Benefits of arts and crafts for kids

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Benefits of arts and crafts for kids.

We all know that arts and crafts can get a bit messy, but crafts are a great way to develop kids’ bodies and minds. With all the benefits of arts and crafts for kids, what’s a bit of mess when compared to unlocking all that creative potential?

When kids get crafting, it helps to develop their imagination, improve their communication and listening skills, as well as their ability to pay attention. All this they can do at the same time as taking care of their mental health and wellbeing.

There is also a fantastic range of skills toddlers can develop, including:

  • Identifying colour, shape and texture and learning how things fit and work together.
  • Fine motor skills and good hand-eye coordination.
  • Fostering their creativity and allowing them to experiment and play in a safe, fun environment.

Sounds good, right? Later on, we will give you some great information on the benefits of arts and crafts for adults who want to get involved in crafting with their kids.

First, we’ll take a look at the advantages art can have for children.

Benefits of art for children

Much like with crafting activities, scribbling and making art can help kids develop their motor skills, which is the foundation of how they will later learn to write.

Using a paintbrush and using scissors also helps them hone their motor skills which will help children learn to do things like use cutlery, tie shoelaces, button shirts and much else besides.

Drawing, painting and sculpting can help toddlers build upon their visual and spatial skills whilst also developing their memory. You read here about stone painting kits which my kids love.

Creating art will help develop a good working memory and good mental flexibility. Kids can also develop their self-control by doing art, and help them work out how to plan, which is essential for later life.

Doing art can help toddlers build their confidence too, as completing things and mastering skills will help them express themselves and be more confident and learn to persevere.

Kids may also learn patience while doing things like waiting for glue to dry on their art projects. In this way, toddlers can learn how to respond positively to stressful situations and build great self-esteem.  

Now let’s take a more detailed look at the benefits of gluing and sticking for toddlers. 

Benefits of gluing and sticking for toddlers

Besides the obvious advantage of teaching children about the idea and sensation of stickiness, learning to properly use glue helps toddlers hone their fine motor skills   and develop fantastic hand-eye coordination. Always make sure that you use a safe non-toxic glue.

Here are some cool ways to use glue:

  • Sticking different coloured shapes to paper, with either a glue stick or liquid glue.
  • Colour match pom-poms with coloured dots.
  • Do some sand or salt art to get your child used to exciting new textures, sticky vs dry and wet, for instance. 

As well as this being great fun, getting involved in these activities can be fantastic for child development. Indeed, we will delve into more detail about the importance of arts and crafts in child development a bit later in the article.

First though, let’s look at the benefits of adults getting involved in crafting with their kids.

Benefits of arts and crafts for adults

Engaging in arts and crafts with your children as an adult can be very beneficial to you both. Getting involved will:

  • Help rid you of mental stress.
  • Improve both you and your child’s hand-eye coordination.
  • Teach you and your toddler new skills.
  • Provide you and your kids with a fantastic opportunity to socialise and engage with other people with similar interests and hobbies.
  • Foster good mental health.
  • Save you money, as this is generally an inexpensive hobby that you can enjoy with your children.

Next, let’s talk about the importance of arts and crafts in child development.

Importance of art and craft in child development

Have you ever wondered how art and craft impact a child’s development? Here are six areas of child development you help your toddler practice at home.

  • Literacy – Helping your child to learn good speaking, reading and listening skills and helping them develop an understanding of certain concepts. Art can also help kids add to their vocabulary.
  • Motor skills – Toddlers can develop good fine motor skills when they use different small muscles in their hands. They can also improve their coordination skills.
  • Creativity – Kids can unleash their creativity by doing arts and crafts and can help them to learn the art of self-expression and to learn to deal with their feelings.
  • Maths skills – These are commonly used in arts and crafts and can be a great way for toddlers to develop skills in that area as well as their problem-solving skills.
  • Spending quality time with your kids – Crafting is a great way to spend time with your children and create some priceless memories. It’s an effective way to teach kids good social skills.
  • Self-Esteem -Kids can build confidence and develop excellent self-esteem by taking pride in their completed art projects.

Benefits of finger painting for toddlers

Toddlers can have loads of fun with finger painting as well. There are many benefits to this fun crafting activity.

  • Children can learn how colour works, particularly primary colours.
  • Getting toddlers used to new textures and sensory input.
  • Stimulate your child’s imagination and creativity.
  • Help them to build upon their communication and language skills.
  • Teaching your child to share and being able to work in a team.
  • Learning to express their feelings.
  • Focus on the process of creating art, rather than the finished product.
  • Developing good awareness of the relationship between space, shape and colour.   

Social benefits of arts and crafts

Enjoying arts and crafts with your children also has many social benefits. Here are just a few we found in our research.

  • It teaches children about teamwork, respect for their environment and tolerance of others, both children and adults.
  • Research has suggested that doing arts and crafts allows children to develop a cultural identity and teaches them about civic values. This helps them to be more accepting of other cultures, too.
  • This also helps toddlers to build the ability to be sensitive to the world and lets them to relax.  

Other Resources

Read about Valentines day crafts for kids .

Summary

We can see that there are numerous benefits of arts and crafts for toddlers, both in terms of their enjoyment, and their social and cognitive development. We hope you are now inspired to dive into arts and crafts with your family and start making great memories.

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