EDUCATION

ALL THE NEWS FROM YOUR LOCAL SCHOOLS THE IMPORTANCE OF ART

Primary Times looks into how art can benefi t a child’s development, and the importance of art in both the home and at school.

“Artists are just children who refuse to put down their crayons.” - Al Hirschfeld (Caricature artist)

At its core, art is a fun activity that children enjoy immensely – but just because it’s practical, that doesn’t mean it’s any less educational. Often, children are given a strong start with art in early years se tt ings. Mark making, collage and clay take a prominent place in Nursery and Pre-School lessons, but that emphasis on artistic practices will sometimes fall away somewhere between KS1 and 2 – an issue that Ofsted have suggested schools concentrate on improving.

The Benefits of Art

While it could be easily overlooked as an important pillar of a childs education, it’s been shown that an academically supported involvement in art builds confidence and creativity. And in fact, the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of a child can be grown through art education. From a physical standpoint, art improves fine motor skills and can have cognitive benefits – improving neural development and hand-eye coordination.

In terms of personal development, the freedom and independence of being able to create art can lead to be tt er decision making. It encourages emotional expression and creates a healthy outlet for feelings. The sensory aspect, too, is therapeutic in itself. Academically speaking, even the most basic art theory teaches history, politics and sociology in a visual manner that appeals to many learners. Children learn through pictures before anything else, after all!

Supporting Artistic Expression

There are many benefits of supporting your child in their art education. It can create an opportunity for them to nurture a real artistic talent that could bring them joy throughout their life. Or, it could bring forth other interests and skills that might later result in a specialised vocational career such as graphic design, advertising, print making or animation.

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They now want to find out if families will benefit from a