Benefits of Artistic Expression in Preschool

How art helps children develop

Art is a vast tool in early years. It offers the children a way of expressing themselves even before they develop language. Through art they can manifest their inner self, express their feelings and at the same time, they learn about the world around them. It also helps them develop their creativity and expand their knowledge.

Creativity is a dynamic process which involves the ability to combine previously learned concepts and/or experiences to create new things. Subsequently, creating new pathways in their brain.

Young children learn through their senses and art is the perfect way for preschoolers to learn and begin to master many skills.

Art promotes the development of many abilities and connects several areas of development. It fosters not only cognitive and intellectual development but also physical and emotional. All these are part of the creative process which links memory and imagination.

Benefits of artistic expression in preschool

Artistic expression in preschool will help in the overall development of children in a positive way. The development and stimulation of creativity may be one of the most important benefits of artistic expression in preschool, as an avid creative imagination will give them tools for problem solving in everyday life. Art helps develop abstract thinking which in turn develops problem solving too.

Here are some examples of how expressive art influences in a positive way the development of the whole child:

Physical: they develop fine and gross motor skills which help them improve their coordination.

Emotional: it gives them a way of expressing their feelings and experiences.

Communicative: they express their inner self and develop language skills.

Aesthetics: they begin to understand and discover the beauty of their environment and develop sensitivity.

Moral and social: they learn to take care of the materials they use, to respect others’ work, ideas, and points of view. They also learn to accept criticism and being part of a group.

Creative: they have access to a variety of materials and different art techniques and are encouraged to experiment with them.

Benefits of incorporating nature in art projects in preschool

To talk about preschool is to talk about art, since most of the activities and teaching methods at this stage make use of artistic expression. Using nature in art projects help young children learn about their environment. Using materials like sticks, stones, leaves, shells, sand, soil, water, seeds, flowers, and feathers will help them learn about textures, colors, smells, patterns, and shapes.

By using these materials, they begin to make connections that help them understand where these materials come from and therefore, learn about the world around them. When they learn about the seasons and the weather for example, they are learning about growth, cycles, and change. They can relate to nature as they see it happening around them.

When children explore and play with natural materials all their senses are at work. They can feel if materials are soft, smooth, rough, or spiky. When they manipulate them, they instinctively begin to sort them, line them up, make shapes, count them, or stack them. All these activities are an important base for subsequent mathematical thinking.

Having access to raw materials will make them conscious about their environment and will make them develop appreciation of nature and the importance of caring for it.

Artistic expression in preschool is a fundamental component of education, as it helps children develop their abilities for subsequent learning.  It provides them with an opportunity to develop empathy, self-esteem, and confidence too.

So next time you go out with your child, collect some natural materials while you walk and take them home and invite your little one to manipulate and play with them. Maybe even create some beautiful artwork together. Now you know the many benefits in doing so.