Why is Art Important for Kids?

Giving your child the best education is probably one of your top priorities and you want to make sure that your son or daughter experiences everything possible. Engagement in painting, drawing, and sculpting is vital to helping your kiddo grow in his or her own unique talents, and is a great way for your child to learn self-expression, confidence, and valuable skills. At Creative Arts Learning School, we’re proud to offer art classes for children ranging in ages two to twelve. We always take the individual approach to each and every student who walks through our doors, and our experienced, dedicated teachers enjoy working with each of their students. Interested in placing your child in a unique learning environment? Call Creative Arts Learning School now!

Art is an easy and engaging way to foster free play in children of all ages. The freedom to touch, smell, see, hear, and even taste different materials allows the freedom for kids to explore and experiment. On top of promoting creativity in children, art education also helps a child to learn a wide range of valuable skills that will benefit him or her as he or she grows. Some of the skills that a kid learns when he or she participates in art classes are:

Fine Motor Skills

This is especially beneficial for younger children who are still learning to master gripping, pointing, and other fine motor functions that are vital to life. Learning to hold a paintbrush correctly in painting class will help a kiddo eventually gain the skill to grasp a pencil or pen. The environment of an art class is fun and exciting, perfect for a child that may still be mastering small movements with his or her fingers. Poking holes in modeling clay will help him or her to learn to type on a keyboard one day, and immersing himself or herself in finger painting can foster the function of pointing, buttoning a button, or playing piano.

Cognitive Development

Art education will teach cause and effect, such as “If I mix yellow and red together, it will make orange paint” and also begin teaching critical thinking skills, such as planning out a project and following the steps to create it. When a painting doesn’t turn out the way your son or daughter expects, he or she will also have to learn how to accept mistakes and try again. Cognitive development will continue as your son and daughter is exposed to different forms of art, such as specialized drawing or abstract painting.

Language Skills

Part of creating is also explaining what the colors, shapes, or design mean personally to a kid, and learning to express the inspiration will aid your son or daughter in his or her language skills. When asked why he or she chose to paint a particular piece, he or she will have to consider deeply how to convey his or her inspiration. This is also an excellent opportunity to learn different vocabulary words and how they pertain to art.

Self-Expression

Learning to express emotions, feelings, and frustrations through art is an excellent skill for your son or daughter to grasp. As he or she grows, there are inevitable experiences, both good and bad, that will affect your child. Giving him or her an avenue through which to express a certain feeling or individual experience will be an invaluable gift as your son or daughter matures. Learning art at an early age can also turn into a career for your kiddo. Many fields such as graphic design, architecture, industrial design, and web development are wonderful choices for an individual who is gifted in drawing and design.

Academic Achievement

Did you ever think that those painting classes your son or daughter is taking could benefit him or her in school later on? Art has been proven over and over to have a direct correlation to a child’s success in math, science, and other subjects in school. Art gives a kid the tools to be creative, think outside of the box, consider all avenues, and to be inventive and innovative with a solution or idea. Fostering creativity through art is also a perfect way to engage both the left and right sides of the brain, helping a child to make better decisions, retain more information, and improve comprehension.

Art is an incredible way to help your child achieve his or her best potential. Whether your son or daughter is a toddler or a preteen, enrolling him or her in art class will be a huge benefit to him or her as he or she grows. Give your son or daughter the gift of art! If you’ve considered placing your child in an art education class and you’re in the DC area, contact Creative Learning Arts School today!