What Impact Do Arts & Crafts Have On A Child's Development?

Arts and crafts are so much fun for young minds. Painting, shaping clay, making papier-mâché, or getting creative with crafts are activities kids tend to adore. Art and craft time is always a hit at school or on a rainy weekend, but did you know that art can be more than just a fun pastime? That’s right – arts and crafts actually play a vital role in the development of young minds. So next time you bring out the finger paints, try to put up with the mess, as the act of creating is doing your toddler or young child a world of good!

So why is art important and what impact do arts and crafts have on a child's development? Here’s everything parents need to know.

Why art and craft is important in the early years
The importance of art and craft in child development can’t be underestimated. Art is all about feeding creativity, giving curious children an immersive way to learn about themselves and the world around them. It stimulates the senses too, from the smell of paper to the textures of craft materials like buttons and sparkles.

Art can help children reach developmental milestones sooner, including those to do with cognitive development, motor skills, and even language. Research on this topic has demonstrated that, in early childhood, arts and crafts can help develop brain capacity.

How arts and crafts help children reach development goals
Arts and crafts can help children’s development in a number of ways. However, it’s important to remember that art isn’t all about the final product – it’s about the process! So, while your child is engaged and having fun with art projects, they’re getting neurological benefits, even if they don’t ever get around to finishing the craft.

Here are a few specific benefits of arts and crafts that parents should know.

1.  Improve knowledge of math and language
You may think arts and crafts time will help your child become more artistic – and it will! However, you may be surprised to know that crafts also boost math and language skills.

Crafts teach children about colors, shapes, patterns, and textures, adding new words and concepts to their vocabulary. Asking children to describe their art project to you is a great idea, as this gets kids thinking, prompting them to come up with the best words to use when talking about their art.

Crafts are also great for math skills, as they often involve cutting shapes, estimating how much material is needed, and counting.

2. Fast-track fine motor skills
Young children need to develop fine motor skills, as learning to use the small muscles in our hands and fingers doesn’t come automatically. Tasks like buttoning a shirt and writing are great for this, but so are arts and crafts.

Coloring, holding a paintbrush, or even sewing help kids develop coordination between their minds and their bodies. This isn’t always easy for young children (even adults can struggle with coloring inside the lines!), so always be supportive and encouraging of your child’s best efforts.

When it comes to fine motor skills, puzzles can be great for this too, as long as they’re age-appropriate.

3. Helps children communicate their ideas
One beautiful thing about arts and crafts is that they’re a form of self-expression. Through art, kids have a new way to communicate their ideas, express thoughts, and voice their opinions.

For your child to learn how to express themselves through art, experts say it’s best to give them creative freedom. Kids don’t need to follow a step-by-step lesson plan in this area, as they’ll enjoy the activity more if they have free reign to create whatever they feel like creating.

Developing the confidence to express your viewpoints is an important life lesson, and art can definitely help with this.

4. Arts teach children about planning and decision making
Arts and crafts are a wonderful way for young minds to learn about planning and making decisions – an important part of cognitive development. When executing an art project, children have to make all sorts of choices, working out how to bring their artistic vision to life. From selecting paint colors to cutting out shapes, crafts help kids learn about planning, decision-making, and logic.

Another fun (and delicious!) way to help with cognitive development is cooking, as it’s also helpful with auditory and visual processing, learning, memory development, and logic.

5. Arts and crafts inspire creativity
One of the best things about art is that it fires up a child’s creativity. Many school subjects require concentration, intense memorization, and focus, while art is usually the opposite – it frees the mind and is driven by creativity and imagination.

Creativity is one of the most important skills a child can develop, as it plays so many roles in both childhood and adulthood. Creativity helps us become more flexible and cope with new situations, and is useful in just about every career path, so it’s essential that your child develop it as soon as possible.

How can I help my child reach developmental milestones with art?
As a parent, how can you foster child development through art? You can always make arts and crafts time a priority – why not plan an hour or two a week for your child to try something new? Make art supplies accessible as well, so that your child can draw or color whenever the mood strikes.

You can also find plenty of art-focused online classes, after-school programs, or summer camps. And don’t forget that parents can lead by example – if you show an interest in art, your child is likely to follow suit. Work on crafts together, point out public art installations like statues or murals, or even take your children to an art gallery. You can ask questions to get them thinking too, encouraging them to form opinions on colors, shapes, and images.

Even at a young age, children can be stimulated and inspired by art! With arts and crafts playing such a vital role in child development, there’s never been a better time to pull out the art supplies and have some fun together as a family.

 

Featured image by Dragos Gontariu on Unsplash