Have you ever caught your kids drawing on the walls? Why not direct that artistic creativity toward activities that will help them develop essential life skills? They can improve in school, as an athlete, and in social settings by engaging in structured craft time. Not only will your kids walk away from craft time with a piece of art they can be proud of, but they will gain awesome benefits from doing crafts.
Top benefits of children doing crafts include developing:
- Fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.
- Critical thinking and problem solving.
- Imagination.
- Team building and bonding.
- Confidence.
Not to mention crafts are fun and kid-friendly winter or summer activities! Check out the details for the top benefits from kids crafting below!
Young Athletes Getting A’s
As children cut with scissors, paint with a paintbrush, or even connect pieces of string, they are developing fine motor skills. These skills are essential for any small movements, such as writing, typing, and cutting and pasting. They will use those small movements in the classroom every day and eventually in their future careers! Developing the skills early will put them ahead of the curve.
Fine motor skills are also important for daily activities, such as tying their shoes, buttoning, and brushing their teeth. You will both be thankful later when your kids are not struggling with the small tasks getting ready for school.
As fine motor skills develop, kids can improve their dexterity and hand-eye coordination. This not only helps them with academic and daily small movements, but could improve their performance on the athletic field. Working on that baseball painting today could improve their chances of hitting that home run later.
Problem Solved!
In order to create a string art unicorn, a child has to concentrate on the activity and focus on the instructions. This provides them with a fun example of how following instructions can be rewarding. And the reward is obvious and almost instantaneous!
In addition, kids have to use critical thinking to decide if they want their unicorn’s horn to be pink or purple or to decide if green or blue string would be best for their dinosaur. With help from you, they have to discern the best way to create their projects. Would glue or tape work better to hold these pieces of paper together? Which part of the unicorn should I start on? By thinking through these questions and acting on their decisions, they can see the immediate consequences and decide if they would do it the same way again or think of a possibly better way to do the craft. These decision-making skills are essential to succeed in academics and develop problem-solving abilities for daily life choices.
Crafts also reward patience with a completed project. In the technological world of today, kids are used to being able to just click a button and have their finished project appear. They have to work to bring their vision to life in craft time even if it is a short project. Their patience is rewarded with a great finished product!
Can You Imagine?
Each craft looks different because each kid is able to express their originality and cultivate creativity while working on their craft. Do they love Star Wars? Harry Potter? That could mean you work on creating Hogwarts banners or rebel spaceship string art. Whatever your kid is into, you can work with them to create their ideal craft and boost their interest in the things they love!
Your kids could also discover a new hobby that could eventually turn into a lifetime craftsmanship. Maybe painting or designing brings them joy and allows them to push the limits of their imagination. It could be a great outlet for them to express their feelings and develop their creativity for years to come.
It’s Bonding Time!
A kid’s craft party or just crafting with their friends is a great way for kids to make new friends and strengthen their existing friendships. As they learn together and socialize, they are able to share their thoughts and creations in a new way. Because they are all working together, they share common ground, which cultivates team building and lasting friendships!
In addition to friendships and team building, you can also use crafts to bond with your kids! As you work with them, you may discover interests and feelings that they are unable to express in words. They will appreciate you taking the time to work with them and craft time can be a great way for you both to play together. The crafts you make together will be lasting mementos of your precious time together as a family.
Confidence Boost
A finished craft will also increase your child’s self-esteem. You should let your kids do the project themselves but ensure they have the basic skills they need to create a piece you both will be proud to display in your home. Every time your kids see those unicorn paintings or dinosaur string art on their wall, they will get a confidence boost. It will serve as a reminder of their capabilities and potential to learn new things! They will be able to approach new tasks at school or at home knowing that if they do them well, they will be able to take pride in their work.
For the Fun of It
Not only are crafts great for developing fine motor skills, increasing concentration, encouraging imagination, bonding, and boosting confidence, they are really fun! Crafting is a great winter activity that is offline. Reduce their screen time and help your kids learn some new life skills!
Craft time with your kids will hopefully foster your child’s love for crafting and provide an outlet for their creativity. It may not save your walls from their scribbles, but you can create a collage around the scribbles with their new artwork to show off their crafts and remind yourself that you helped them grow and develop!
