Benefits of Art for Young Children

Neurological Benefits

Art-making increases alpha frequency (measured in EEGs) which decreases behavioural symptoms of anxieties. It also engages the limbic system and hippocampus which enhances cognitive performance that leads to better cognitive performance.

Emotional Benefits

Art is a SAFE outlet for feelings such as fear, guilt, pain, rage, anger, excitement and happiness. In addition to everyday feelings art can help with trauma and stress. It helps the children tap into their inner resources, use their existing strength and resilience, enhances creativity and develops emotional intelligence.

Easily Generalised Skills

The skills the children develop in the group (everything from waiting to symbolically communicating their stories) are readily transferred and used by the children in other art making and imaginative play opportunities everyday.

Motor Skills

Many of the motions involved in making art, such as holding a paintbrush or scribbling with a crayon, are essential to the growth of fine motor skills in young children.

Language Development

For very young children, making art—or just talking about it—provides opportunities to learn words for colours, shapes, actions and emotions. They can use descriptive words to discuss their own creations or to talk about what feelings are elicited when they see different styles of artwork.

Decision Making

Art education strengthens problem-solving and critical-thinking skills. The experience of making decisions and choices in the course of creating art carries over into other parts of life. “If they are exploring and thinking and experimenting and trying new ideas, then creativity has a chance to blossom,” says MaryAnn Kohl, an arts educator and author of numerous books about children’s art education.

Visual Learning

Drawing, sculpting with clay and threading beads on a string all develop visual-spatial skills, which are more important than ever.

Inventiveness

When kids are encouraged to express themselves and take risks in creating art, they develop a sense of innovation that will be important in their adult lives.

Cultural Awareness

As we live in an increasingly diverse society, this is of utmost importance.

Improved Academic Performance

Studies show that there is a correlation between art and other achievement. A report by Americans for the Arts states that young people who participate regularly in the arts (three hours a day on three days each week through one full year) are four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement, to participate in a math and science fair or to win an award for writing an essay or poem than children who do not participate.

Non-Threatening Communication

The artwork allows children to reflect and have their needs seen and heard without judgement. The free time allows the children to tap into and develop their own imagination. It gives kids the chance to participate in creative, nonverbal expression through the use of art materials. In other words, art therapy communicates when words simply cannot. For many of the kids in this group, especially those with high needs or complex background this is ideal. The art often holds their anger, frustration and stories of things that happen outside the preschool but impact their lives.

Expressing Feelings

Young children often lack the emotional language and even possibly the verbal skills to express their feelings, especially their feelings about experiences that may be stressful or even traumatic (such as moving house, moving school, DV etc). These experiences influence their social and emotional development and we must remember that at this age the emotional development is very significant. This is where art therapy helps: the focus is not on being verbal rather it gives an expressive and creative way to convey their feeling in a safe and therapeutic way.

Healing

Art making is an enjoyable, safe and positive vehicle to create opportunities for healing and working through difficulties that may not be provided otherwise. Art gives the child an opportunity to express the matter at hand or do it metaphorically.