Whether your kids are homeschooling this year, taking public or private school classes online, or attending public/private school classes in person, it’s easy to get caught up in the big list of “have-tos” and “must get-dones.”
Life can be busy, confusing and stressful, even (maybe especially) for kids, which is why it’s even more important to prioritize things that bring joy and expression into our lives. Particularly for children and teens – who are building the foundation of who’ll they’ll become – it’s vital to explore and get creative.
When you invest in art classes for kids, it helps them to understand that making creativity a priority is a good thing. In fact, it’s something that a lot of us wish we did more as adults! In fact, professional art classes for kids are an outstanding extracurricular resource for many reasons, and some of them may surprise you! With Sparketh online art courses, your child can even take art classes from home. Getting your kids involved in art classes can have even more of an impact than you may realize. Today we wanted to talk about 5 of the life-changing benefits of art classes for kids!
1. Art classes for kids allow kids to explore their ideas.
Childhood is the time when we should be learning how to explore different ideas and perceptions of the world around us, and art is an incredibly valuable way to do just that. When kids take art classes, they learn about different ways of seeing the world.
For example, through studying portraits, they could learn that a painting of a person doesn’t just reflect what that person looks like. It also reflects particular values and ideas of a certain time period, perceptions of the person being painted, and unique insights of the artist. A lot of times as we grow older, our ideas about the way we think and the things we like (or dislike) become so fixed. Investing in art classes for your kids, while they are still young, can give them the opportunity to learn that there is more than one way to look at something.
Additionally, as kids learn how to explore their ideas through art, they are also learning how to express those ideas. Art classes for kids give them the opportunity to find different ways of express their own feelings, perceptions and insights. Learning how to explore new ideas and express one’s own ideas effectively is such valuable learning that positively translates into all areas of life, well into adulthood!
2. Art classes for kids teach kids to focus on the task.
In school, children are used to being told to do things, focus on tasks, and complete chores that aren’t actually interesting to them. However, art can be helpful in increasing focus because they provide kids with the opportunity to apply those skills towards tasks that are personal, interesting and fun for them.
Kids are often naturally drawn towards art and enjoy the process of creating. Therefore, when children become involved in art, and especially in art classes, they begin to feel personally invested in artistic tasks which also require attention, focus and discipline. Over time, art classes can actually help children increase their ability to focus on a task, make critical decisions, and stick to something until it is complete. Many people don’t think about this as a benefit of art classes. However, art classes for kids really can help foster build self-discipline, focus and critical thinking!
3. Art classes for kids builds co-ordination.
Art classes can also be a great activity for building fine motor skills and boosting hand-eye coordination. This is particularly helpful for younger kids or children who struggle with motor skills. When kids practice drawing what is in front of them, they learn to focus on details and carefully work their hands to render what they see. Art classes for kids teach hands and eyes to work together, and they teach spatial awareness as well.
The art classes on Sparketh all demonstrate learning in a clear, step-by-step process, with the instructor modeling every step of the given course. This format is easy to follow and encouraging for kids, especially those who are just getting started or who are trying to learn the co-ordination that’s needed for drawing and painting. Kids also have the option of replaying a certain step as many times as they need to in order to feel confident recreating that step. Online art classes like this can definitely help build hand eye co-ordination while also giving kids the encouragement to create.
4. Art classes for kids give a sense of pride.
There’s a sense of satisfaction and pride that we get when we create something, and that might be even more the case for children! Art classes for kids can help children hone their artistic skills and give them guidance as they create, as well as a platform to showcase their work and get positive reinforcement as well as an internal sense of fulfillment.
When a child knows that he or she is progressing in art and feels satisfied with what is being created, it develops a valuable sense of pride and accomplishment. In turn, the positive feelings of success can help children feel motivated to keep on learning and discovering.
5. Art classes for kids teach follow-through.
It’s easy for kids (and honestly, for adults too) to let things drop or go unfinished. However, when students are personally invested in something (like art) and have a sense of personal pride and commitment, it can help them learn the satisfaction of finishing what they start. With art, this often goes beyond simply “finishing the task at hand.”
For example, a painting may be technically complete, but the child (who is personally invested due to the creative process) may look at it and see that adding some shadows in a certain place would give it more depth, or a pop of color would give it more interesting contrast. The process of tweaking, adding on to, and knowing when something is completed to a level of personal satisfaction is something that many people don’t learn into well into adulthood! Art classes can help kids experience this firsthand and learn the value of following-through.
In addition to these 5, long-lasting benefits of art classes for kids, there is another powerful impact you may be able to see almost instantly: art classes provide kids with a way to relax and unwind. Many kids find that art gives them a way to express feelings and frustrations that they may not even have words for, and the process of creating can therefore be extremely therapeutic. Art is a vitally important part of a child’s life, perhaps now more than ever! We hope that you’ll take all of these benefits into consideration and get your children involved in art classes! You won’t regret it!
If you’re looking for professional online classes for kids, you can learn more here.