The Importance of Promoting Art at Home

The Importance of Promoting Art at Home

Last update: 13 August, 2018

Art allows children to not only develop fine motor skills, but also to understand and express themselves better. Art is also a powerful learning tool, which is why promoting art from home is so important.

Creation is a form of expression in and of itself, and the way it is experienced is also a form of expression. Creating art is an act that helps us express an idea, an experience, a feeling or a fantasy. Therefore, this helps us to feel free to experiment and interact with the world.

During childhood, it is important to give children the opportunity to let their imaginations fly, either through one or several disciplines: painting, drawing, sculpture, music, theater or dance.

The Importance of Promoting Art at Home

Art in the human brain

At the physiological level, the human brain consists of two hemispheres: the left and right.

  • The left hemisphere is used in logical thinking, reasoning and other analytical processes. Therefore, it is related to mathematical operations, reading and the field of science.
  • The right hemisphere is used in emotional perception, intuition and creativity. This part of the brain is mainly used when a person is involved in creative activities such as art.

By stimulating and exercising the right hemisphere, the connection between both hemispheres is strengthened. Therefore, it is very useful to promote art from an early age, since it helps to promote the development of the child’s cognitive abilities. This way, the child will succeed in making the most of his or her potential, not only in school, but also in life.

Technique is not what’s important

When it comes to promoting art from home, it isn’t necessary to be aware of the techniques, but rather for the child to feel comfortable with creating freely. The idea is not to impose a complicated activity on the child, but to provide a window to many possibilities.

As for the tools, it’s good for them to be easy to handle and for us to teach the child the necessary skills for them to use these tools by themselves. This doesn’t mean making a masterpiece, but helping them enjoy the process of creation. Thus, we can promote the development of lateral thinking.

The importance of promoting art at home

Children can learn a lot from art activities that are approached as a game, as it allows them to explore the world around them, ask questions and see how things work spontaneously.

Art allows them to be themselves, make decisions, reflect on their ideas and, simply, to experiment with their imagination.

  • Art helps children express themselves
  • Provides a healthy distraction
  • Favors the development of cognitive abilities
  • Promotes the development of fine and gross motor skills (depending on the type of art chosen)
  • When children’s creativity is valued, this makes them feel valued and accepted, which contributes positively to their self-esteem.

But how exactly does art benefit children?

1. Physical development

Artistic activities encourage the development of children’s muscles, as well as hand-eye coordination, especially in the arts that use fine motor skills above all.

The Importance of Promoting Art at Home

2. Social development

When children work together to make art, they learn to share, to interact with others, and to be responsible for cleaning and storing materials. These are positive and important actions for social learning.

3. Cognitive development

Young children can learn a lot through experimentation. For example, they discover what happens when they mix two primary colors and obtain a secondary color.

4. Emotional development

Through art, children express their ideas beyond just talking out loud. For example, they can draw images out of proportion, exaggerating the aspects that are important to them.

Considerations

In general, creative learning and the time devoted to completing art projects aren’t always given sufficient importance in schools.

Time devoted to artistic activities is usually quite limited, since they’re considered more of a distraction than a learning tool. Therefore, we should try to promote art at home.

Placing emphasis on art doesn’t mean that academic responsibilities should be set aside or that the child should dedicate himself to art all the time. It is about taking advantage of this powerful tool for more integral development. 


All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.


  • Silva, E. A. da, Oliveira, F. R., Scarabelli, L., Costa, M. L. de O., Oliveira, S. B., & Vera Lúcia Lins Sant’Anna. (2010). Fazendo arte para aprender : A importância das artes visuais no ato educativo. Pedagogia Em Ação.
  • Camargo, D., & Finck, S. C. M. (2010). A dança inserida no contexto educacional e sua contribuição para o desenvolvimento infantil. InterMeio.
  • Orellana Alvarado, F. L. (2018). El arte en el desarrollo integral del niño. Realidad y Reflexión, 2018 Año. 18, N° 47, p 86-91. http://ri.ufg.edu.sv/jspui/handle/11592/9113
  • Alvarado, F. L. O. (2018). El arte en el desarrollo integral del niño. Realidad y Reflexión, 86-91. https://www.camjol.info/index.php/RyR/article/view/6277
  • Rodriguez Carrera, K. E. (2013). Las artes plásticas como medios de desarrollo de la motricidad fina en los niños y niñas de 4 y 5 años de la sección pre-escolar del Colegio Johannes Kepler año lectivo 2012-2013 (Bachelor’s thesis, UNIVERSIDAD TECNOLOGICA EQUINOCCIAL. FACULTAD: EDUCACIÓN A DISTANCIA). http://192.188.51.77/handle/123456789/10933

This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.