considering all possible solutions, and taking action on a plan.
Improves children's mental health
Arts and crafts are a great tool for improving mental health.
This applies especially to children, as it provides an outlet for them to express their emotions, have fun and develop a sense of mindfulness.
As they get older, they will be better equipped to deal with stressful situations and handle them effectively, thanks to the skills they learned through arts and crafts projects.
Encourages teamwork & socialisation
Art activities can also encourage teamwork and socialisation in children.
Often, arts and crafts projects require children to work together and find common ground in order to complete the finished product.
This can help children learn how to cooperate and get along with others, as well as make new friends.
These skills can be vital to success in life, as they will help children form lasting relationships and allow them to be successful in both their personal and professional collaborations.
Provides an educational experience
Making art can also provide an educational experience for children.
This is because they have the possibility to learn about various subjects through art materials.
They will be able to use the skills they learned from arts and crafts in other subjects as they grow and develop.
For example, they could learn all about the fire department by building their own fire station with a handy craft kit or learn about the solar system by painting their own galaxy.
Improves children's communication skills
Arts and crafts can also improve children’s communication skills.
This is because they provide an opportunity for children to share their thoughts with others through their craft ideas.
As they get older, this will help them communicate more effectively, both verbally and non-verbally.
This is important as it will help them in all aspects of their life, from personal relationships to professional endeavours, and everything in between.
Crafts teach flexibility from a young age
One important life skill that can be learned from arts and crafts is flexibility.
This is because, oftentimes, arts and crafts projects require children to be flexible and come up with new solutions when things don’t go as planned.
This will help them in all areas of their life as unexpected situations will no longer throw them off balance.
Instead, they will be able to roll with the punches and adapt quickly to any situation that comes their way.
Provides Developmental Benefits
Arts and crafts can provide a number of developmental benefits for children.
As children’s brains are constantly learning and growing, it is important to provide them with activities that will help stimulate this growth, making future learning more enjoyable and achievable.
Art supplies offer a wide variety of opportunities for children to learn and grow, including developing their language skills, improving bilateral coordination, helping them learn different shapes and colours, and teaching them how to be patient and persistent.
In conclusion,
Arts and crafts provide a wealth of benefits for children, both in the short and long term.
From developing problem solving skills to improving mental health, teamwork and communication skills, arts and crafts offer children a chance to learn and grow in a fun and creative environment.
But what are the best arts and crafts activities for kids?
The best arts and crafts activities for children will include projects that allow them to be creative, think outside the box, and solve problems.