As a learning activity, arts and crafts have traditionally been passed over in favour of more academic pursuit. But craft - particularly developmentally appropriate craft activities - can aid learning in other areas like language, music, art, social studies, science, maths, health and nutrition.
Crafts have been around since the beginning of time when people made everything they used with their hands. Crafts were initially created for trading, selling, spiritual or artistic expression, as well as creating personal and household articles.
Today, craft are a great pastime and educational tool for kids. It can not only keep the kids entertained on a rainy day, but also extend a child's fine motor skill, develop concepts like colour or numbers and see scientific processes like gluing and paint drying in action.
Craft allows kids to explore ideas or concepts and then express it by making something to keep , entertain others with or simply look at for visual pleasure.
Benefits can include:
- Extending their thinking across multiple patterns of intelligence
- Develop higher thinking skills
- Enhance multicultural understandings
- Build self esteem
- Gain positive emotional responses to learning
- Engage through a variety of learning styles
Art and craft ideas encourage children to use their imagination to create their own entertainment. Making something on their own endows them with a confidence in their abilities to make individual decisions and choices.
Things to avoid when doing craft with your kids
Never force kids to complete a project they simply aren't interested in - all you will do is alienate them from ever trying craft again. Simply encourage them and reward them when they do finish something.
兒童學習手工的好處
- 培養自信心 -- 孩子獨立完成一件手工製作品是需要手腦並用，在這個過程中會遇上很多問題，如能堅持完成，是一種毅力的表現，無論孩子的手作製作完成品是什麼模樣，都應該給與表揚與肯定，建立自信心。
- 培養觀察力 -- 孩子在製作手工時，通常都是一些簡單事物。這就能了解孩子平日在日常生活對事物的觀察度。如孩子觀察仔細，那麼成品就會惟妙惟肖，更注重細節上的變化。時間長了，孩子自然養成注意身邊事物的習慣。
- 培養創造力 -- 在孩子手工製作時，都是老師提供一些事物的圖片或造型，然後引導其發散性思維去思考，讓孩子盡情的發揮自己的想象力，創造自己頭腦的事物。這樣手工製作不僅僅鍛煉了孩子的動手能力，還對孩子的創造能力有很多的培養。
- 培養獨立行動 - 手工製作不僅靠孩子頭腦的創造能力，還要讓其把創造能力付諸實踐，搬到真實的生活中，並用自己的雙手來完成創作。從最初的設計，創造到後期的規劃、製作，都是要靠孩子親自動手一點點來完成，讓孩子獨立完成其作品。
- 增添生活樂趣 - 現在很多家庭是獨生子女，孩子很少有玩伴，難免會孤獨，家裡玩具不少，但是沒有什麼可以讓孩子感興趣。每當孩子無所事事的時候，對孩子說“來，我們來點手工吧！”讓他們變得興奮起來。
