Raising another Picasso

It may be dirty and messy but allowing children to dabble in art and craft allows their creativity to grow
theSun, Tue, 07 Jul 2009

I used to dread working with my daughter on art and craft activities, mainly because I disliked having to clean her and the work area after we were done.

Children love creating or making things although very often, they ­create a mess along the way.

We have to give them credit, however, that they do not fear exploring, experimenting and ­getting dirty.

In fact, the dirtier they get, the more fun they seem to have, like getting all covered up in sand when playing in the sand box, or having their hands stained with rainbow colours while finger painting.

It is said that any form of creative activity helps in their development in a number of ways, so I shrugged off the mess with the conclusion that making a mess indicated that her creative juices were flowing.

Simply lay paper over your table and floor and have rags and soap and water on standby. Of course, there’s an easier way where you sign her up in an art programme offered by the many children’s art centres around town.

If you’re willing to forego missing out on the fun and parent-child b­onding opportunity, it is a good alternative as she gets the fun and development, and you don’t have to clean up! She also gets more professional guidance if you doubt your own creative skills.

Whatever your choice may be, whether it’s working with your child at home or sending her to art classes, art and craft activities are beneficial to children.

They provide them with an ­avenue to develop their motor skills, help ­develop their eye-hand coordination, and ­engage their minds to form ideas, execute them and solve problems. They also teach them that following i­nstructions and paying attention to details can be rewarding. They learn that success can be achieved through concentration and perseverance.

When things don’t work out as planned, they learn to think out of the box to find alternative ways to achieve their desired result. They experience a sense of satisfaction upon completing their task, gain self-confidence and develop a better self-image.

Art and craft activities are fun and relaxing, and take the stress and ­monotony out of the daily grind of school and homework.

I see that with my daughter who attends an art and craft class weekly. On those days, she is perky and literally hops, skips and jumps right after class. It also gives us parents some peace and quiet if the children are able to work on an activity on their own.

At art classes, there could be group projects and this gives your child the opportunity to interact socially with her peers. She can learn to share her ideas and materials, how to ­cooperate, compromise and work in a team. These activities help her to express her thoughts and feelings, give and receive feedback and comments.

Also, if your child shows further interest in a specific art or craft activity, it could become a long-term hobby or career she enjoys. By then, she would certainly know how to clean up after herself if she makes a mess.