The Power of ART in Child Development

In recent years, school curricula in the United States has shifted towards Common Core  subjects of reading and math.  An essential component of this change in pedagogy  are the 21st century skills. Skills needed to support critical thoughts, group discussion, problem solving, decision making, team work and creativity.  Creativity is one of the skills that needs to be fostered during early years and appreciated through life. It is often neglected by the  imperativeness of a  “perfect” product to prove the mastery of a skill. Early years are crucial in the development of creativity, and the ideal arena in the preschool classroom is the art area.

ARTS

The importance of art in Child Development is undeniable. Art is important because it encompasses all of the developmental and learning domains in children’s maturation. Art lends itself to physical development and the enhancement of fine and gross motor skills, cognitive development including math and analytical thinking, and of course, language and social emotional development. As an educator, foster creativity in your classroom by providing a variety of utensils, tools and modalities to produce creations that reflect the individuality of each child. During the process, ask open ended questions and stimulate critical thinking skills.

Observational Drawings

Observational drawings are  opportunities for children to develop their  attention to details, comparisons skills, focus, small muscle development, and creativity. If you need more information visit this website: www.bartelart.com

Art is a process, not a product

Participating in art activities has been proven time and time again to help children develop cognitive, social and emotional skills they will need throughout their lifetime. Art helps children develop creative problem solving skills and learn to communicate thoughts, feelings and ideas in a variety of ways. Artistic endeavors also help children learn to adapt to and respect others' ways of working and thinking, as well as gain the tools necessary to develop empathy. When exposed to art in an effective way, children can learn that like most things in life, art is a process that is to be explored. Art is not something that should be "done" for the purpose of producing an end result that should be measured or compared.

RESEARCH:

In the classroom, art education is a crucial component for a child's personal development. Several studies have concluded that art education is important at a young age because children are still developing their critical thinking and problem solving skills >>> (www.livestrong.com).

Studies have also shown that there is a direct correlation between arts education at a young age and academic achievement later in life >>> (www.edutopia.com).

This article was contributed by: MARIA TERESA RUIZ, a Child Development Consultant, and Vice President & Co-founder of Purpleiam (www.purpleiam.com).