The Benefits of Crafting for Children

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You may be a parent, a caretaker of children, a teacher, therapist, or coach. Have you ever thought how crafting can benefit kids in many different ways?

Crafting's Non-Discriminatory Nature: How it Can Benefit Children

Crafting allows children plenty of ways to express themselves, be creative, and realize that it's okay to have tastes and preferences regarding colors, styles, templates, themes, etc. 

However, some kids might shy away from the creative process altogether, or get intimidated by the mere sight of craft materials.

The truth is, children can gain access to a wide range of crafts with enough adult supervision and regulation. 

There are different crafts to suit different levels of skills -- beginner or newbie, intermediate, advanced, or expert.

Physical Benefits of Crafting for Children

Motor development can be broadly divided into 2 -- gross motor skills and fine motor skills. 

Gross motor skills pertain to skills involving large muscle movements. When one sits independently, walks, crawls, or runs, gross motor skills are involved. 

When smaller muscles are used, on the other hand, like those among the fingers and wrists, fine motor skills are involved. 

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When we use cutlery, tools, type on the computer, tie our shoelaces, or button up our shirts, we use our fine motor skills. 

It's crucial for children to develop their fine motor skills, and crafting can help them with this. 

Just think -- using scissors, tearing paper, weaving, folding cardstock, or coloring with crayons or paint can all help children hone their fine motor skills. 

Another physical benefit kids get from crafting is better hand-eye coordination.

Character Development as A Result of Crafting Among Children 

While some crafts are simple and take barely half an hour to finish, others are time-consuming and require patience, concentration, and delay of gratification.

How Crafting Benefits Children Academically

Various types of crafts come with different levels of complexities. When instructions say that a craft project can be done "under one hour," children are being made aware of time constraints.

In some instances, kids also need to come up with accurate measurements and get recognize different colors and textures, sizes, and shapes. 

Crafts like beading and accessory making boost counting and make kids aware of patterns. 

How Crafting Helps Raise Children's Self-Esteem

Some kids might dislike the fact that they're not athletic, aren't popular among other kids, or bemoan that they don't have the nicest toys. 

Finishing a craft project gives children a sense of accomplishment that goes beyond status or owning something.

Children Learn the Value of Recycling, Upcycling, and Repurposing Through Crafting

Techniques like papier mache and decoupage require tearing paper into tiny pieces and applying glue to cover containers like cardboard boxes.

Old magazines, newspapers, catalogues, and comic books, and even telephone directories and accumulated junk mail can take the place of construction paper or scrapbook paper. 

Among older kids who can already learn to sew, they can make old clothes look new by sewing on cloth patches, on old jeans or denim jackets, or adding a strip of lace or ruffle around the hem of a skirt.

Crafting = Reduced Screen Time Among Children?

More and more adults have expressed concern over the time children spend in front of a screen. 

Crafting is both a hobby and a fun learning experience, and it can be as highly engaging as activities that involve a screen. 

If you want to learn more about how you can get kids to reduce their screen time, read -- 

How to Help Your Kids Reduce Screen Time Through Crafts  

More Family Time as A Result of Crafting

You need to keep the communication lines open with your children, and this can be done only by deliberately spending time with them. 

You can get started by setting aside one weekend afternoon a month for crafting. 

You can also bargain with your kids to substitute a Friday boardgame night with a craft project.  

Or, you can work on some quick craft projects after the kids have done their homework, 2-3 times a week.

How Children Bloom Into Social Butterflies Through Crafting

In an arts and crafts class for children, teachers usually encourage show-and-tell, where kids get to talk about their finished project.

Children who are otherwise shy might gain confidence when asked to talk among their peers. It's also natural for kids to gravitate toward their classmate whose art or craft they liked the most. This could start a conversation or spark an exchange of ideas. 

Crafting can also be the focal point of children's birthday parties or pajama parties as a substitute for parlor games.