As fall rolls in and the leaves change and it’s almost time to go back to school and there are still so many unanswered questions… COVID continues to shape our lives every day and I sincerely hope the summer was a bit of a reprieve, but life is still very stressful. As parents ourselves, we KNOW how difficult it is for everyone right now.
All of us at Art in Action want to let you know that we are doing all we can to keep art alive through our online classes.
11 reasons art is good for your child…
- Provide the opportunity for self-expression – According to Picasso “Every child is an artist…” and creating allows students to take creative risks within a framework that ensures positive results. Art can help children express what cannot be put into words and gives an outlet to feelings.
- Empower – Art is Powerful. The finished product can affect the viewer, and as an artist, strong emotions can be released when you are creating, and barriers can be lifted. Art-making allows children the ability to communicate through creative expression. For some children who may not be able to articulate thoughts, sensations, emotions or perceptions, it is one way to convey what may be difficult to express with words. As Georgia O’Keeffe once said, “I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way – things I had no words for.” Sometimes, you just need art to express yourself, sometimes there just aren’t words to “show” how you feel. And sometimes art can make all the difference in breaking down barriers.
- Reduces Stress – The act of creating art can help reduce stress. According to National Geographic, in a research study by professor Girija Kaimal of Drexel University and the president-elect of the American Art Therapy Association, discovered that creating art for 45 minutes had a significant reduction in cortisol, the main stress chemical in our bodies.
- Improves fine motor skills & hand-eye coordination – Art in Action uses many new art techniques to help develop children’s dexterity and coordination. It will make a distinctive contribution to kinesthetic activities and improve fine motor skills
- Enhances the visual art curriculum and helps students expand learning opportunities by teaching a variety of new techniques and experimenting with new materials. Art generates a love of learning and new ideas.
- Art teaches risk taking. Students learn from their mistakes and how to accept them in the creative process. Or as Bob Ross says “there are no mistakes in art… only happy accidents!”
- Building confidence and accountability. Art in Action teaches with approachable step-by-step process that allows students to gain confidence in their ability to draw and create.
- Helps children concentrate, focus and improve perseverance. Following steps in sequence helps children to stay engaged and on task.
- Celebrate multiple perspectives. Children who participate in art learn that every problem has multiple solutions and they learn that there can be many answers to a problem or challenge and different ways to overcome something. Students learn to become open to other possibilities when they are being creative.
- Develop an appreciation for artworks from different cultures. Art in Action begins each class with a discussion about new artists from all over the world. As students learn about different artists, their backgrounds, as well as an understanding of the different reasons to create art
- Encourages Imagination – being creative is a life skill, creative open-minded people are desired in all career paths. Art in all its forms encourages a child to use their imagination.
We have seen all of these transform and nuture the budding artists we teach.