Art forms an essential element in the curriculum of young children. However, there was a time when it never transcended the four walls of art class. The importance of art education was parsed into creative processes meant for the sake of entertainment or to take up as hobbies. But now, as the education system has evolved, parents and educators can clearly see the rewards of introducing extracurricular activities into the lives of young children.

Owing to the importance of art in education, modern educational institutes are now ensuring to extend proper training to young children. With a well-strategized arts and crafts framework, schools are introducing special training programs to explore the imaginative sides of students.

Objectives of art education

Art education in schools has reintroduced itself on an altogether new level. Gone are the days when schools would send children into the art rooms with plain paper sheets and colors in the name of art classes. Today, several schools provide unparalleled art education to their students.

With the help of trained staff, teaching material, and technological intervention, schools are offering the best art training to young children.

Here are the well-defined objectives of art education in schools:

• Art education in schools intends to enhance the creative skills of children. It aims to introduce them to new concepts and ideas.
• Several schools create art training programs to instill collaborative and communication skills into young children. Their idea is to create a community and inculcate a sense of unity among the growing creative minds.
• One of the most important benefits of art in education is that it helps develop technical skills in children. Schools bring talented teachers on board to help students learn the triviality of art. Teachers point out minute details and impart valuable technical knowledge to students that helps them hone their creative skills.
• Art has never been perceived as a job-oriented subject. To make art a job-oriented course is one of the major objectives of art education in several schools. These schools curate a program that teaches the ins and outs of art to students and lends them the confidence required to take up art as a career.
• Art education aims at cultivating lifelong interest and passion for art in young minds.
• An essential objective of art education in school is to foster mental and motor development in children.

Importance of art in education

Art education has countless benefits that contribute to shaping the personalities of children. Here is how art education positively affects children:

It improves motor skills

Art activities involve a lot of hand and finger movements along with hand-eye coordination. Hand motions involved in painting, drawing, and other art activities help to improve muscle strength, coordination, and control. These activities improve motor skills. Even small activities like holding paintbrushes and using scissors go a long way in refining the motor skills of children.

It strengthens visual learning abilities

Art is a part of visual learning. Sketching, painting, and drawing introduce children to colors, shapes, forms, and patterns. It teaches them to visualize and learn, which improves their visual learning capabilities.

It unlocks imagination and creativity

Art is a world that accommodates imagination, exploration, visualization, and fantasies. It stimulates the free flow of positive energies bringing immense joy.

Painting allows children to bring their imagination to life on a plain sheet or canvas through colors. Through art activities, children tap into the far corners of their imagination and explore a world full of positivity, happiness, and possibilities. Also, painting allows them to express their ideas in unconventional ways.

Moreover, under the guidance of teachers, children also learn the technicalities behind art. This helps in refining their creative abilities.

It enhances emotional sensitivity

Art invigorates hundreds of emotions inside children. Children who paint are often more connected with their emotions. They also tend to understand the emotions of their peers.

It makes children more expressive

As mentioned, art gives children a medium to express their feelings and emotions. Knowingly or unknowingly, they fill the canvas with their thoughts and feelings. They express every emotion, be it happiness, sadness, anxiety, grief, and anger through colors and shapes. Channeling their emotions contributes to their mental and emotional development. All of this goes a long way in creating a happy life.

It boosts confidence and self-esteem

Watching their imagination come to life gives a sense of great achievement to kids. When they complete a painting, they feel like they have attained something meaningful. They feel a sense of pride and accomplishment. It helps to boost their confidence.

Sharing the artwork with their near and dear ones helps in boosting their self-esteem.

It encourages innovation

Art allows children to envisage new ideas and to innovate. It lets them run their imagination wild and knock together something new and wonderful.

It helps in making children innovators and creative thinkers.

Hones decision-making skills

Artistic challenges are often underestimated. These challenges not only test the decision-making abilities of children but also make them problem-solvers. They inculcate critical thinking skills at an early age, which helps them throughout their lives.

It sharpens problem-solving skills

Choosing the right colors, textures, forms, shapes, and materials is a critical part of painting. While learning this art, children also learn to make decisions and solve problems independently.

It helps in enhancing social skills

Art classes don’t just teach, they provide children with an avenue to meet like-minded kids. Kids get a platform to interact and collaborate with other children who share the same interests. It boosts their communication skills as well.

Meeting other children, spending time with them, and learning and creating art with them make children more empathetic, cooperative, and social. Moreover, they also become more receptive to new ideas, concepts, and perspectives.

This effective collaboration and communication helps in fostering social skills.

It refines skills

Painting involves active imagination, lots of hand movements, and judgment (deciding color schemes, shapes, textures, and how every element will come together). It all helps in refining dexterity and skills.

Art helps in improving motor skills, speed, manual nimbleness, sense of acumen, and artistic skills.

It inculcates a better understanding of art and culture

Exposing children to art at a very tender age makes them appreciate different art forms and cultures. Through art, they learn about diverse cultures and traditions. It broadens their outlook and makes them well-rounded.

Your role as a parent

Introducing your child to art at a young age is the best you can do to make them intelligent, curious, creative, empathetic, and natural decision-makers and problem-solvers. Here is how you can help your children love art:

• If you are into art, involve your children in your art activities, be it painting, drawing, music, craft, or sculpting. Even if you do not indulge in arts hands-on, introduce your children to art by taking them to art galleries or concerts. It helps children to explore the vast world of art.  
• Tap into the creativity of your children by giving them a new project to work on now and then. Bring colors, paintbrushes, and canvas for them and let them paint their imagination without any barrier.
• Include art in daily routine. For instance, make painting while listening to music a daily bedtime ritual. Host art and craft sessions for your children and their friends on weekends. All these things will make children love art.
• Enroll your children in art classes at a young age. As mentioned, children who take up art at a young age seldom part ways with it in their lives.
• Send your children to a school where the importance of art in education is acknowledged. Ask the teachers about art classes – what do they teach, how do they teach, how often do they have art periods, etc.
• Support your children in their art endeavors. Be present with them when they encounter any creative block or artistic challenge. Help them wade through the problem and finish their masterpiece.

Conclusion

In the growing years of children, art puts the foundation of their character, personality, and temperament. The importance of art in education is now getting much-awaited acclaim.

Delineated objectives of art education at schools and cleverly curated art programs to suit the needs of different age groups testify to the fact that the world has acknowledged the wonders and benefits of art in education.

It is your time to celebrate art and make your children fall in love with art by sending them to a school that shares the same philosophy.