Written by Janice Kiser
Art usually seems like just play for younger kids, but it actually helps them learn in ways we didn’t even know about. You can even teach just about any subject using art. And what kid doesn’t like to do art?
There are 3 ways your kids generally learn. By reading, doing, or seeing. We also know that when you physically write something down, or do something yourself, that you retain that information longer. So, using art to teach, seems like a no- brainer.
In addition, simply learning art helps kids to learn in other areas of their lives.
We all know that art teaches kids creativity. But there are
many areas of life that creativity is critically important for kids. If kids are able to quickly “think outside the box” then this will give them an advantage ahead of other people.
One of the most important skills that can be learned through art is confidence. at a certain ages kids start to think that everyone around them can do it better than they can. We teach them to appreciate their own growth.
Enrolling your kids in an art program can be one of the most important thing you can do for their education.
Ten ways your kids learn through art:
- Creativity – Being creative is critically important in all aspects of life. When things don’t go our way we need to have an ability to figure out how to accomplish our goals. When you are being creative in art you have to keep thinking of new ways to get your piece to turn out the way you imagine it. Therefore you are working those muscles of being creative.
- Confidence – This is by far one of the most important skills your kids will learn. Because of our world is more and more connected through social media our kids are learning not how to be proud of themselves but how to question themselves. Not everyone sees art the same way and what one person thinks is beautiful another may think is ugly. However, the goal should be to focus on how your skills are growing as an artist and how to be proud of that growth no matter what others think.
- Problem Solving – Without realizing it, kids are constantly solving problems through art. How do I create this puppy dog in clay? What will my character do next? And we all know that problem solving is an important skill to have in order to be successful in your life, education, and careers.
- Perseverance – When you kids pick up a paintbrush for the first time we know they won’t be creating a Monet, but through practice, learning, and challenging themselves they will one day create that masterpiece they have always dreamed of creating. Enforcing their ability to push through things even when they get hard.
- Focus – When kids are engaged with something they love doing, they are more likely to focus on it longer. As they practice the skill of focusing on something to finish it can encourage them to do this in other areas of their life.
- Non-verbal Communication – Kids communicate so much through their art. This is why therapists all around the world use art to find out how kids are feeling. Most children do not have the ability to communicate their feelings because they don’t entirely understand what they are. So when we encourage them to communicate through art it helps them to communicate and understand the way they are feeling.
- Getting Constructive Feedback – Getting feedback is an important part of learning. Kids learn to get constructive feedback without feeling like it is a failure and can learn to grow through this feedback. A bonus to this is when kids start to ask for feedback!
- Dedication – Kids learn to associate being proud of a final piece with the dedication it took to finish it. So many times kids get frustrated and want to quit, but when they can learn to push through that and be proud of their work it reinforces their ability to be dedicated to that work.
- Collaboration – When kids are given an art assignment that is learning a specific skill, they get to be creative so long as they are able to incorporate that skill. This means they have to collaborate with the teacher, get ideas from other artists, and in the end work out how they will create their piece while ensuring that they are fulfilling the guidelines. This again is so critical in teaching kids that you can get what you want AND follow the rules.
- Accountability – Making mistakes in art is going to happen. We can’t be perfect every single time we are creative. However, being okay with your mistakes and trying again allows kids to know that making a mistake is not always detrimental. We can make mistakes and still take accountability for fixing them.
