Drawing is far more than just something fun to do. These 10 reasons will explain why drawing with pen and paper is a crucial element in the development of kids.
Newer Technologies - Drawing is among the earliest and most important activities for children. However, today we have a lot of new technologies that are more 'point-and-touch' than actual drawing. This could be a big disadvantage for children.
Expression - Drawing enables your children to better engage in self-expression. Our children are like sponges and they soak up whatever they're exposed to. From hearing to seeing to touch and smell, they absorb it all. Drawing is an important part in the development of their expression. There are things in a child's life that cannot always be explained properly with words. This is where drawing gives them a way to express what they're feeling. When they draw they have a range of colors to show express their mood and various shapes and objects to accentuate that expression. It is also a way for them to increase their emotional intelligence.
Problem-Solving - The mind of a child is always in high gear while they're engaged in drawing. They are constantly trying to accomplish tasks like connecting a doggie head to its body or make a bird look like it's flying. They learn about the moods of color and how to use them as well.
Confidence - When you praise a picture your child has drawn it breeds confidence. They learn that the reward of positive praise comes at the completion of a picture. It boosts their confidence.
Bonding - When they complete their picture they inevitably come to show it to you with an excited 'Look!' Whenever your child is showing your their artwork, study it for a few minutes before giving your approval. It makes your approval seem more genuine and gives them a real sense of accomplishment. Ask them the story behind it and why they drew what they drew. Engage them in their creativity.
Motor Skills - When a child draws they refine their motor skills. When a baby is only 1 year old you can give it a crayon and some paper and it will begin to scribble. Start your children out early even if it means grasping their hand and helping them create shapes. Eventually they'll grow until they can handle it themselves and they'll never forget what you taught them. It is great for developing hand-and-eye coordination. This goes even deeper into helping them learn to control and balance a cup of water, operating scissors, buttoning their shirts, writing, or learning to play an instrument.
Concentration - Drawing helps your child learn to concentrate. When they're engaged in drawing there are silent moments when it's just them, the pen, and the paper. It teaches them and exercises them on focus. They learn to maintain their focus amid noise and distractions. This is a very important skill. Their attention span increases which is a crucial element for them later on in life. So many kids today have problems with paying attention. I understand that some have their reasons but drawing is something that can help children with their focus if they start off early enough.
Imagination - Drawing activates the imagination in children. As George Bernard Shaw quoted, "Imagination is the Beginning of Creation". Every time a child draws they are engaging their imagination and creativity. They tap into their own minds. As adults we see how the people with the most creativity and imagination tend to be the most successful. Being able to create from ideas is a powerful skill.
Life Preparation - Drawing gets your children ready for school. It prepares them for learning. Drawing is a solid foundation from which abstract thought and logical thinking are derived. It involves the lines, shapes, dots, objects, and symbols that make up the world we live in. Letters symbolize sounds, numbers symbolize mathematics, and figures and images symbolize ideas.
Source of Joy and Motivation - Can you remember how you felt the last time your were drawing? I bet you were smiling even if you didn't notice. It is basically a happy and pleasurable exercise. It makes us feel good. It motivates us to achieve and seek the joy in our lives that make it worth living. All these benefits from drawing are 'age neutral'.
When it comes to a child's development, drawing is a super-powerful tool. It has a huge effect on motor skills, imagination, Social skills, communication and expression, left and right brain functions, and loads of other activities and abilities that will affect children as they face the challenges ahead of them in life. Encourage your children to draw and you encourage them to succeed in life.
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