Ways of enhancing the holistic development of children through art

Creative art activities can help children in all areas of development. Child care providers should plan creative activities with the child’s overall development in mind. Here are some ways that art activities can support young children’s development.

Physical Development

When child care providers offer art activities, they are supporting children’s large and small muscle development, as well as their eye-hand coordination. Using crayons, markers, and paintbrushes helps children practice the fine motor control they will need for writing later on.

Social Development

When children work together in the art area, they learn to share, to interact with others, to be responsible for cleanup, and to put materials away. These are positive and important changes for social learning.

Cognitive Development

Young children can learn the names of colors and shapes through creative art activities. They find out what happens when they mix two primary colors together and get a secondary color. Sending older children outside to carefully examine a tree, feel its bark, and study the shape and color of its leaves, and then asking them to draw or paint trees helps them develop observational skills needed for science.

Emotional Development

Through creative art, children may be able to represent experiences that they cannot verbalize. They may draw pictures out of proportion, exaggerating things that are important to them. When we value children’s creativity, we help them feel valued as people, raising their self-esteem.

Imagination and Experimentation

Children’s active imaginations can take form through art. For example, Gene wonders what will happen if he uses three paintbrushes at one time. He asks his teacher to help him tie a rubber band around three paintbrushes. Through active experimentation, he invents a new way to paint. Although tying three paintbrushes together may not be earthshaking, Gene is learning skills that could help him invent something new, like a car that runs on solar power or a cure for cancer, when he grows up.

For More Information

To learn more about children’s art, check out our other articles on Art in Child Care, or visit the eXtension Alliance for Better Child Care database of Hands-on Activities for Child Care for specific activity ideas you can use in your child care program.

For more information, take a look at the following eXtension Alliance for Better Child Care articles:

A school is undoubtedly the temple of learning. Ever wondered what impact that learning would have, if the knowledge was just restricted to textbook education? Certainly, that’s crucial but do we just need academic geniuses or children with well-rounded personalities? Do we just want them to be submerged in the world of Math, Science, History and Geography or have them step beyond and expand their horizons?

Well the answers are simple. Just as we need spice to life, so do the children require Performing Arts in their formative years of school. Having introduced this extra-curricular element in the classroom from a tiny age, there is no limit to the possibilities they can achieve as they grow older. That’s precisely why schools across the Middle East, including Dubai, GCC, and UAE provide ample opportunities and emphasis on extra-curricular activities to develop the child’s personality; physically, emotionally, and mentally.

The institution of knowledge and learning is hence complete when it is instrumental in imparting Speech and Drama and nurturing excellence along with their ongoing regular curriculum. It usually starts from ages 4 going up to 15 years. Imagine the plethora of ideas and opportunities unearthed as children progress from basic to advanced levels of training and exposure with Speech and Drama.

The inclusion of such activities is not just mere poetry, action songs, reading, storytelling, singing, dancing, acting, or miming. There is so much more to it, that’s shaping your child’s identity and making them multi-faceted outgoing individuals. It teaches them life lessons out of the textbook. They develop impressive traits that empower them in actual scenarios. Let’s look at some of the benefits below that maximize their potential in the truest form.

This is paramount in any sphere of life. A child who is generally under confident is never going to be able to perform whether it’s a task at school or a day to day chore. Speech and Drama gives them the extra edge to face their doubts and fears and tackle pressure from any angle be it peers or seniors and go conquer the society and the world at large. They shed their inhibitions and express themselves with utter delight and optimism. At an early age, they learn to take center stage and do away with the fear of having to face an audience.

There are some children who are very confident in their solo confined comfort spaces but the minute they step out to meet people, confront crowds or have a short speech to recite in school, they get afraid, start to tremble and lose faith in themselves. So, the Performing Arts rebuilds their confidence and reassures them that they can do equally well, whether alone or on a grand stage. They eventually begin to love public speaking.

Speech and Drama effectively polishes their language, the oral and written skills. What you speak is what you write. They become proficient to talk with the exact pronunciation, which is the correct accent and diction. Along with that they are taught articulation that puts emphasis on distinct sounds in speech. Once that is mastered, they aptly produce their spoken language on paper with the right spellings and grammar. Hence children establish crystal clear communication skills. The Reading Eggs App keeps children engaged in games and read-aloud activities that support their learning by improving vocabulary, increases phonetic awareness, and teaches correct pronunciation, ultimately preparing the child to perform on stage.

Once children have the self-confidence and the power to communicate well, they automatically develop a smart and an amazing personality that is naturally pleasing and appealing to people. Their body language shows it. This is something that they can never fake because it is ingrained in them so beautifully. Children carry themselves with great pride as sparkling gems ready to positively take on any challenge that comes their way.

Speech and Drama activities inculcate good values amongst children which strongly help them to nurture their bond and rapport with everyone be it at home with parents and family members, at school with fellow students and teachers, outside with common people and in the future as well with their colleagues at their workplaces. They not only speak with dignity and respect but develop kindness and empathy. This definitely nourishes love, care and camaraderie in their relationships.

The exciting methods that Speech and Drama uses such as improvisations and theatre games to spark up a lot of imagination and creative ideas in children. They enjoy engaging in such impromptu exercises which makes them sprightly and spontaneous and at the same time they understand how to think logically and take key decisions in any given situation. Being creative helps the child cope with feelings in a productive manner, helping them to channelize their emotions appropriately.

Often one may tend to underestimate and judge their own self, leave alone judgement from the society that comes every now and then. These activities open up children’s minds like never before and instil an everlasting belief that if they want to, they can literally accomplish anything even if there are hurdles on the way. Either they will emerge undefeated or at least have the gratifying feeling that they put in their best efforts and did not give up.

With the above aspects, we’ve seen how the Performing Arts and the addition of Speech and Drama from a primary level is utmost important since it plays a significant role in carving the bright future of children and they grow up to be happy, successful and self-made human beings.