The way children learn these days is not only a precedent but also something we need to emphasize. With traditional ways of schooling and learning, a lot of children are losing focus. Screenings and lack of physical activities are two of the contributing factors to their fall. That is where art and craft come in. This is one such subject in school that both children and their parents take for granted.
Usually, parents focus more on a child’s physical and mental attributes. And, in the process, they do not lay their eyes on a child’s cognitive and exploratory abilities. In a formal education setup, many schools, in the last few years, have cut down on crafts. Isn’t that upsetting how such cognitive activity has deteriorated with time. Teachers nowadays are more worried about one’s academic reach and the future they behold in society. Music, theatre, and painting are all disappearing rapidly.
There’s no doubt that crafts and arts are playful yet fun for children of all ages. Be it coloring with crayons and sketch pens, making clay miniature statues, creating delicate origami, and designing handmade birthday cards, various forms and types of arts and crafts exist, enhancing a child’s interest and discovering their artistic potential. By introducing kids to such activities in school, you will be investing in boosting their social, cognitive, and physical development. So, here are some of the valuable benefits of arts and crafts in the school curriculum.
Physical Benefits
- Boosts motor skills
Have you ever wondered why some schools include crafts in their curriculum and courses? Well, that is because it involves a lot of hand and finger movements. These are referred to as motor abilities. As a child, when you invest your time and skills in drawing, sketching, and crafting new items, you develop fine motor skills. Even straightforward actions like holding a pencil and painting on the canvas can improve one’s control and strengthen muscles.
- Enhances dexterity
Hand movements, be it knitting, playing computer games, or simply drawing on the canvas, play a quintessential role in enhancing a kid’s agility. Consequently, arts and crafts activities can boost a child’s agility and dexterity. Through strengthening fine motor skills and a lot of practice, a kid’s artistic skills, manual dexterity, and speed will get a significant amount of upliftment.
- Improvement of hand-eye coordination
If a child engages in arts and crafts from a very young age, they will experience a considerable improvement in hand-eye combination and coordination. Such a move will allow the child to carry the development to their primary school days. Hand-eye coordination is a massive leap when kids have to space out words and form letters.
Social Benefits
- Learn to appreciate culture and art
Through such an activity, kids love to appreciate and value artifacts, images, and notable findings. This also helps children to understand different times and cultures. Experience in art, design and crafts allows children to reflect critically on others’ work, and more importantly, their own. The insight, knowledge, and information we have about what happened a million years ago result from art and acknowledgment.
- Enhances self-expression
Through engaging in creative and recreational pursuits like arts, music, and crafts, kids get to express themselves in a tangible, positive, and meaningful way. This may not look good right now but plays a significant role when your child grows up. They should have enough information and knowledge to create their own art and find ways to direct emotions so that they do not feel emotionally isolated.
- Helps in socializing
Participating in social activities and interacting with other students in art classes and sessions can help children to interact about their common interests. When your kid is social, it allows them to communicate effortlessly and efficiently, strengthening the bond of a child and parent in the process.
- Boosts confidence
Arts and crafts help instill a feeling of pride and achievement in children, enhancing their self-confidence.
Cognitive Benefits
- Enhances creativity
While you may forget about cognitive abilities, one must not ignore the opportunity to create whatever a kid desires. Consequently, this allows a kid to develop and foster creativity.
- Sharpens skills of decision making
A kid may learn to make effective and correct decisions by solving and facing artistic challenges. This allows them to develop a problem-solving personality and attitude, which also helps them in the long run.
- Enhances visual learning and memory
A child learns about shapes and colors through crafts and arts and develops familiarity with various patterns and figures. Systems and activities that consist of jewelry making and learning guitar need memorization and visualization of challenging designs.
Such a notion of life allows children to learn all the mentioned traits and enhance their academic performance. Nowadays, schools are making innovative use of and incorporating arts and crafts for various child-specific developments.
Featured Image Credits: Pixabay
