Art and being creative is just as important as math. What most parents and adults do not understand is that Art is very much needed and is an attribute which is being more and more publicized as one of the key factors for the success of individuals and organizations.

If children are taught art from their young ages, it is said they learn much better across all disciplines.

Let's have a look at some of the reasons why kids not just enjoy but thrive when they make art.

Motor Skills Improve

When doing arts and craft activities, kids need to use their fingers to manipulate the materials, for example, clay. They develop fine motor skills as they use the small muscles in the hands. Painting with a brush, coloring with a pencil, squeezing a glue stick and cutting also helps develop fine motor skills. The more they practice these the more kids are able to do work on their own, from eating to tying a shoe lace.

Improves Literacy

When kids make an art or craft, they get to talk about their work which automatically develops communication skills. They learn new vocabulary from parents when following instructions as well.

Promotes Creativity

Creativity is defined as the ability to think outside the box, to bring ideas which are unrelated, together in a new way. The ability to be creative is vital to the success of our younger generation and to the well-being of our world, as we face newer challenges every day. Art allows kids to be creative and fosters mental growth. Remember, creativity is not about doing something better than others, it is about thinking, exploring, discovering, and imagining."

Math Concepts are mastered

Basic math skills are frequently used in arts and craft activities and tend to have a positive effect on preschool children. They learn shapes, to count and sort by order of length and size of art materials. In order to master math, good problem solving skills are required and lessons in art and craft certainly help!

Builds self esteem

Craft activities help kids have a sense of achievement and allows them to pride in their work. This is key to build confidence. It also helps them learn that making mistakes is ok, and that getting things wrong can lead to discovering new things.

Encourages neural connections

As Art is an activity which makes use of all the senses - sight, sound, touch, smell depending on the activity, there is a heightened neural activity. The brain synapses become active as they mix paint with their fingers and draw from imagination or what they see before them.

Develops problem solving abilities

Open ended art work is a brilliant opportunity for making choices, coming to conclusions and evaluating results. Children become more comfortable with uncertainty and become more flexible thinkers. The more experience they have with a variety of materials and techniques, the more likely they are to come up with new combinations and ideas.

Art helps Children understand the world

Children have the capability to absorb an incredible amount of new information which they need to process in a safe, reflective way. Art is a medium which allows them to explore feelings and deal with any significant event. Movements, colors, images and lines all help children express themselves when words may fail.

When Children are encouraged to explore any form of art, we give them a way to express themselves which will help them grow in to mature, understanding adults. One might think Art is not a field which they prefer their child to follow, but most often, it is not to produce career artists but to raise children who are confident and comfortable with their creativity.

Manesha Peiris (2021)