Do Arts and Crafts Help my Child's Intelligence?
10 June 2023
Arts and crafts develop a child’s creativity and that helps their intelligence. They give them freedom to explore, to let their imaginations roam and expand their thinking.
Creativity fuels imagination
Creativity helps children be inventive. They are free to explore possibilities without restraint and they make discoveries about materials that delight and inspire them. Watching colours swirl on oil floating on water is like magic, delighting and fascinating children. Creativity is a place where children will not hear no. It gives them confidence and sparks their imagination. They reach their own conclusions using their own methods. They can paint the sky pink and the grass blue.
Focus and expression
The physical aspect of arts and crafts can help a fidgety child focus. It can be soothing and grounds your child in the present so they can absorb learning. Children who struggle to express their emotions verbally can express themselves through art. They can fail safely. Improved dexterity and strengthening muscles let them try new things.
Coordination
Using your hands increases activity in the brain and makes more connections between the two hemispheres. Multiple areas of the brain are engaged simultaneously. The challenge of a new concept causes a surge of energy that keeps the mind alert and healthy. Arts and crafts build left brain activity like organisation and problem-solving. In putting the pieces of things together children are exercising critical thinking. They practice trial and error.
Practising skills
Kids practise language and maths skills while making things. They learn the vocabulary they will need as they progress in education. They learn to describe things and explain why they made certain choices. All the words for shape, colour materials and instruments are essential in school. They learn how many things to use, practising counting and measuring. How long do they need a piece of string to be? How many pieces of material will cover something? This all gives them a fun foundation for maths. Grounding maths in practical application is the best way to learn.
Confidence
Kids will gain feedback for their art projects. They can be encouraged to think critically. What have they drawn? What do they think of their project? What could they do to improve it? How will they do it next time? They learn to describe it and take pride in their accomplishments.
Arts and crafts boost a child’s self-esteem and confidence. The process of making things is very satisfying and kids feel satisfaction as they improve. There is a huge sense of achievement when they see a concrete result. The boost in confidence makes them more open to tackling new things. If they know they are good at one thing they feel they might be able to do something else.
Encouragement and praise are invaluable in building a child’s understanding. It literally releases feel-good endorphins in the brain making them want to do more. The more skills they pick up the more choice they have in what they will do later. Arts and crafts are essential to their future education and career.