5 Big Benefits of Organized Arts and Crafts for Kids

Throughout the summer this year, Integrity Gymnastics will be branching out and offering day camp opportunities for kids that go beyond our better known physical activities and branch out into the world of arts and crafts. From creating fairy gardens and tie dye items to exploring space, the oceans and even the universe, the camp sessions will engage kids in all kinds of arts and crafts activities.

While Moms and Dads likely already know that their children will have lots of fun, what they may not realize is that while they are doing so they will also be gaining some valuable life skills that will stay with them for years to come. Here’s a little about some of the most important of them:

Arts and Crafts Help Hone Fine Motor Skills

When a child uses paints, pencils, pens and crayons to create pictures, or uses scissors to cut out patterns, they are making use of, and developing, their fine motor skills. And making the effort to color within the lines, or cut a straighter line challenges and improves those skills, something that will benefit them in all kinds of aspects of their life.

Arts and Crafts Improve Executive Functioning

No, we are not talking about your child’s potential to become a Fortune 500 CEO (no yet anyway) but about their ability to better focus their attention, control impulses and improve their working memory. Numerous research studies have shown that the seemingly simple act of breaking out craft supplies and engaging children in a guided activity significantly improves these higher-level brain functions and those improvements are long lasting.

Arts and Crafts Harness a Kid’s Creativity

Children are naturally creative. As toddlers, kids tend to be very visual and can easily express themselves through scribbles and drawings well ahead of being able to read or write. For younger children, formal arts and crafts activities help focus and harness all that natural creativity and for older kids it helps keep it alive as more formal learning at school often begins to dim it a little.

Arts and Crafts Improve Self Esteem

This is a benefit that many parents may already be aware of. The pride that a child feels when they complete a project and show it off to family and friends can be a significant way to improve their self-esteem in general, and, especially in younger children, promote a more positive attitude to learning, benefits that can be carried over into their schoolwork, social interactions and beyond.

Summer Arts and Crafts ARE Fun

Keeping kids of all ages occupied, engaged and productive throughout the long summer vacation is a challenge for every parent. We all know that the novelty of being on vacation wears off very quickly and even the latest video games get old fast. Offering kids the chance to make better use of their free time – and hang out with other kids – is a relatively easy way to help them get more out of their summer downtime and give you a break from the ‘I’m bored’ chants!

To learn more about the day camps being offered at Integrity Gymnastics this summer, please click here

For questions and inquiries, feel free to give us a call 913-766-8918 or email us: tumble@integrityop.com