Preschools can benefit from artistic expression in all mediums. We often associate arts and crafts with preschool curriculum, but there are many more types of art that young children can engage with. Activities like painting and drawing may be eye-opening for some children, while others may prefer to try their hand at a musical instrument. Whatever the case for your child, we’ll work to find a form of creative expression that appeals to them. Preschoolers benefit from all these types of art:

• Painting
• Drawing
• Music
• Dance
• Theater
• Sculpture

Art Encourages Growth in a Variety of Areas

An art education is more than just learning to draw or squeak out a few notes on the recorder. Regular art lessons promote growth in a wide variety of areas, many of which don’t appear related to art at all. Thanks to an investment in art instruction, children at Woodcrest Preschool boost their skills in all of the following:

Fine Motor Skills

Children who frequently participate in arts and crafts activities get a leg up on their fine motor skills. These activities involve lots of small movements that allow kids to practice the skills they’ll need for writing. The following tasks can improve fine motor skills and improve children for the kindergarten classroom:

• Holding a pencil or paintbrush
• Using scissors
• Coloring with crayons
• Squeezing glue
• Stringing beads
• Using clothespins
• Finger painting

Decision-Making Ability

Working with visual and performing arts can help children hone their decision-making and critical-thinking skills. Artistic activities are inherently creative, and that means children have the chance to make their own choices when it comes to their art, music, or dance. Exploring these abilities through art expose kids to new experience while allowing them to imagine what’s possible.

Language Development

Arts and crafts go hand-in-hand with preschool language arts activities. Teaching art and music allows children to expand their vocabulary and better recognize colors, shapes, and descriptive words. What’s more, many words related to music and dance are examples of foreign languages, so kids with an art education may have a head start in that regard as well.

Enhanced Cultural Awareness

Cultural awareness is something that comes with time, but preschoolers can start exploring other cultures through art. Just take a look at the art of an African nation compared to a European artist—you’ll find there’s plenty to learn about a culture via the type of art they create! Introducing children to art early allows them to understand and embrace diversity.

Sensory Connections

Art involves nearly all five senses. In small children, using all the senses fires up neural pathways and creates new connections. Implementing activities that involve lots of sensory engagement has been shown to result in the following:

• Well-rounded personality
• Healthy attachment styles
• High self-esteem
• Better overall mental health

Emotional Expression

Opportunities to create art are also an opportunity for emotional expression. Children will have the chance to express their feelings in a way they couldn’t before. Allowing students to safely express their emotions can prepare them to handle big feelings in the future and show them healthy, relaxing outlets for sadness, anger, and frustration.

Social Learning

The arts are often a collaborative experience! Doing creative projects with a friend or dancing with a group teaches children to be patient with others, empathize with them, and use teamwork. Even if your arts and crafts projects are independent, they can still foster conversations, interpersonal understanding, and controlling one’s own emotions.