Did you know that making art boosts children’s brainpower? You can help boost brainpower by supporting art activities at home or in the classroom. It’s true, and it’s supported by new science! There’s a lot of neural wiring happening in the brain when children make art. Other branches of scientists, like neuroscientists, science researchers, and art therapists, have also made connections to how early childhood art contributes to brainpower. Over my twenty years in the process, studio-based observations, I have observed these same connections to how children get to improve their brains by creating artwork!
5 brainpower areas:
- Problem-solving
- Fine motor development
- Memory development
- Spatial awareness
- Stress regulation
Let’s review these 5 areas of how early childhood art helps:
Problem-Solving
Art making is a great place for children to go through lots of problem-solving situations. They usually start with designing problems, deciding what materials and tools they need, how to construct their artworks, and what size to create their artworks. They then analyze their artworks to decide if they need to find a different way to get the results they desire. The artistic process is a great way for children to become problem-solvers. Creative activities are directly linked to problem-solving.
Fine Motor Development
Fine motor development is a physical attribute that advances a child’s growth. In addition, fine motor skills help with creating children’s art projects and in using art materials. By developing these muscles, children develop better dexterity with paintbrushes and crayons as well as constructing movements and putting together their crafts. (Science Art Method © 2021 Spramani Elaun)
Memory Development
When kids learn repeated movements, they’re reinforcing implicit memory; the actions are wired and become linked in their brain. Fortunately, that means they don’t have to consciously think about every minute action. They will see a paintbrush and instinctively know to pick it up, dip it into the palette or water, and start painting. The next time they engage in an art activity, their memory kicks in and their hand movements will come naturally. (Science Art Method © 2021 Spramani Elaun)
Regulate Stress
Most art activities offer multi-sensory engagement and can help kids relax and work calmly. Tactile art-making stimulates touch neural input, visual pathways communicate with both the left and right hemispheres of the brain. And, auditory and smell sensory systems also collect information all while entering an active multi-sensory learning state. (Science Art Method © 2021 Spramani Elaun).
Spatial Awareness
Visual arts are a significant way to improve spatial intelligence. Visual art creation relies on spatial understanding. Art-making teaches kids visualization. When children make art, they become aware of the spatial relationships among objects in the realm of their own experiences. As children learn through two-dimensional and three-dimensional art-making, their long-term memories create sight patterns stored in the mind known as “spatial memories.” (Science Art Method © 2021 Spramani Elaun).
Art Activities and Mediums to Start With
Now that you have a good idea of how art-making can boost brain power, here are the best types of art projects to start teaching. These types of art activities will help develop children’s fine motor control and the small muscles in their fingers and hands.
- Drawing: crayons, color pencils, graphite pencil, oil pastels, etc.
- Painting: watercolor paints, tempera paints, acrylic paints, watercolor crayons, watercolor pencils, etc.
- Color Theory: primary color mixing, dropper color mixing, etc.
- Clay Modeling: earth clay, non-harden plasticine clay, air-dry modeling clay, beeswax forming, etc.
- Crafts: paper folding, nature and paper collage, mosaic arrangements, sewing basics, wool felting, string weaving, nature crafting, 3D constructing, etc.
All art supplies are available online in my Nature of Art for Kids online store.
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Get my free Materials Lists for Children’s Art Projects Below:
Early Childhood Materials List – PDF
Lower Elementary Materials List – PDF
Upper Elementary Materials List – PDF
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