Here are the top ten reasons why we believe that all Australian kids should learn craft!
1. It Helps Kids To Focus
Completing an art or craft activity requires determination, the ability to focus and some amount of discipline. The result of this for the child is rewarding and they will feel proud and want to finish the project to show their parents, friends or family.
2. Developing Fine Motor Skills
Crafting helps young children to work on and develop their fine motor skills. Tasks like cutting paper, sticking and glueing things together helps to improve their coordination which is essential for dressing themselves, tying shoe laces and learning how to write.
3. Kids learn to take instructions.
When your’re supervising and guiding your child through the arts and crafts activity there will most likely be a set of instructions to follow. Instructions are important for kids as they help with their listening skills and helps to develop their “self-regulation skills” (e.g. when waiting for paint or glue to dry) which in turn develops patience.
4. Offline Time
It goes without saying that completing arts and crafts with your kids is a great way to get your child to do an activity that does not involve the TV or computer. It can also keep them occupied for a great span of time too
5. Commitment
Kids start to learn commitment when they complete their projects. When you start small, with arts and crafts, kids take pride and learn satisfaction in completing a project. As the child gets bigger you can introduce larger and harder projects that will take more time. It’s important to encourage your children to complete the craft rather than give up and start a new project as children are easily distracted. This is a great opportunity to teach them to have commitment and continue with the project and end up with a finished project, now matter how it looks.
6. Developing Patience
Making arts and crafts is usually not quick and easy and will take require your child to take time and focus, therefore also requiring patience. This will teach your child that things don’t always come easy with the snap of fingers and instead that to achieve the completed project they will have to be patient and focused.
7. Use Their Imagination
Crafting makes children use their imagination. It’s often that when you leave your child to do arts and crafts in their own (If they re old enough to do so) they will come up with a imaginative shape or image that will be unidentifiable to you. When you ask them what it is supposed to be you can see how creative and imaginative your child’s mind is and you will be amazed what they come up with.
8. Increasing Problem Solving Skills
For kids who are a little older, you can show them an image of a craft and ask if they would like to recreate it using items at home! This will compel them to take a look around the home to see if there is anything they could use that would suit. If they can’t find exact items it will encourage their problem solving skills as they try to find alternatives that can’t be found within the home. While they are on their mission it will allow them to use their imagination, creativity and even force them to think outside the box.
9. Learning Language
When you are crafting with your child you can teach them a bunch of new words relating to craft. This could be materials like cardboard, stick and pom pom or it could be verbs like glue, paste, cut etc. During arts and crafts is the perfect opportunity to introduce and start to teach shapes and colours to your child.
10. Great Bonding Opportunity
Crafting with you children allows you to spend quality time with them. If yo can get the whole family to sit down and do crafts together, even better! While you are busy crafting with your hands your child will likely open up and talk to you about whatever pops into their head! You can even use this time to subtly ask about topics you wish to know more about like school, their friends or how they feel about an issue.
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Craft Nation is a kids craft store dedicated to providing your child with exciting hands on craft. Our kids craft activity sets are not only fun and full of environmentally sustainable and safe products, but come with educational booklets to teach kids about different countries of the world. At Craft Nation, we believe that craft is an essential part of a child's development and also offer a range of craft events for kids in different locations around Sydney, Australia. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us via our contact page.
