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What are Arts and Crafts and How Are They Educational
I enjoy doing arts and crafts with children almost as much as I enjoy doing them alone. While working in group settings, I was able to do small projects with children between the ages of 15 months and 5. As a nanny I am able to work with children of all ages more closely and complete bigger and more complicated projects. I am often asked by parents how upcycling with arts and crafts help their child to develop or how I use them to educate their child. To answer, I have to explain the difference between arts and crafts. Then, I can explain how they are educational and help children develop.
Skill: the ability to perform a particular ability.
Craft: an activity involving skill in making things by hand (usually results in a finished product).
Crafts are goal or product oriented and structured. They require specific materials and follow a set of instructions. Children develop cognitive (thinking) skills and problem solving while completing crafts. The tools of the trade develop fine motor skills and prepare young children for school. The work involved develops gross motor skills. Children develop listening skills and gain the ability to follow directions through crafts.
Art: the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination (usually produces aesthetic works).
Art is process oriented, open-ended (no definite interpretation or specific answer) and unstructured. It uses basic supplies and follows open-ended instructions. Children develop emotional skills, to better express their feelings and engage their imaginations while completing art projects.Open-ended art reduces stress for all ages. Art develops problem solving skills (cognitive) through experimenting with supplies and observing cause and effect.
Many activities include both arts and crafts and allow children to explore and develop multiple areas at once. Completing activities with both arts and crafts develop cognitive skills through the decision making of assembling a craft and decorating it with art and comprehension skills through reading and interpreting instructions. Combined activities engage and strengthen spatial relations and visual thinking skills. Children of all ages develop social and emotional skills. I often complete a small project the first time I meet children, which allows them to work with me with little communication. Children learn manners while politely asking to use materials and tools. Self-esteem is boosted when others appreciate their work and they feel accomplished for completing a task successfully. Children develop fine motor skills using the tools and materials in combined activities. Some combined activities develop gross motor skills through the actions of the work needed to complete projects.
Both arts and crafts reinforce lessons in language arts, reading, math, science and social studies. Many activities result in finished products to repeatedly play games making learning fun. Home-made books reinforce language arts concepts and reading skills. Salt dough counting beads/blocks reinforce math concepts and skills. Other activities include processes to demonstrate science and math concepts. Using arts and crafts from different areas of the world or time periods give children something physical to relate to and understand geographic and cultural lessons.
Children also learn life lessons while participating in arts and crafts lessons. Activities teach responsibility, health and safety, following directions and persistence. Working with others teaches positive social behaviors and team work. Children learn to be responsible for their own actions and follow through with projects until completed. Children are more encouraged to clean up after themselves m once they learn how leaving a work space messy or having dirty hands affects their work. They learn safety through using tools and materials.
Upcycling incorporates the education arts and crafts combined with responsibility and community awareness for not only children but each of us. Children learn how trash in landfills affects the planet itself and the people living on it. They learn the different processes of recycling, reusing and repurposing compared to upcycling. Children use their imagination and creative skills to find items to upcycle. Their self-esteem grows, as they feel accomplished with each finished product and knowing they are doing their own small part to help others.
For a guide on completing arts and crafts with your child click here. Follow me for more on upcycling with children.
Visit our supply store to purchase any supplies or tools you need to put your skills to work Upcycling with your child.
I hope you enjoy looking around and thank you for taking the time to read. I look forward to your comments and be sure to email me at jennifer@theupcyclingnanny.com any pictures of items you decide to upcycle!!
Visit our supply store to purchase any supplies or tools you need to put your skills to work Upcycling with your child.
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This work by Jennifer@theupcyclingnanny.com is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at www.theupcyclingnanny.com.
