The impact of art on children’s development has been hotly debated in recent years. Some researchers argue that art classes should not be a priority in schools since they are unable to measure its impact on children’s development while others suggest that art classes positively develop children’s creativity, problem-solving skills, teamwork, and confidence. Considering the importance of art and its impact on the development of children, this article looks at the ways in which art classes positively affect the development of children.
1. Improves Visual Communication and Spatial Thinking Skills
Visual communication is about the use of visual elements to transmit ideas, concepts, and emotions. It involves communicating through images, diagrams, and graphics.
Spatial Thinking is the ability to understand the differences and similarities in shapes, spaces, and patterns. It is a key factor for engineers, architects and professionals involved in visual thinking. Art classes play an important role in improving both of these skills.
Research suggests that art classes are closely related to higher scores in areas requiring strong visual communication and spatial thinking ability, such as graphic design, engineering, and architecture. For example, in a recent study, students who participated in an art class had significantly higher scores in the Design and Technology Exam. The study also reported that these students were 12% better than students who did not participate in art classes.
Similarly, another study linked taking art classes to higher scores on the SAT and ACT, which are commonly used admission tests for college and universities. This study indicated that those students who took an art course in high school had an average score of 190 points higher than students who did not take art classes.
Therefore, these studies suggest that art classes can help improve the visual communication and spatial thinking abilities of students, leading to higher scores in various exams.
2. Enhances Problem-Solving Skills
Problem-solving skills are essential for success in everyday life. Art classes can help improve problem-solving skills and increase the likelihood of finding creative solutions to problems. This is because art classes promote creative exploration and require students to think outside the box, or find different ways to solve a problem.
For example, in a research study, students who took an art class reported being better at problem-solving than those who did not. This study also suggested that the more time a student spends in the arts, the better their problem-solving skills.
Similarly, another study showed that students who took an art class for four years had significantly higher problem-solving skills than those who only took the class for one year. This suggests that attending art classes for a longer period of time can help develop problem-solving skills even more. Therefore, art classes can help to improve problem-solving skills, making it easier for students to come up with creative solutions to various problems in life.
3. Promotes Teamwork Skills
Teamwork skills are the ability to work effectively with others. In art classes, students are usually required to work together to complete an assignment or project. Thus, art classes are an excellent opportunity for students to practice their teamwork skills, such as sharing their ideas, listening to others, respecting other opinions, and working together to achieve a common goal.
The importance of teamwork skills is evident in a research study, which showed that students who participated in art classes were significantly better at working with other students than those who did not. The study also found that students who participated in art classes had significantly better collaboration skills than those who did not.
Moreover, a recent survey found that most employers consider teamwork to be one of the most important skills that job-seekers need. It is further evidence that art classes can help students to develop teamwork skills and prepare them for future success.
4. Builds Confidence
Art classes help to increase the self-confidence of children. This is because each time a child completes a piece of artwork, it helps to build their self-esteem.
Furthermore, displaying artwork also provides a sense of accomplishment and pride, which can help boost children’s confidence. Additionally, in art classes, children are typically encouraged to experiment and explore new ways of creating art. This helps to build their confidence as they learn to take risks and push the boundaries of their own creativity.
A study that looked at the impact of art classes on the self-esteem of children found that students who participated in art classes reported feeling more confident than those who did not. The study also showed that these students had significantly higher self-esteem than students who did not attend art classes. This suggests that art classes can help to build the confidence of children.
5. Increases Sensory Processing
Art classes can help children to develop their sensory processing skills. This includes the ability to understand the input from the five senses, such as sight and sound, and to use it to interact with the world. Art classes can help children to develop these skills as they are required to use their senses to create art and explore different materials.
For instance, a research study found that children who attended art classes for several years showed significantly better sensory processing skills than those who did not take art classes. The study also showed that these children had significantly better understanding of multisensory stimuli than those who did not attend art classes.
This suggests that art classes can help children to develop their sensory processing skills, which can help them to interact with the world in a more meaningful way.
6. Boosts Critical Thinking
Critical thinking is the ability to think logically and rationally and consider different opinions and concepts. Art classes can help to develop this skill, as they require students to be creative and to think outside the box. This can help students to develop their critical thinking skills, as they are forced to look at a situation from different perspectives.
Research suggests that taking art classes can help improve the critical thinking skills of children. For example, a recent study found that students who took an art class for three years showed significantly higher scores on the Critical Thinking Appraisal test than those who did not take an art class.
Similarly, another study found that students who took art classes for at least two years showed significantly better performance on the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale than those who did not take art classes. This suggests that art classes can help to improve the critical thinking of children by teaching them to think about a situation in different ways.
7. Enhances Creativity
Creativity is the ability to come up with new ideas and approaches to solve problems. Art classes can help to enhance the creativity of children.
This is because the classes require students to think creatively and come up with innovative solutions to complex problems. For example, in a recent research study, students who took an art class reported being more creative than those who did not. This study also suggested that those who took an art class for three years had significantly higher scores on the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking than those who did not take the class.
This suggests that art classes can help to improve the creativity of children by teaching them to look at problems from different perspectives.
8. Aids Language Development
Language is an important factor in the development of children, as it is essential to their communication and learning abilities. Art classes can help to improve the language development of children by teaching them to express themselves visually and verbally. This is evident in a research study, which found that art classes help to improve the language skills of children.
Specifically, the study found that students who took an art class for three years had significantly higher scores on a test of verbal communication than those who did not take an art class. Therefore, this suggests that art classes can help children to develop their language skills and enable them to express themselves more effectively.
9. Improves Memory
Memory is the ability to recall information and experiences. Art classes can help to improve the memory of children by teaching them to use their visual, auditory, and sensory skills to remember information. For instance, a research study looked at the impact of art classes on the memory of children and found that art classes can improve the memory of children, particularly in visual and auditory tasks.
The study also reported that students who took an art class for two years had significantly better scores on a memory test than those who did not take an art class. This suggests that art classes can help to sharpen the memory of children, enabling them to remember more easily.
10. Enhances Mood
Art classes can improve the mood of children and provide an outlet for their emotions. This is because the classes allow students to express their feelings and thoughts through art. Thus, art classes can help to improve children’s mental health as it gives them an opportunity to express their emotions in a safe and supportive environment.
Research has shown that attending art classes can benefit the mental health of children. A recent study found that children who participated in art classes for three years had significantly better scores on a depression test than those who did not.
The study also showed that these children had significantly better scores on anxiety tests than those who did not attend the classes. This suggests that art classes can improve the mood of children by helping them to express their emotions, making them more resilient to mental health issues.
11. Increases Self-Awareness
Self-awareness is the ability to understand one’s own feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. Art classes can help to increase the self-awareness of children by allowing them to explore their emotions, thoughts, and feelings. This is evident in a research study, which found that students who took an art class had significantly higher scores on a self-awareness test than those who did not.
The study also reported that the students who took an art class for two years had significantly better scores on the self-awareness test than those who did not take the class. This suggests that attending art classes can help to increase the self-awareness of children and provide them with a better understanding of who they are.
12. Develops Decision-Making Abilities
Decision-making is an important skill in life, as it can help people make the best decisions in difficult situations. Art classes can help to develop this skill, as they teach students to be more creative and think outside the box.
This can help children to become better decision-makers, as they learn to consider different perspectives and make more informed decisions. A research study confirmed that students who took an art class for two years had significantly better scores on a decision-making test than those who did not attend an art class. This suggests that art classes can help to improve the decision-making abilities of children.
13. Provides an Outlet for Self-Expression
Art classes provide an outlet for children to express themselves creatively and explore their feelings, thoughts, and emotions in a safe and supportive environment. This can help children to better understand themselves and the world around them.
This is evidenced in a recent study, which reported that students who participated in art classes for three years showed significantly higher scores on a self-expression assessment than those who did not. The study also found that these students had significantly better scores on a self-esteem test than those who did not take an art class. Therefore, this suggests that art classes can provide an outlet for self-expression and enable children to better understand who they are and how they fit in the world.
Conclusion:
Conclusion
In conclusion, art classes can play a valuable role in the development of children. This article has explored the various ways in which art classes can positively impact children’s development, such as improving their visual communication and spatial thinking skills, problem-solving skills, teamwork skills, confidence, sensory processing, critical thinking, creativity, language development, memory, mood, self-awareness, and decision-making abilities.
Art classes can also serve as a platform to allow children to express themselves in a safe and supportive environment. Therefore, it is clear that art classes provide a range of benefits to children and can positively affect their development.