Summer is here and you know what that means? Entertaining your children 24/7! A revolutionary tactic I’ve implemented to do this (while maintaining my own sanity) is crafting.
I’ve always known that crafting was a good way to keep your child engaged for an hour or two, but I never knew the positive effects crafting could have on a child’s development. Crafting is an amazing way for kids to learn basic skills, improve mental health and stability, and connect with their parents–and themselves. Crafting helps children to learn focus and mindfulness, which are essential skills for children– especially in a confusing and turbulent world. Keep reading to learn more about the physical, mental and emotional benefits crafting can have on children.
Before getting into the benefits of crafting, I asked a father of two beautiful children why it’s important for children to craft, to which his response was: “[Crafting] stimulates their brains, facilitates creativity, and it keeps them out of your hair.”
Physical benefits
Crafting allows children to use their hands: whether it’s painting, glueing things together, or carefully placing individual pom pom balls. Enabling children to get their hands messy and create something will fine tune their fine motor skills.
Creating something also takes them away from the screen, giving their eyes and their minds a break. Allowing your kids to do different things throughout the day is a great way to promote a generally healthy lifestyle. Our kids crafts are simple enough that they can be completed in a short amount of time (perfect for short attention spans!) and that means you can send them to play when they are finished crafting to keep the fun going.
Mental benefits
I mentioned it before, but crafting offers enormous mental benefits to children as well. The focus they place on creating something they are excited about and care for is a skill that can be exercised and developed. Getting creative helps kids to focus in on one thing they’re doing, and not leave until they finish.
When kiddos make their own versions of our projects, the end result rarely matches the original design– and we love that! By making something uniquely their own, children are able to let loose with their imagination– and the glitter– and make whatever they want.
Crafting is a phenomenal outlet for children’s creativity, but it also teaches important thought processing skills. When they try to create a new idea to match the image in their head, sometimes it doesn’t work out the way they imagined. In these situations, kids have the opportunity to learn patience and problem solving as they strive to achieve their intended outcome.
Emotional benefits
After the paint spatter and glitter clouds have cleared, seeing the final outcome of their craft can boost a child’s self esteem exponentially. And seeing the joy on their face can bring you some joy, too.
Crafting can give children the ability to express themselves through paint and paper. My mother-in-law is a clinical counselor who often works with children- and they often have children draw or do some kind of crafty activity during their sessions. It opens them up to, well, opening up! Foster conversations and a healthy relationship with your kiddos while creating keepsakes together.
On that note, crafting together allows you to spend valuable bonding time with your child. Enjoy watching their imagination run wild, the haphazard way that they turn a simple design into something from another planet, or how they can change something so simple into the most precious thing to them. There are so many more reasons as to why I think children should craft. I’ve seen the benefits of crafting with my little ones firsthand, and am always eager to invite other parents to try it out!