Artful Learning: The Benefits of Introducing Art to Preschoolers
Have you ever taken a moment to truly observe as a child creates art? As they sit with a blank slate in front of them, a variety of supplies at their fingertips, and their endless imagination working in the background, magic happens. Suddenly, a window into their mind opens up, and with the freedom to create, crucial skills are formed.
The Blue Elephant Learning Center, a premier private preschool & early childhood education center in Frisco, TX, knows exactly how important art can be to preschoolers, incorporating it into our programs as a form of fun and function.
How Art Impacts Childhood Development
There is no limit to the benefits of art in early childhood development, with impact seen in a variety of ways.
- Cognitive Development: An obvious advantage of incorporating art into a preschooler’s life revolves around refining their fine motor skills. As they work out how to effectively use crayons, markers, and paint brushes, they are improving their hand-eye coordination, which will transfer over to other areas of their life. As they experiment with mixing colors and combining elements to create something, they are forming critical thinking and problem-solving skills. As they explore more, they will learn colors, shapes, how perspectives work, and many other components of spatial reasoning.
- Social-Emotional Development: Art is fun! Participating in artistic activities can easily be a solo activity or one done with their peers. When done in a group, it can inflict on them the importance of sharing, cooperation, and communication. Sometimes little minds are full of big thoughts and feelings without the tools to fully communicate those. Activities like coloring or painting can be calming activity for children, helping them process and regulate emotions in a way that makes sense to them. One of the best things about art is that there are no rules to how you choose to embrace it. This gives kids the perfect outlet to express themselves without the fear of judgement which allows them to show off their individuality and boost confidence in their way.
- Creativity & Imagination: Of course, the foundation behind any art is creativity and imagination. Especially in a highly digital world, little ones need ways to expand their creativity and think outside the box. Providing art-based activities is the best way to encourage imagination which opens up a world of possibilities for them.
- Culture: Exposing young people to different types of art will create a lifelong appreciation of art, spanning different mediums, ideas, and cultures. Expanding their worldview from a young age will be a valuable asset as they grow up and venture into new opportunities.
Embrace Creativity and Education at The Blue Elephant Learning Center
Creativity is a large part of development in children, which is why we believe it’s an important component of their overall education. Our Blue Elephant Team encourages creativity as a part of our curriculum, integrating it into daily activities across every program we offer. Including creativity and imagination, enrolling with us has other benefits too which makes us a happier space for your children. Our preschool mission is to make every day your child’s best day while providing a safe, nurturing environment that helps them grow.
For more information about the infancy program, contact us at 469.287.0332 or schedule a tour today to give your kids the best preschool experience.
