Art encourages imagination, expression, critical thinking, and much more! Therefore, it's important for children of all ages to continue art exploration outside of the classroom!
There are so many sources online and in print that give great ideas for projects to do at home. If you are ever in need of some fun art and craft ideas to do with your children, I would be glad to give you suggestions or direct you to some fantastic online resources. Just send me an email!
The following is an excerpt from Why is Art Education Important? Written by: Andrea Mulder-Slater. The article first appeared in Classroom Leadership published by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. October 2001 | Volume 5 | Number 2
Teaching your students about art is a good idea—here's why:
-It's been proven that early exposure to visual art, music, or drama promotes activity in the brain.
-Art helps children understand other subjects much more clearly—from math and science, to language arts and geography.
-Art nurtures inventiveness as it engages children in a process that aids in the development of self-esteem, self-discipline, cooperation, and self-motivation.
-Participating in art activities helps children to gain the tools necessary for understanding human experience, adapting to and respecting others' ways of working and thinking, developing creative problem-solving skills, and communicating thoughts and ideas in a variety of ways.
So, where do you begin? Start by remembering that teaching children about art is not just about showing them how to recognize a van Gogh or Picasso, it's about preparing young minds for a future of invaluable experiences—art related or otherwise.