Why Art Activities are so Important for a Child's Development

  

Children learn best through play. They are very curious. They like to explore. Everything to them is playing. This unrestricted movement helps the brain develop. Have you ever watched kids paint, cut, or color? It might look like play, but it's actually powerful brainwork disguised as fun. 

Art is an activity that supports free play. Art allows them to move, explore, and manipulate different media. Art allows kids to practice skills that are useful for life and learning. In our home, art isn't just an activity - it's a key part of how we learn, grow, and express who we are. Yes, me included. 

Not only does art develop the right side of the brain, it gives us a host of benefits we might not be aware of. 

 

The Hidden Benefits of Art Activities

1. Fine Motor Skills

Holding a paintbrush, squeezing the glue bottle with the right amount of pressure, cutting with scissors, and manipulating stickers help strengthen tiny hand muscles. These movements prepare your child’s hands for real-life skills — from buttoning clothes to writing, tying shoes, and eventually typing or playing an instrument. Strong fine motor control leads to greater confidence in both academic and practical areas. It has also been proven that children with excellent fine motor skills have higher reading comprehension and score better on tests than their counterparts. 

2. Cognitive Development

Art teaches sequencing, focus, and visual planning. Every scribble builds neural pathways for bigger tasks later. They can learn and practice skills like cause and effect - "If I color very hard, the colors are darker, but I break my crayon." 

3. Math & Language Skills

Sorting colors, describing shapes, and even counting brush strokes are early steps toward numeracy and literacy. They can compare size - "The sun is bigger than the ball."

When the artwork is done, encourage your child to describe their work. Ask open-ended questions.  Ask if they're happy with their work or if there's something they would do differently next time.  You can also introduce new vocabulary words with each activity. 

 

Life Skills

4. Communication Skills

 Art is self-expression. When a child paints or draws a picture, they are communicating visually. They may be expressing their feelings through their brush strokes. Art goes beyond spoken language to express feelings that are hard to say. 

5. Problem-Solving & Critical Thinking

“What happens if I mix these colors?” “How do I draw this idea?” These moments build flexible thinking.  

When they explore art ideas, they are imagining possibilities and may even work through problems. Art allows them to find their own solutions along the way, and maybe figure out that there is more than one answer to their problem. Art allows them to think about the steps on their own. There are no rules, no specific steps to follow, so their brains are free to just explore the what, why, and how of the process. Even the simple act of figuring out how to use a tool or medium will improve their problem-solving skills. 

6. Social & Emotional Growth

Art lets children express feelings they don’t yet have words for. It also builds confidence when we validate their work.

For kids doing art together,  they learn how to share materials and to take turns. They are exposed to different kinds of work and learn to appreciate them. Art allows them to express their uniqueness and individuality and be proud of who they are. They can share their success with the group, applaud each other, and develop a positive self-concept.  

7. Creativity & Self-Expression

Art empowers kids to be seen. They learn to trust their voice, their ideas, and their inner world. Observe your child when they're doing art. What kinds of feelings surface? Are they being rough with the clay? Are they using bright colors and wide strokes in their painting? Are they making a model of a place they want to visit? Creating art allows children to process their emotions, walk with each breath, each pause, each what if, or maybe. And when they finish their masterpiece, they are allowed to breathe, to celebrate, or to reflect. 

Art is an experience. Art doesn't tell a child what to do. All the questions and answers will come from the child. It's a process of experimentation and analysis without fear. A warning, though. It's important to note that every child is creative in their own way. They don't have to be an artist or gifted to create art. Do not expect every child to churn out a masterpiece. Focus on the process of creating, exploring, discovering, and learning. As you go through art activities, you will notice that your child's abilities will develop naturally, and he or she will ask for more opportunities to create.  

 

8. The impact on physical health

Did you know that children start feeling stress in infancy? It can start as early as 6 months. Stress can be triggered by the environment, overstimulation (I'm looking at you, gadgets), or even by parental stress. Each age group experiences stress in unique ways, but for purposes of this post, we will focus on toddlers and preschoolers. 

Toddlers (ages 1-3 years) may show stress through clinginess, changes in sleeping and eating patterns, or regression to earlier behaviors. For preschoolers (ages 4-6 years), stress can manifest as clinginess, difficulty concentrating, or increased irritability. 

By adding art into your child's routine, you are giving them a creative outlet to help them relieve stress and work through things happening in their lives. Encourage artistic expression as a coping mechanism when they feel stressed. 

 

How to Support Your Child’s Artistic Journey

• Talk about their art

Ask open-ended questions like “Tell me about your picture” instead of “What is it?” If you do ask "what is it?", make sure to follow up with more questions that will encourage your child to talk. I remember when my son was around 2 years old and he was doodling on his Boogie Board and I asked him what it was. He said, "pid", meaning squid. I asked what the pid was doing, where it is, etc. By doing this, I also developed his creativity and storytelling skills. 

• Model creativity

Draw, doodle, or color alongside them — no perfection needed.

It helps that we have creative blood in our family. My grandma, mom, and I are crafters. I have a lot of arts and crafts materials, so Zac has been exposed to arts and crafts at an early age. 

• Offer choices

Let them pick materials, colors, and projects. It builds independence. Until now, we still have a ton of art materials. We have a big cartful of materials that we've collected over the years. I didn't think of it as an expense but rather an investment in his development and his mental, emotional, and physical health (stress reliever, remember?). 

• Let them lead

The goal is exploration, not a perfect product. My son doesn't like taking directions when it comes to art. Well, he does, but only if it's something he doesn't know how to do yet. He started painting when he was 3 years old. His art teacher, who was also a SPED specialist (my son is twice-exceptional), taught him really well, not just art but life skills and coping mechanisms for when he gets overwhelmed. I've learned a lot from him, but basically, he just let Zac lead. He will say what they're going to paint that day and the goal. Then he will teach Zac how to draw the figures, and then let him decide on the color. My son thrived with this kind of interaction. He has many beautiful paintings from his time with his teacher. Unfortunately, his teacher is now in the States, but we will never forget the lessons we learned from him. 

• Celebrate the process

Display their work, even the messy ones. It tells them their ideas matter. Don't focus on the end product. They might work to please you and not to express themselves. Encourage them constantly throughout the process. If they color a cat pink, ask why they think the cat is pink, or the moon purple. Your child should not worry about what you think. Celebrate the effort and the hard work that went into creating his artwork. 

• Forget about the rules 

No rules in art, remember? As long as your child is safe (supervise younger kids when handling pointy or sharp things), allow them to explore. Allow them to use the materials they want. If they want to paint the play-dough, go ahead! If they want to mix all the colors in their palette, sure! Children learn best through exploration and trial and error. Give them the freedom to discover and be innovative. 

 

What Art Might Look Like at Different Ages

• Toddlers (1–3): Scribbling, finger painting, large brushes
• Preschoolers (3–5): Cutting, pasting, guided drawing, sticker use
• Early Elementary (5–8): More complex drawing, storytelling through art, pattern recognition
• Older Kids (8+): Interest-led projects, comic-making, digital tools

 

🎨 Ready to Create Together?

If this post inspired you to explore art with your child, I’d love to help you get started!

🛒 Visit my Shopee store for curated art supplies, educational kits, and creative tools made with love — perfect for little hands and big imaginations.

✨ Let’s turn everyday moments into masterpieces.

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P.S. Don’t forget to favorite the store so you’ll be the first to see new arrivals and limited-edition kits!

 

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