In this day and age, children are relying solely on technology for entertainment, leaving
no room for other activities. Although technology is useful in certain ways, it can also be
damaging if children spend all their time on it. Crafting is one way to keep children busy,
entertained, and healthy. Engaging in arts and crafts projects provides many benefits
for children and is a healthy and safe way for them to express themselves. Believe it or
not, arts and crafts also help with the physical and social development of children.
Below are 5 of the many benefits of arts and crafts.
1. Develop fine motor skills: Arts and crafts require crafters to move their hands and
fingers which engage fine motor skills. Fine motor skills are the coordination of small
muscles in movements usually involving the synchronisation of hands and fingers with
the eyes. One example of using fine motor skills in crafting is when children color.
When your child colors (by moving their hand side to side and back and forth), their motor
skills gradually increase and ultimately improve the overall muscle strength and control
over movements. The more crafts, the better their motor skills.
2. Improves hand-eye coordination: Arts and crafts projects usually require keen
hand-eye coordination. Hand-eye coordination involves and utilizes so many important
body systems, such as your child’s proprioception and their vestibular and visual
processing systems. Having children create patterns and incorporating them in their
projects is one example of exercising hand-eye coordination. Since most activities that
we do in our day-to-day lives use some degree of eye-hand coordination, it is important that children develop this skill. Having good hand-eye coordination will benefit children
in almost all walks of life.
3. Encourages self expression: Creativity is the best form of self-expression, and
there is no better way to express your creativity than with crafting. Crafts promote
innovation by providing a platform for children to create and exercise their imagination.
Children are able to bring their imagination to life by creating their desired craft. Crafting
forces children to think outside of the box and thus it allows them to innovate.
Opportunities that foster creativity and allow for self-expression can reflect and nurture a
child’s emotional health.
4. Boosts self esteem: Arts and crafts can bring out hidden feelings and emotions in
introverted children. When a child is able to create something new, they have control
over their ideas and execution of those ideas, which helps build confidence. Children
feel accomplished and joyful when they hear positive feedback about their completed
projects. The energy crafting brings can be channeled into positive endeavors and
provide them with a sense of achievement, ultimately boosting their self-esteem in
tremendous ways.
5. Improves memory: Children will start to recognize and learn different shapes and
colors while they craft. A fun way to exercise children’s memory is by having children
bead using different colored beads and shapes to create a unique pattern. A variety of crafts require visualizing complex designs, and the habit of visualizing and remembering
complex designs will help children improve their memory.
The benefits of arts and crafts are endless and extend to all spheres of life. Although
children tend to lean on technology for entertainment, crafting is one way children can
enjoy themselves while simultaneously learning. Children who are introduced to crafts
at a young age tend to be more resourceful and versatile. Crafting prepares and
equipes children to face the different stages of life.
