When our little ones start growing up it is important to keep them occupied with hobbies and activities that will entertain them and also at the same time teach them something. While most parents consider painting and arts at some point, most of us overlook the benefits of this beautiful hobby. As we already know children love painting and drawing, you probably have already encountered some art pieces painted on your wall, a humbling moment for a parent. So it is a little more than intuitive to start channeling your child’s passion for painting properly, and this will have amazing benefits to your child in various ways, which we’ll discuss in this article.
These benefits that I will list here are not just word of mouth, these are proven with science and are the results of various research from experienced teachers and psychologists. Besides all this, children love arts, because it is fun and enjoyable, on the other hand, parents are also happy when their children are and it is a hobby that will keep everyone engaged. So let’s get on with it.
First of all, you should know that painting will promote creativity. This doesn’t just mean getting better at arts and painting, but creativity also develops your child’s ability to think outside the box, so they can solve problems effectively and in various new ways. In my opinion, being creative is one of the most fruitful skills that a child can have and cultivate, since it will be essential for the future for their innovative and problem-solving skills.
Next up I have to mention that painting will help cultivate your child’s fine motor skills, just taking the paintbrush or colored pencils and starting scribbling on the paper, will start building motor skills. You may think it is not that important, however, for a growing child it is pretty hard to start painting and it means a lot to them, on top of that it is very rewarding at that.
Painting various shapes and things is the predecessor to writing. The more children scribble and paint the more they will be able to control the movements of their hands on the paper, which will allow them to draw controlled shapes, which in the long run translates into writing.
Painting, but not just painting, in fact, any form of art, will grow your child’s emotional skills. Which in my opinion is one of the most significant things you have to be careful about with growing children. Art will allow your child to express and explore the feelings they deal with day in and day out, on top of that it will also allow them to face significant events more maturely. However, with painting and arts, there falls a bigger responsibility to parents and teachers. Meaning that you have to motivate and encourage your child to create, this doesn’t mean that every child should be a painter, however, art and painting should be used as a tool to achieve emotional maturity.
Besides all that painting will help children socialize and develop social skills which are essential for a child while growing up. Painting, on the other hand, is a mutual interest of a large number of children, and during gatherings, they will be rejoiced to see other little ones having the same hobby and interest as them.
Painting is one of the best ways for children to develop a verbal language, however, this will work with your encouragement better. For example, when your child has finished painting just ask your child to tell you about the painting, or any other open-ended question that will stretch the mind and thinking of your child. This way your child will learn to verbally express his/her thoughts and will further push the creative boundaries.
The best thing about painting is that it can be done anywhere, and it doesn’t require a lot of accessories. Just grab a piece of paper and colors and they’re good to go. If you have twins, you can buy a small double-sided table and a crib for twins and let them paint in there.
Before ending I should state that painting builds confidence in children, which is one of the most important things nowadays, as they will take pride and accomplishment with their creations, and you should always take pride in those paintings too.
Hi! I am Kimberly, living in Huntington, NY. I’ve raised 4 beautiful children, and i started this blog to help new and upcoming mothers with parenting.