Often education gets centred to common core subjects like math and reading. However, art is almost forgotten and neglected. Read on to learn about the importance of art and creativity in child’s development.Many are still unaware that simple creative activities are like building blocks of a child’s development. Many parents consider art as a source to keep their children involved. However, the fact is that creating art expands the ability of the child to interact with everything around her. Not only this, the child finds a new set of skills that are needed for self expression and communication.
Why is Art Important for Child’s Development?
Art has been a part of early childhood programs since many years. It is not because the teachers or parents could figure out the excellent side of their children, but it encourages full and all sided development of each child. The activities help in development of child’s cognitive, social and motor skills.
Art not just helps the development of the right side of the brain of your child, but also helps her cultivate important skills that would be highly beneficial for her in future. Experts are of the opinion that involving your child in art would help in her overall development as well. In fact, art helps to give a child fundamental mode of self expression and amazement.
Socio-Economic Development
Children feel emotional satisfaction when they are involved in art and
creativity no matter whether they are modelling with clay, drawing and colouring with crayons or making a collage with the help of recycled scraps. This satisfaction is because children have their control on the materials they are using and they have the autonomy in making decisions. When children decide what materials they will use and what they want to make, they help children make independent decisions and choices.
Self esteem of children get boosted up because they get an opportunity to express their feelings and what they are thinking through
art and creative activities. Besides, when children participate in art activities with other children, they give feedback to each other which also helps in
building self-esteem as they start accepting both, praise and criticism. These kinds of activities also encourage children to help, share and negotiate for materials.
Cognitive Development
Children simply enjoy crayons moving on paper and see the figure of coloured paints grow. This helps children know about the objects that are around them in the world. Art activities involve children and help them make decisions and conduct self evaluation as well. Children first decide what they are going to make and then make up their mind what materials they are going to use. Often children also fix what time they are going to give to a specific project.
As the child grows older, her art represents real objects, feelings and events. They start using drawing to express their feelings and what they know. This use of symbols help children use words to symbolise actions and objects later.
Motor Development
When a child is making an art, she develops control of large and small groups of muscles. The smaller movements of hands, fingers and wrists develop fine motor dexterity and control. With repeated involvement the child gains confidence in making use of the tools which later on become helpful in writing. Children also learn how to fit in some small objects into a big whole and this helps in developing eye and hand coordination and helps them learn how to give space at the time of formal writing.
Life Skills Through Art Activities
Art seems like fun and game for most children and even adults, but it helps develop a lot of
life skills in children. So you should encourage your child to get involved in art activities.
Communication Skills
As soon as a child starts expressing her feelings and thoughts through art it is clear that the child has started now to communicate visually. In fact art helps express feelings better than any other mode of communication.
Social and Emotional Skills
Art helps children learn to decide on their own and have control on their efforts. In addition, it helps child learn about taking turns and sharing. Along with this, appreciating other’s work and accepting praise as well as
criticism are also learnt only when children get involved in art and creativity.
Problem Solving Skills
Children develop art ideas and love to experiment and work through challenges. While doing this, they come up with new ways to deal with unexpected outcomes.
Fine Motor Skills
When children hold brush or colour to make desired marks, their fine motor skills get developed.
Language Skills
Small children learn about colours, shapes and actions by simply making and understanding art. It provides them a wonderful opportunity to understand and visualize things that exist in the world.
Parents should understand that today children need to learn a lot more than what is provided in the text. Art helps children to interpret and use visual information. Studies reveal that art helps children in improving their academic performance as well.
However, it is very important to understand talent and creativity separately. Just keep in mind to express meaningful artistic expression, a child does not need to create a masterpiece. Art is about exploring, discovering and experimenting. Let your child’s skills develop naturally through self discovery and creativity.
What are the benefits of involving kids in activities related to art and creativity? How to encourage kids to develop love for art and creativity? How does art and creativity help in overall development of kids? Discuss here. 
