Tactile Art-Making Is Beneficial for Stress Relief
Over my twenty years of naturalistic art observations, I’ve witnessed tactile art projects like clay modeling lead kids into relaxed states of mind time and time again. I’ve seen stressed children come into my classroom and quickly be able to transition into a calm and relaxed state. As a result, allowing them to focus on their handiwork. Most art activities are multi-sensory engaging and can help children relax and work calmly.
Making art with your hands stimulates touch neural input, visual pathways communicate with both the left and right hemispheres of the brain. Therefore, auditory and smell sensory systems collect information all at once, entering an active multi-sensory learning state. In addition, making art modeling clay is high in visual-auditory connectivity in the brain. Strong connectivity occurs, and the child becomes intensely focused on their handiwork.
Children using their hands can be so engaged that other stress-related thoughts clear their minds, and they enter a state of flow. As a result, students can forget the stress-related emotions they were experiencing before entering a creative state of flow.
The electrical activity stimulated in the brain becomes a different type of action. Then, firing connections occur that allow children to focus only on their creative process.
Soon, a calming effect takes place because tactile cognitive processing is occurring as children form or manipulate objects with their hands. It’s good for children to develop good habits and activities during their sensitive periods so they can regulate their own relaxation early in life through creative handiwork. Consequently, I’ve coined the phrase “active multi-sensory learning” to explain this cognitive state.
Clay Modeling Activity Can Reduce Stress
Clay modeling can be a great way children can have active multi-sensory learning happen and reduce stress! I’ve been teaching these types of lessons for two decades with clay modeling activities and using a variety of clay mediums for multi-sensory learning. Also, the other important aspect of these types of lessons is that children love them and take to them well.
To illustrate, if you find a child fidgety, highly stressed, or exhibiting anxiety, I recommend you engage them in clay modeling activities. In addition, another tip I would recommend is dedicating a place to these art materials and making them easily available in your classroom, home, or school. Because of this, if you observe students with these persistent signals, follow your school protocols or seek professional therapists. Most importantly, do not try to treat children exhibiting trauma yourself unless you are a licensed therapist.
Basic Clay Modeling Steps:
- Prepare a bowl with malleable clay in plastic baggies to keep moist.
- Start with calming, kneading movements (a ceramic technique).
- Encourage students to knead the clay for long period (5-10 minutes).
- Allow students to transition into process-based exploration forms.
- Do not give students complex instructions to follow.
- Leave simple clay books or activity instructions nearby.
Recommended Clays to Buy:
- Plasticine, non-hardening clay (Click to Buy)
- Air-dry clay
- Pottery earth clay
- Pure beeswax modeling clay
Recommended Reading:
Clay Play – By Spramani Elaun (Click to Buy)
In this book, you’ll learn how to:
- Support kids with simple fine-motor clay activities
- Introduce kids to therapeutic play using clay modeling
- Prepare clay-making environment kids to thrive in
- Help kids overcome frustrations using modeling
- Gather tools and supplies for clay play
- Identify simple movements and forms best for early childhood
Recommended Curriculum to Follow:
Clay Modeling – Practice & Process Curriculum, 27 Sequential Lessons (Click to Buy)
Contact me if you’d like to learn more about teaching children art using Montessori methods.