What Effect Does Art Have on Children?

With art programs being eliminated from public schools due to budget cuts, and with overworked and underfinanced parents unable to provide their children with private art lessons, we face a future of adults without strong creativity, innovation and problem-solving skills. The arts promote, encourage and provide a safe, exploring experience for children to practice skills that are vital to the rest of their education. How can a child solve a complex scientific problem without the ability to think creatively and be innovative? The effect of art on children cannot be denied or ignored.

Creation and Innovation

Art teaches children to be creative and innovative. Because it encourages and values creative abilities, art provides a safe venue in which to express ideas. Innovation and originality all occur when children explore art. According to the National Art Education Association (NAEA), these skills help children learn to form mental images to solve problems. This ability is an asset for such professionals as architects, surgeons and landscapers. Thus, art helps children to improve valuable life and career skills that carry over to all of their work and studies.

Achievement

The Collegeboard, the U.S. association of schools and colleges, conducted a study that looked at the past SAT scores for hundreds of students. The study showed that students who had taken 4 years of art and/or music in high school scored 85 points higher on average than those who had taken the minimum requirement of a half year of art or music. Clearly, student achievement improves when the arts are a significant part of students' overall education.

Observation and Reflection

The skills necessary for successful achievement in many subjects are regularly put to practice in art courses. For example, most art skills require observation and reflection. Children must observe their subject matter and then reflect upon the best way to illustrate real life via art. Observation and reflection are important skills for problem solving in math, writing and science.

Diversity

According to the NAEA, art helps children think globally, which is necessary in today's world. Through works of art, children gain exposure to diverse cultures and viewpoints. The images they view in art, along with those that they create, help children become aware of a world beyond that which they see on a daily basis. A global attitude assists children in accepting others from different cultures. In today's world, acceptance and awareness are invaluable traits that a child can carry into adulthood.

Problem Solving

Art projects often engage higher-level thinking, which promotes better problem-solving skills. When children are faced with projects that have specific goals in art, they must, formally or informally, formulate working hypotheses for achieving their goals. They must then judge the results, gather data and evaluate their success.

Resources

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