The learning process of a human child is extensive and complicated where the school course work plays a limited role. Children learn about the world through interaction and their own set of experiences no matter how insignificant these experiences appear to be. Various institutions and researchers have investigated this issue and debunked the myth that fun and serious learning are separate and that art is non productive. In fact art activities are important since they aid human development and lead to creativity, confidence building and self esteem. It also simulates imagination and helps create the ability to organize and process information as well as interpret events. Art also helps develop a shared experience and a chance for interaction and learning through imitation. Therefore parents and teachers must acknowledge the importance of art; furthermore they should attempt to indulge in such creative activities at home and in the classroom.

What is Art?
There is no one strict definition of art; most definitions describe art as an umbrella term that refers to a range of activities. Art encompasses written text in the form of literature or it can refer to visual art such as painting, sculpture, photography or print making. It also incorporates other forms of art that stimulate other senses such as music and theater performances. Basically it denotes a skill used to produce an aesthetic result which may use any medium of expression.

Before developing complex skills like architecture or calligraphy children start to develop their initial aesthetic sense by scribbling on a paper, splashing paint and playing with different materials like clay, play dough and paint brushes etc. Thus for children art projects are an opportunity to develop new skills. For them art is playing with colors, ‘designing’ sceneries out of memory or imaginations or folding paper or other materials to recognizable objects like a flower or a tree. Another important dimension of art for children is the group work experience they are exposed to; therefore they learn how to share crayons when coloring a picture as well as developing a sense of team work by doing an art project together. For young children who cannot express themselves with words, art becomes more than just an aesthetic skill, it is the language they use to communicate with people and reflect their emotional states.

Hence for children, art is more than an activity or entertainment, it is their language and gives them an opportunity for skill building, communication, expression and it lays the foundations of their world view.

How Art Benefits Children
Art should be part of the school curriculum and a means of teaching children important concepts. Furthermore according to recent studies by the Harvard Graduate School of Education, arts could help children read, write, calculate and understand scientific concepts better. This study also revealed that most researchers who investigate the link between education and academic achievement demonstrate a clear link between education in art form and achievement in non-art and academic areas.

Besides improving academic achievement, art projects are a kind of work and give children a sense of workmanship; also with relatively instant outcomes they feel a sense of achievement on its completion. These features of art projects help develop self confidence and self esteem in a child who feel they are capable individuals.

Art projects teach children basics of color recognition, and help build concentration as they focus on finishing the task given to them. They also learn to absorb and recall images and experiences as they draw and paint.

As mentioned before, art also introduces the child to a form of language that is constructed upon visual images; this is a critical skill where children develop the ability to understand, respond to, and talk about these images. This ability eventually aids the enhancement of their verbal expression and reading. Apart from reading, to be able to describe, analyze, and interpret pictures is an important capability that one makes use of in every stage of life.

Art also acts as a means of exposure for children to society’s values and other cultures. Stories and pictures mixed with various art projects teach children how to respect others and most of all they learn how to follow instructions and rules. Yet at the same time it gives children a leeway to experiment and increase their creativity where boundaries set by rules are flexible and not all encompassing. For instance they may have to follow the specific instructions of how to use paint or make cardboard houses but what colors they select or what kind of a house they want to make is up to them. They also get a chance to exercise there own judgment and make their own decisions.

Through art children discover, unlike their curriculum, that there are no correct answers. Art enhances their creativity and imagination, laying foundations of an innovative mind that can generate interesting ideas and thus children learn to interpret the world in a multitude of ways. Moreover art work is also a form of expression for children where they can unleash their emotions where no other source allows children such an outlet.

Art Activities that can Increase a Child’s Creativity
There are numerous art activities that can be used as a means of increasing creativity in a child and drawing and story telling is one of them. A story telling session can be made interactive and exciting by posing questions and elaborating descriptions and pictorial presentation of events; afterwhich children can be told to draw any part of the story. Through story telling children make use of their imagination, learn about different experiences and it also helps increase their vocabulary and improve their expressions. Another form of story telling is drama and role play where children learn to play with each other and imitate and recreate performances. Through these performances children express the way they see the world and the roles and actions they attach to different characters like those of mothers who pose to care for the baby while the fathers goes out to work. These experiences can add maturity in the way children perceive and express themselves in paintings, drawings and other art projects.

Painting can be made interesting and educational by making use of real life objects, sceneries and events. For instance, children can be asked to identify different fruits, vegetables and places etc, and then asked to draw or paint them. This exercise will increase their knowledge and awareness about the different aspects of life and be entertaining at the same time.

Art activities can make use of building blocks and paper cups where children can be asked to design their own structures and buildings. They can be given pictures of city buildings as well as small village huts to help them reproduce them or create there own designs. Such art projects can be entertaining and useful for children of all ages and can also develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. For younger children, just learning how to stack these cups will help them develop hand-eye coordination while older children will be able to learn more advanced skills through matching them up based on symmetry, color or sizes.

For art projects teachers can also make use of other materials like clay or paper and teach children how to create basic objects by following easy instructions. Perhaps they can be asked to create any item of their choice and use their creativity and imagination to come up with their own choice of object. They can also be allowed to decorate what they make with glitter and colors.

Besides experimenting with materials, children should also be given a choice of tools to create their own mater pieces. These can range from crayons, color pencils, paint brushes to scissors, glue, tape and strings. Thus the more materials they are introduced to the more creative the outcome will be. Art activities can include making objects they can hang on walls or float on water.

Another exciting way to learn though art and increase creativity can be done by incorporating educational information in art projects, for instance, discussing history, geography and other subjects, by presenting pictures or giving a short informative presentation on the pyramids, mughal civilization or river formation. These sessions can be followed by art projects of making objects relevant to the session, which will help increase a child’s knowledge and imagination. The whole class can be involved in creating parts or the larger picture like a scene of how the pyramids were built or creating the route of rivers from the mountains to the sea; where every child will be responsible of just a manageable bit of the project.

Overall, art is not a means of distracting a child or passing time; it has a purpose of its own-it plays a vital role especially during the early years of a child. It aids child growth, exposing them to a way of experiencing the world no text book can match. Children learn much faster, they get a chance to make independent decisions, they learn to work with others and most of all they acquire essential skills of imagination and creativity.

Did You Know?
- The arts teach children to be more tolerant and open.

- The arts allow children to express themselves creatively.

- The arts promote individuality, bolster self-confidence, and improve overall academic performance.

- The arts can help troubled youth, providing an alternative to delinquent behavior and truancy while providing an improved attitude towards school.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Hafsa is a LUMS graduate and currently works for Sindh Education Foundation (SEF) in the RCC: ECD Programme.