Benefits of Arts and Crafts During Early Childhood Development
Arts and crafts have always been an important aspect of early childhood education. Creative learning projects can foster a child’s natural imagination, and also helps them develop other essential life skills that will stay with them for years to come. In this blog post, we’ll look at the importance of arts and crafts for early childhood development, and provide creative activity suggestions from our PLAYology Playbook.
How Do Arts and Crafts Help Kids Learn?
Arts and crafts provide a fun and interactive way for children to practice things like their fine motor skills and their problem-solving capabilities. For instance, before learning how to use more advanced tools like screw drivers and hammers, many kids discover their love for building and design through simple playdough projects.
Art activities can help children develop many important life skills including:
- Creativity and Imagination
- Self-Expression
- Confidence and Independance
- Fine Motor Skills
- Problem Solving
- Hand-Eye Coordination
- Social Skills
- Critical Thinking
It’s important to remember that every child’s learning style and speed of development is going to be unique. Our goal is to provide a starting point for caregivers to choose activities that are developmentally appropriate for the children in their life. The following art activities are designed to encourage creativity and learning through play, and the age ranges listed are just a general guideline.
Sensory Art Activities for Kids Ages 1-5 Years Old
Sensory play can be any activity that engages a child’s senses – smell, taste, touch, sound, or sight. When you incorporate sensory play with art activities, kids come into contact with new textures, smells, sounds, and situations without any preconceived notions or expectations. This allows them to naturally develop positive connections to materials as well as new sensory information.
