Art for Aptitude

 

Art is a compulsory subject in the National Curriculum for good reason. From a young age, children naturally communicate through art, but it isn’t just fun and colourful. The benefits of art are wide-ranging and well-documented, providing intellectual and  emotional advantages for the children who create it. During key stages of a child’s development, creating art is a vital form of mental exercise both for the growth of cognitive skills and for well-being.

The benefits in the development of cognitive skills are seen through problem solving and critical thinking abilities. A core aspect of creating an artwork is decision-making – a child must determine how to represent an idea, what materials to use and how to compose the scene. This strengthens the child’s problem-solving ability, which affects every other part of education.

 

With no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answers, art helps to boost self-confidence, as children can explore their own thoughts through self-expression. The attentive grip of creating an artwork often causes a child to enter a ‘meditative’ state which develops and enhances the ability to focus. Improving a child’s focus and concentration benefits every other aspect of education.

Critical thinking skills are honed and sharpened by making art. Artwork facilitates creative expression which engages different parts of the brain, forming vital connections between brain cells.

 

Art helps to break down the inhibitions which can create barriers in education, such as lack of confidence, so helps children to learn more effectively across all subjects.

There is evidence of a strong correlation between academic and artistic performance in children, as making art helps to develop cognitive skills. This is seen in reading, writing, mathematics, and other subjects. A 2019 study of 10,000 children aged 8-14 showed writing scores improved by a huge 13% after enrolment in art classes!

Making art has a huge knock-on effect, benefitting a child’s achievements cross-curriculum.

 

Art is instrumental in promoting the well-being of children. This is because it dually increases confidence and decreases stress. The freedom of expression inherent in making art allows children to create and mirror their own experiences and influences, developing a sense of self-confidence. This is supported by the sense of accomplishment and increase in dopamine that art gives – art activates the ‘reward’ centres in the brain and boosts self-esteem.

The creation of art has been shown to  reduce stress and anxiety, naturally relaxing children and so it helps to renew energy and motivation.

The benefits of making art for children are well-documented and significant – we see art as a key building block in a child’s holistic and educational development.

Supporting research available on request

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