This is how art can benefit your children

Putting in the fridge the first "works of art" of our son is one of the many joys of being a father: we do not care if the drawing is better or worse, we are thrilled that our little one has dedicated it to us. Now, as it grows, we parents begin to focus more on the 'finished product' and begin to demand higher quality from our offspring, to what extent is it good?

Just by going to a museum we see that many of the great artists create works that are not exactly similar to reality: they are artistic styles that come after a creative process, and here is the most important part: the creative process is more relevant for you son of what you might think, even if the final result is not as expected.


The activities related to art can help your children a lot, from the stimulation of the senses to the construction of self-esteem to solve problems, through the improvement of social skills. This is what he assures the online newspaper The Huffington Post the head of the Scenario unit of Manor Elementary School, in Leed, Hilary Murtagh.

The visual arts for children

"The exploration of the visual arts is an integral part of the learning of young children and is essential to promote the overall development of a child," says this expert who, at its center, has adopted the principles based on learning through the experience, an educative current that defends that the children must have endless ways of expressing themselves.


Murtagh explains that offering opportunities "to explore and refine artistic skills and encourage the appreciation of art and aesthetics" are the basis of what is offered at your center. "A variety of materials and techniques are introduced and children are encouraged to make decisions and choices about what materials they will use and how they will represent their independent ideas," says the expert.

In his opinion, children "enjoy the sensory nature first" and, afterwards, they get a physical control that allows them to feel "an enormous sense of satisfaction and empowerment". Murtagh argues that, as children develop, "their compositions begin to include symbols of real events, people and feelings," something that is "essential" to the mastery of writing.

Art for babies

Another expert on the subject mentioned by the online newspaper is Sarah Cresaall, founder of The Creation Station, an art and craft network with workshops for babies and preschoolers. This organization has created a new form of teaching based precisely on art activities for children.


"One of the many benefits of the technique is that it can be used to stimulate the senses and awaken the child's natural curiosity," explains Cressall. "It allows each child to create their own journey of exploring ideas and concepts, such as what happens when colors are mixed, combine shapes or compare something rough and something soft." In essence, art allows children to "discover by doing," something that enables children to "discover what does not work and what works."

In a world where education is increasingly dominated by the results of exams and quantitatively measured academic performance, art seems to be relegated. However, it is also one of the few areas in which children can explore and think for themselves.

"If we only teach our children information, we are failing them," defends Cressall, who claims that teachers must "equip children with the skills to explore ideas and have the confidence to experiment, solve problems and develop their own solutions." "

Skills for daily life transmitted by art

- Social skills. Children learn to share their materials and collaborate on projects. They also get used to working in shifts, negotiating with colleagues and, in essence, working as a team.

- Cognitive development. From the first sensory explorations (the feeling of a pencil through paper, the smell of paint) and decision making (what they will draw, what materials they will use). In short: art teaches children to think for themselves.

- Self-expression. Art is a valuable form of language. A precursor of written and verbal communication, which allows children to tell stories, as well as express what they think and feel in a graphic way.

- Motor development. The small movements of the fingers, hands and wrists associated with the use of a pencil or a brush or the manipulation of clay, for example, develop the fine motor skills of young children. Also, the large movements of the arms (necessary for painting on an easel or paper on the floor) cause large muscle groups to develop.

- Ingenuity. When children are encouraged to experiment and take risks by trying new things during the creative process they are developing a sense of innovation, a valuable skill in business and in life.

Video: How Art Benefits Children


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