Benefits of Art
When children use paint, collage, clay and other creative media, they have opportunities to make their own choices and express their feelings and ideas. As they use a variety of resources and technology, children develop an understanding of the nature and properties of these materials. Experimentation with ideas and materials leads to the confidence to choose, explore and create. Creative play and art is more than just paint and paper. The Arts include music, clay, collage, paint, dough, drama, carpentry, construction (weaving, carving) messy play and audio and visual experiences.
Art helps children to:
- Develop hand, eye, arm and body coordination
- Develop finger and hand muscles
- Experiment with colour and texture
- Be creative and expressive
- Express moods and feelings
- Use and develop skills in technology
- Increase language and vocabulary development
- Develop an appreciation of their own and other cultures
Adults can help
- Replenish resources regularly
- Ensure there are adequate spaces and resources to make creative play inviting and challenging to children
- Provide language to enable them to talk about their work
- Ensure there is a safe place to display their work
- Value children’s art work and treat it with respect.
- Provide a wide range of materials and resources that are well presented
- Include natural resources
- Encourage children to choose their own means of expression
- Recognise that creativity can be messy and dress children sensibly
- Encourage children to talk about their work
- Offer new and interesting words where appropriate
- Visit libraries, museums, art galleries, live music gigs
Ideas to help with literacy and numeracy
- As we listen intently and carefully when they share ideas about their work, we have opportunities to help with language development and extension. Use interesting new words where possible.
- Experimenting with colour mixing provides wonderful opportunities to learn about quantities and measuring and the real life application of these skills.
- Shape and form are based in mathematics. Take opportunities to name shapes where appropriate as you discuss children’s work.
- Children experience an environment where they discover and develop different ways to be creative and expressive – listen to what they have to say and share back to them.