This is a wonderful article that spells out the relationship between play in the arts and childhood development. The article lays out 5 life skills that are developed when they are supported in playing with materials and using their imaginations rather than creating directed, adult inspired products. I've included those five skills from the article and if you'd like to read the entire article here's the link!
5 life skills your child will learn through art
Social skills: By sharing materials and collaborating on creative projects, children learn to take it in turns, negotiate and work as a team.
Cognitive development: From early sensory exploration (the feel of a crayon across paper, the smell of paint) and decision making (what to portray, what materials to use) to problem solving (how to get two materials to stick together), art teaches children to think for themselves.
Self-expression: Art is a valuable form of language. A pre-cursor to written and verbal communication, it enables children to tell stories as well as expressing what they are thinking and feeling.
Motor development: The small movements of the fingers, hands and wrists associated with holding a crayon or paintbrush, drawing, painting or manipulating clay develops the fine motor skills of young children while the large arm movements required for painting at an easel or on a large piece of paper on the floor develops large muscle groups.
Inventiveness: When children are encouraged to experiment and take risks by trying new things during the creative process they develop a sense of innovation – a valuable skill in business and in life.
- Huffington Post, Georgia James, How Art and Play Can Work Wonders for Your Child's Development, 10/15/2015
5 life skills your child will learn through art
Social skills: By sharing materials and collaborating on creative projects, children learn to take it in turns, negotiate and work as a team.
Cognitive development: From early sensory exploration (the feel of a crayon across paper, the smell of paint) and decision making (what to portray, what materials to use) to problem solving (how to get two materials to stick together), art teaches children to think for themselves.
Self-expression: Art is a valuable form of language. A pre-cursor to written and verbal communication, it enables children to tell stories as well as expressing what they are thinking and feeling.
Motor development: The small movements of the fingers, hands and wrists associated with holding a crayon or paintbrush, drawing, painting or manipulating clay develops the fine motor skills of young children while the large arm movements required for painting at an easel or on a large piece of paper on the floor develops large muscle groups.
Inventiveness: When children are encouraged to experiment and take risks by trying new things during the creative process they develop a sense of innovation – a valuable skill in business and in life.
- Huffington Post, Georgia James, How Art and Play Can Work Wonders for Your Child's Development, 10/15/2015