The Benefits of Making Art with Your Kids
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While painting and pottery projects are fun for the whole family, they are also instrumental in helping your child grow and learn. According to Michigan State University, art is critical for early childhood development and aids in building your kid’s sense of creativity and personality.
If you need even more reasons to break out the paintbrushes at home, here are four benefits of making art with your children.
Art improves decision-making.
Getting crafty at home allows your children to make anything they want with the supplies at hand. This is freeing and helps promote decision-making. By encouraging free thought, children will be tasked with choosing colors, shapes, and designs all on their own. For a young kid, that can be empowering!
Art helps develop motor and language skills.
Holding art supplies like crayons and markers helps children develop their fine motor skills. Even something as simple as gripping a pencil takes practice. Working on an art project gives your kids ample time to practice and perfect their craft. Also, children who complete art projects might be tasked with sharing more about their creations. Allowing your kids to make their own artistic decisions and then share why they made those choices can empower them to speak and find their voices.
Art reduces stress and anxiety.
There is a reason why child counselors turn to art therapy to treat children. Art projects are great for helping children explore and try new things in ways that are safe and have low stakes. It also allows children to escape from whatever they may be dealing with, no matter how trivial their problem may seem. Completing an art project provides a child with the opportunity to disconnect and focus on other things.
Art boosts confidence.
Finally, completing art projects will make your child feel accomplished and confident. By incorporating art projects into your home time, you are providing your kid with an opportunity to stretch their creativity and showcase their tiny personality.
Need some creative ideas to get your at-home art class started? Here are four projects perfect for children of any age.
Magazine collage — Have your kids cut out images from a magazine and arrange them on construction paper in a way that represents their interests.
Yarn crafts — Provide your kids with some colorful yarn and have them weave together braided bracelets or keychains. For extra fun, incorporate beads or fun charms.
Tie-dye — Choose an old piece of clothing or a sheet and tie-dye patterns using an at-home tie-dye kit.
Construction paper chain — Cut construction paper into strips and create a paper chain with the rings. For extra fun, write messages on the rings or use the chain as a countdown to a special occasion by removing one ring each day.
