The importance of art in kindergarten
August is National Get Ready for Kindergarten Month! Kindergarten is a very exciting time for both parents and children, and art in the kindergarten classroom plays multiple roles in early development.
According to a recent article on Scholastic.com, these are some of the skills your child may need to know as they begin kindergarten:
- Identify some letters of the alphabet (Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and Letter Town are two classic books that teach the ABCs.)
- Grip a pencil, crayon, or marker correctly (with the thumb and forefinger supporting the tip)
- Write first name using upper- and lowercase letters, if possible
- Count to ten (The interactive book Ten Playful Penguins is a tactile way for kids to learn this skill — the penguins disappear one by one!)
- Bounce a ball
- Classify objects according to their size, shape, and quantity (Help kids build classification skills with fun lessons in the Little Skill Seekers: Sorting & Matching workbook.)
Your child’s teacher may have already provided you with a list of items you need for school, along with some suggested preparation tips. Anticipation increases as appointments are made for kindergarten, from medical checkups, to visits to the new school, even discussions about bus rides, snack time, or other activities they may experience.
Art Skills & Motor Development
Learning to hold a pencil, crayon or paintbrush is one of the skills your child will practice in kindergarten. Using muscles in little hands, fingers, wrists and arms plays an important role in developing fine motor skills. Many classroom art activities provide an opportunity to use these muscles through finger painting, drawing, using scissors, pasting, threading beads, etc.
There are multiple opportunities for positive outcomes through art in the kindergarten classroom. For young children, art activities may allow them to express themselves in ways that they may not be able to verbally. Creativity becomes a vehicle to tell a story, articulate an idea or thought, or just to have fun. Providing your child with time to draw, paint, create with clay or other art-based activities is one way you can celebrate National Get Ready for Kindergarten Month!
A child’s early artwork can bring incredible pride and joy to parents and family – our company was founded by a mom who had just that experience! Helping families keep those memories fresh and support elementary school programs at the same time is our privilege. Check out our school fundraising programs (get our free brochure here), and learn more about how you can capture those early memories forever.
Sources:
https://www.scholastic.com/parents/school-success/school-life/grade-by-grade/preparing-kindergarten.html