Benefits of Art

Art projects are a great way to keep kids occupied in a healthy way. Something as simple as coloring, has been part of early childhood education for as long as we can remember. 

Parents and educators sometimes are not aware of the real long term benefits to arts and crafts. Art is a way for children to be creative, however, it not only has a positive impact on core subjects but helps with executive functioning and neural development. 

In this blog we’re going to focus on how art can affect academic performance and executive functioning,

EARLY DEVELOPMENT

Creativity

Creativity is key when it comes to problem solving. Not only is it helpful in the early stages of life but has been shown to help students excel far beyond college and provide more opportunities. Research has shown that students who have been exposed to art from an early age have a greater ability to come up with different ideas and solutions as they get older. 

Fine Motor Skills

From an early age, fine motor skills are important to develop coordination. Learning how to hold a marker or a paint brush can help lead to good penmanship. Tracing, cutting and coloring inside the lines, help improve coordination. 

Sensory Input

Varied stimulation is a great way of engaging students brains with touch, sight, smell, and sound. This variety keeps their brains occupied and thinking without relying too heavily on one specific sense, which can be overwhelming, especially to younger students. Aside from being entertaining, a number of studies have found that this kind of stimulation helps kids’ neural functions develop better.

Executive Functioning

Since art is an open ended project it provides an opportunity  for students to consider options, make choices,  and evaluate results. These are essential to help develop executive functioning skills. Giving students a safe outlet for experimenting can help them get more comfortable with situations where there are no clear step by step directions. 

OTHER BENEFITS

As the years go on, art has become a major part of therapy for children. Sometimes when a child has been through a traumatic event it is difficult for them to speak about their emotions. Not only regarding a traumatic event, but being a child in general can be difficult and facing or talking about those emotions can become overwhelming. However, giving children a piece of paper and a crayon to show how they feel allows for a safe space for the child and a way to communicate without using words. 

Every day, students absorb incredible amounts of new information. While this is normal, they still need to be able to process what they learn in a way that works for them. Through artwork, students get to approach feelings and ideas in a “scaled-down” or more manageable way. This is often easier than finding the words to express how we are feeling, and can also be a good segue to other forms of open communication. 

Art also allows us to connect with others. Working on an art project with a friend or a teacher can help strengthen or create a new bond. 

Regardless of how much value you place on art as a cultural goal, the academic benefits are clear.

To learn more about how art can be great for students of all ages, check out these links:

https://artfulparent.com/the-benefits-of-art-for-kids/

 https://www.studentartguide.com/articles/reasons-to-study-art