2. Arts in Child Development

Arts in Child Development

Creative safe spaces and art-making experiences can encourage healthy and holistic child development. Holistic child development means integrated growth of all parts of a child. Holistic child development approaches encourage children’s emotional, intellectual, physical, social, creative, and spiritual growth. Focused art-making experiences can help distressed children normalize common reactions to social difficulties and promote all elements of holistic child development.

Emotional Growth

Art-making builds self-esteem and self-appreciation by giving children opportunities to demonstrate their uniqueness and experience success and accomplishment. The process of analysis and critique of artworks build’s children’s ability to accept constructive criticism. Art-making also provides opportunities for children to make independent decisions which encourages a feeling of self-efficacy and emotional satisfaction. Art experiences can help children express and explore their emotions in healthy ways.

Intellectual Growth

Art-making is associated with higher academic performance, an indicator of intellectual ability. Early childhood arts experiences form a foundation for literacy by encouraging children to communicate with symbols which will later help them interpret and communicate in words. Art-making promotes intellectual growth through requiring children to make decisions and self-evaluate. Problem-solving is a key element in all art experiences. Art-making also develops children’s ability to observe and interpret their world.

Physical Growth

Art-making helps children develop control over their large and small muscle groups. It encourages hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills, which means precise muscle movements. Art-making experiences also develop body-awareness.

Social Growth

Art-making provides opportunities for children to develop relationships with their peers. It helps children develop social skills like sharing, taking turns, and negotiating. Group art experiences foster communities of learning and provide opportunities for leadership and affirmation. Art-making also encourages conflict resolution, collaboration, empathy, and social tolerance- all critical social abilities for adult life.

Creative Growth

Children grow creatively through arts processes even if they appear to have little artistic talent. Art-making encourages children to explore and imagine possibilities. It encourages children to create, experiment and analyze, which are all part of creativity.

Spiritual Growth

Art-making promotes spiritual growth by building a sense of belonging and identity. It helps children identify their personal goals, aspirations, and motivations, and have hope for their future. Art experiences promote children’s awareness of the world outside themselves and of their role in this world.

Example: Social Growth through Art-making

Adapted from a Community Artist Reflection

One of the assistants in the Graffiti workshop (Adriana) told a story about Rosa, a participant who didn’t have the ability to speak. Adriana said that in the beginning of the week the other children were saying “she can’t do it” when it came to things they were doing in the workshop or elsewhere. However, community leaders had the same expectations for Rosa as they did for other children. They believed that she could do the work they had given her despite her disability. She was in the Graffiti, Visual Arts, and Music workshops. The Graffiti lead artist noticed she had a steady hand, and did a great job painting. In Music, she followed along with the beat and rhythm with the others. Adriana noticed that by the end of the week the kids were including her in new ways, whereas in the past they would have dismissed her. Now that other children saw that she could do the things that they could, they started to pull her along with them to make sure she was included. The Visual Arts & Music leader wrote, “The children were surprisingly patient with each other, especially with Rosa because she is deaf. They were very sympathetic with her… there was a genuine understanding.”

Experience: Obwisana

Goal: Practice using music to promote holistic growth of children

Obwisana is a children’s song and game that is sung in Ghana. Sit with your group in a circle with a rock in front of each person. Sing Obwisana and use your right hand to pick up the rock and tap it on the beat. After a few verses use your right hand to move the rock to your right on the beat and pick up the rock of the person sitting to your left so that all the rocks move around the circle.

Reflection: Growth

What types of growth do you think the Obwisana experience promotes? Give a reason for your answers.

What types of growth do the children you work with need most? List them. How do you know that they need these types of growth?