The Benefits of Arts & Crafts for Children
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Arts and crafts are a fun way to keep your child occupied, and an opportunity for them to take a much-needed break from their digital devices, but arts and crafts are also very beneficial for their overall development in many ways. I have teamed up with an upper school in Hampstead to explore these benefits below.
Boosts Self-Esteem
When children create a piece of art, they experience a sense of achievement, which contributes to improved self-esteem. What’s more, by encouraging a child to get creative, they feel completely in control and are able to practise making decisions independently, which further increases their confidence.
Improves Hand-Eye Coordination
This is important for normal child development and a skill we take for granted as adults. Hand-eye coordination is essentially the ability to do activities that require simultaneous use of our hands and eyes; our eyes direct the muscles in our hands to complete a particular task, like eating or getting dressed.
Strengthens Fine Motor Skills
By practising using the small muscles in our hands and fingers, we strengthen our fine motor skills. These are essential for carrying out basic tasks, such as brushing our teeth or tying our laces. Using a paint brush, cutting with scissors, doodling with crayons, and moulding clay, all contribute to improved fine motor skills and improved manual dexterity.
Boosts Creativity
Creative activities are a great way to help children think outside of the box, solve problems in inventive ways, and express themselves in a positive way. Unlocking your child’s imagination is wonderful to watch and it helps them come up with innovative ideas going forward.
So, now that you know some of the ways in which arts and crafts can help your child, why not encourage them to create their own birthday cards or Christmas decorations. There are so many opportunities to get creative, and you can even use natural materials from the garden, like leaves and bark.
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