How art helps children develop
Art is a vast tool in early years. It offers the children a way of expressing themselves even before they develop language. Through art they can manifest their inner self, express their feelings and at the same time, they learn about the world around them. It also helps them develop their creativity and expand their knowledge.
Creativity is a dynamic process which involves the ability to combine previously learned concepts and/or experiences to create new things. Subsequently, creating new pathways in their brain.
Young children learn through their senses and art is the perfect way for preschoolers to learn and begin to master many skills.
Art promotes the development of many abilities and connects several areas of development. It fosters not only cognitive and intellectual development but also physical and emotional. All these are part of the creative process which links memory and imagination.
Benefits of artistic expression in preschool
Artistic expression in preschool will help in the overall development of children in a positive way. The development and stimulation of creativity may be one of the most important benefits of artistic expression in preschool, as an avid creative imagination will give them tools for problem solving in everyday life. Art helps develop abstract thinking which in turn develops problem solving too.
Here are some examples of how expressive art influences in a positive way the development of the whole child:
Physical: they develop fine and gross motor skills which help them improve their coordination.
Emotional: it gives them a way of expressing their feelings and experiences.
Communicative: they express their inner self and develop language skills.
Aesthetics: they begin to understand and discover the beauty of their environment and develop sensitivity.
Moral and social: they learn to take care of the materials they use, to respect others’ work, ideas, and points of view. They also learn to accept criticism and being part of a group.
Creative: they have access to a variety of materials and different art techniques and are encouraged to experiment with them.
Benefits of incorporating nature in art projects in preschool
To talk about preschool is to talk about art, since most of the activities and teaching methods at this stage make use of artistic expression. Using nature in art projects help young children learn about their environment. Using materials like sticks, stones, leaves, shells, sand, soil, water, seeds, flowers, and feathers will help them learn about textures, colors, smells, patterns, and shapes.
By using these materials, they begin to make connections that help them understand where these materials come from and therefore, learn about the world around them. When they learn about the seasons and the weather for example, they are learning about growth, cycles, and change. They can relate to nature as they see it happening around them.
When children explore and play with natural materials all their senses are at work. They can feel if materials are soft, smooth, rough, or spiky. When they manipulate them, they instinctively begin to sort them, line them up, make shapes, count them, or stack them. All these activities are an important base for subsequent mathematical thinking.
Having access to raw materials will make them conscious about their environment and will make them develop appreciation of nature and the importance of caring for it.
Artistic expression in preschool is a fundamental component of education, as it helps children develop their abilities for subsequent learning. It provides them with an opportunity to develop empathy, self-esteem, and confidence too.
So next time you go out with your child, collect some natural materials while you walk and take them home and invite your little one to manipulate and play with them. Maybe even create some beautiful artwork together. Now you know the many benefits in doing so.
Build your own bird nest activity:
What do you need:
Kapla blocks
Shredded pape
(Easter) egg
It seems simple, but did you know that during this activity we can cover most of the early stages development goals? Understanding of the world starts with the knowledge that birds build nests and that they can be built out of different materials. Expressive Arts & Design – children can express their artistic need and make their own design of a nest. They can decide on the size of the nest and its shape and need to find a way to put the blocks together that covers logical thinking and problem solving development. Physical development is very important as well. Manipulating blocks and paper with their hands and fingers, children are exercising their fine motor skills, not to mention working with different materials is a great sensory experience. While sitting together at the workstations children communicate and learn from one another, often they decide to build a bigger nest together and that enriches their personal and social development.
You can easily try to do this at home!
About Sanne
Sanne was born in Tokyo (Japan), grew up in the Netherlands and is now living in The Hague where she works as marketing and communication specialist for international childcare organisation Big Ben Kids.
Big Ben Kids offers high quality childcare to international parents and internationally minded Dutch families offering daycare, after school care and holiday camps at our locations in Scheveningen, Wassenaar and Amstelveen. Big Ben Kids is growing to establish itself as one of the leading international childcare providers in the Netherlands.
They want to achieve this growth through offering constant high quality of customer service, communication and childcare services. At Big Ben Kids they know how important it is for children to have a sense of community and familiarity. That’s why they offer children a safe environment and a home from home in an international setting where there is tolerance a chance to meet people who are like minded, yet also very different. Big Ben Kids is proud to say that their childcare centres are a melting pot of cultures where magical friendships can develop between people from all over the world. Big Ben Kids supports children in recognizing and developing their talents as well as their future potential. At Big Ben Kids, the parents are closely involved in their children’s adventures.
For more information: https://bigbenkids.com/ or directly book a tour at one of our beautiful locations: https://bigbenkids.com/book-a-tour/
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Anieke Lamers, our CEO created Peekabond at the onset of Covid-19. A mobile app to help global families bond with young children remotely. Inspiring families to create playful and engaging moments with young children.
Asynchronous video connection and inspirational science-based content suggestions. Allowing families and loved ones to share small moments and build better bonds. Every play experience is designed with care and approved by child development experts. Always age appropriate. Always private and secure, never showing ads. Our intention is to build a movement that connects families across borders and over generations. If you would like to try Peekabond click here
