Babies start developing skills from the moment they’re born. This is why parents and the people around them should do everything to aid them on their journey, like talk to them, cuddle them, hold them, and sing to them. This is essential since the way you do this sets the basis for how the babies will interact with other people. They absorb everything around them and exposing them to different things can only be helpful for them. 

Just like encouraging pretend play has a great impact on the kids’ development, so does doing arts and crafts. Nowadays, it may be a somewhat neglected activity and more new parents are turning to technology for keeping their children entertained. While this can be a helpful solution when you really need easy entertainment, it shouldn’t be the primary source of fun for your kid. Although technology can be a helpful learning tool, it has its drawbacks as well when it comes to children’s development.

How Does Arts and Crafts Help a Child’s Development?

Doing arts and crafts is most commonly practised in kindergarten and primary school, but parents can have a hand in it, too. You can easily find the art and craft supplies you need in every shop and it’s not a demanding job to incorporate a little more creative time in your kid’s daily routine.

Develop Their Fine Motor Skills

This is first of all the benefits that children experience from doing arts and crafts. Because kids need to use both their hands to make something, they develop their fine motor skills. This happens because they use their hands and fingers to do precise and small movements, so they improve these skills by being engaged in such activities. Plus, since they learn to use their hands at the same time, their bilateral coordination skills are being developed as well.

Kids enjoy doing these kinds of activities and a simple dot-connecting exercise or drawing lines are demanding tasks for them. They get to learn how to master something new and it prepares them for being able to do other things, like dressing and using kitchenware. You just need to get your art supplies and allow your kid to get messy and use their hands as much as possible.

Help Develop Their Literacy

Literacy skills are developed by engaging your kids in activities that are playful, enjoyable, and allow them to be actively involved. These skills are those needed for reading, writing, communicating, and socialising. In the process of doing arts and crafts, kids get to talk about what they’re doing and how they’re doing it, which means they practise their communication skills. They’re exposed to new vocabulary so they learn that as well and they also develop their listening skills as they follow instructions that their parents give them. There are many resources that you can find in any art supply store to help with developing your kid’s literacy skills through fun and games.

Help Build Their Self-Confidence

Self-confidence is built when we take pride in ourselves and in something we’ve done. Being creative helps boost kids’ self-esteem, no matter how good they’re or how artistically inclined they are. Making art is a great way to show kids that mistakes happen and it’s okay. We move on and sometimes an even better idea comes out from that. Doing small things, like painting, gives children a sense of achievement and they also learn to be more patient. By waiting for the paint to dry or glue to stick, they practise patience and learn that not everything can be done in the exact moment that they want it to.  

Help Them Find a Way to Express Themselves

Creativity is oftentimes confused with talent but you don’t have to be talented in order to be creative. Letting your children creatively express themselves makes it easier for them to learn self-expression and be able to articulate their thoughts and feelings. This can be especially valuable for kids that are shyer and have a hard time expressing what they feel in words. By doing arts and crafts, they’ll be able to visually express their emotions and it’s a safe environment that gives them control over what they want to share and how they want to do it.

There’s no limit to where your imagination can take you, and that’s especially true for children. Arts and crafts give them the opportunity to turn their imagination into something productive. It might end up being a lifelong hobby or even a career if they find themselves really into it. There’s a wide range of art and craft supplies that they can choose from. This being said, they can explore and find out which options are most suitable and enjoyable for them and they’ll never be bored with a good art project in front of them.

Social Benefits of Arts and Crafts and Bonding Time

Getting together to create something is a great way to encourage socialising with other children. Children love creating and getting their hands involved in whatever they’re doing and they’re naturally curious. This kind of environment will make it easier for them to approach and talk to other kids and see what they have made. This will help them be more open and outgoing since they’ll practise communicating with others and showing their work.

Besides being an awesome opportunity to meet friends, arts and crafts can be a nice way for you to bond with your kids. Children love spending time with their parents and doing arts and crafts together enables you to spend some more quality time and actually do something productive.

You get to talk about what you’re making, discuss different options, and choose the art materials you’re going to use. You can learn together about the different techniques and materials and what they can do. You don’t need much to make this happen. Scheduling half an hour to an hour a day to create with your kid is a valuable experience for both of you. Just find some free space, like a play table and chairs, take your art supply bag out, and get your creative juices flowing!