"But it's just a craft" might be something you think when you pick your child up from therapy or even school but there are many benefits that derive from the making of that simple turkey, snow man, or even Easter egg craft. Crafts allow children to develop in physical, emotional, social and cognitive departments. So though you may think it's just a sweet craft they are bringing home to you it is much more.
Physical benefits:
Enhances fine motor skills:
Crafts involve the movement of hand and fingers as well as help develop fine motor skills. The actions of coloring or painting can strengthen the muscles and improve control.
Increases dexterity:
Crafts can increase agility and dexterity of a child. With practice and improvement of the fine motor skills, manual dexterity, speed and artistic skills also increase.
Improves hand- eye coordination:
Engaging in craft- related activities from a very young age leads to tremendous improvement in hand- eye coordination. This can help a child during the later primary- school years when forming letters and spacing out words.
Improves bilateral coordination:
Engaging in crafts that require cutting can allow a child to improve bilateral coordination skills by holding onto a paper with one hand and using another hand to cut the craft.
Improves visual processing abilities:
Engaging in crafts allow children to notice patterns, colors and physical improbabilities without thinking twice. This cognitive development is very important in a child's early years. When you help a child create a construction paper project while reinforcing names and identification of primary colors and objects, you are boosting your child's visual processing capabilities both now and later in life.
Emotional/ Social benefits:
Encourages self- expression:
Engaging in creative activities like crafts gives a child the opportunity to express their feelings in a meaningful, tangible and positive way. They also derive satisfaction from making something on their own.
Boosts self- esteem:
Craft related activities can instill a sense of pride and achievement in a child, which can help boost their self- esteem.
Cognitive benefits:
Enhances innovation and creative ability:
The child’s ability to create whatever they want encourages innovation. The ability to think and solve problems they might face while making something enhances creativity.
Sharpens decision- making skills:
Facing and solving artistic challenges can help a child learn to make effective and correct decisions. This helps when problem- solving and other endeavors in life.
Improves visual- learning and memory:
Through crafts a child not only learns new shapes and colors but also becomes aware of different patterns and figures.
References: Subramanian, A. (2018, December 12). Benefits Of Arts And Craft In Early Education. Retrieved from https://www.parentcircle.com/article/benefits-of-arts-and-craft-in-early-education/