The Importance of Art for Young Learners

            Glue, scissors, paint and crayons… Art, one of the most creative activities in which we can incorporate each day for our young learners and their creative minds.  Children learn through play, exploration and hands-on activities.  When we think about how children learn, we need to keep in mind different ways to help enhance and encourage learning based on each child’s own individuality.  What we are seeing today, more and more technology is being used in the homes and at schools, but we must remember the importance of incorporating hands-on activities such as art.   

            Art opens the mind to many different possibilities of learning.  Art is not only building on the skills of creativity, but it enhances each child’s growth and development.  “Learning to create and appreciate visual aesthetics may be more important than ever to the development of the next generation of children as they grow up” (Lynch, 2012).  This is so important to remember as a parent, to provide many opportunities to inspire a child’s creative mind.  “When kids feel good while they are creating, art helps boost self-confidence” (Bernstein, n.d.). 

            There are several benefits as to why art is so important for your child.  First, art builds a child’s motor skills. “Many of the motions involved in making art, such as holding a paintbrush or scribbling with a crayon, are essential to the growth of fine motor skills in young children” (Lynch, 2012).  Your child’s fine motor skills will improve with art and this is such an important skill to develop.  A second reason art is so important is the language development of our young learners.  Art “provides opportunities to learn words for colors, shapes and actions” (Lynch, 2012).   Art also encourages your child to talk more.  “Using descriptive words with your child to discuss their own creations or to talk about what feelings are elicited when they see different styles of artwork” (Lynch, 2012).  Discussing the artwork with your child helps build their language skills.  “By prompting the child to be more specific and asking them open questions helps children make better connections between words” (Agarwal, 2017).  As we look at some other benefits in which art encourages your child’s development, making decisions comes into next.   Did you know that “art education strengthens problem solving and critical thinking skills?  The experience of making decisions and choices in the course of creating art carries over into other parts of life” (Lynch, 2012).  Today, we live in “an increasingly diverse society” (Lynch, 2012).  With this, children are exposed to many different viewpoints of art and how others view and create art.  “Teaching children to recognize the choices an artist or designer makes in portraying a subject helps kids understand that what they see may be someone’s interpretation of reality” (Lynch, 2012).  Art helps create opportunities for children to learn about others and learn to respect others and the share differences we have.    Incorporating art has so many other benefits that a child can build on.  Not only developmental skills are built, but it also helps encourage learning as well.  Incorporating art into your child’s daily routine encourages math, such as by “counting pieces and colors.  When children experiment with materials, they dabble in science” (Bernstein, n.d.). 

            Art opens the mind of each child and helps build on the necessary skills of growth and development.  “It is important that we engage our children in activities that develop not only their motor skills, but also social, emotional and cognitive skills” (Agarwal, 2017).  As parents we need to help and encourage our children to learn and grow using the benefits of art.  Art creates opportunities for our children to learn and grow. 

Reference

Agarwal, P. (2017, November 22). Five Reasons Why Art Education Is Important For Children.         
      Retrieved from https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/five-reasons-why-art-education-is-
      important-for-children_uk_5a14abbbe4b0f401dfa7eb56

Bernstein, P. (n.d.). Why Art and Creativity Are Important for Kids. Retrieved from             
      https://www.parents.com/toddlers-preschoolers/development/intellectual/why-art-and-           
      creativity-are-important/

Lynch, G. H. (2012, May 25). The Importance of Art in Child Development. Retrieved from    
      http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/music-arts/the-importance-of-art-in-child-development/