Benefits of art for older kids
Have you ever wondered why art is so important for older kids? As teenagers learn to navigate the world around them and forge their own path, art often plays a big part in this development – one that is so often overlooked. But we’re here to uncover just how crucial art is in school and as an extra-curricular activity for students to prepare them with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed and thrive.
After the past two years we’ve had (thanks to Covid), now more than ever children and teenagers need the healing effect of art in their lives. Art is a proven tool for stress reduction and wellbeing. At our studio, we make it a priority to provide a calm and relaxing environment that can help big kids to unwind and be in the moment without the distractions of technology. Both the process of creating and looking at art has long-term effects like boosting brain function and immune systems as well as benefiting mental and emotional health. Importantly, art can act as therapy for helping people to process trauma, express their feelings and work through challenging experiences.
The process of art also helps to hone project development and time management skills. In high school art classes, there is often a large workload with varied projects. In order to achieve the grades in the course, students require forethought and need to plan ahead to manage this workload. Completing larger projects can be very time intensive and unlike other areas of study, art rooms are open longer for students to complete these projects before or after school. As a result of this added flexibility, teenagers learn how to balance their time and schedule accordingly.
Numerous research has shown that student involvement in arts is associated with higher attainment in both high school and university. Why so? We know that art plays a large role in enhancing fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, problem solving skills, lateral thinking and critical thinking skills. And perhaps most importantly, art classes boost a teen's creativity and their ability to think outside the box – a skill that is so crucial in tertiary studies and the workforce. This approach differs to other subjects in the educational system like maths and science, which are factually based with correct and incorrect answers. Instead, art education offers a more open approach and celebrates the differences in finished products. Kids learn that there is more than one way to complete the art project. They can express themselves and their unique interpretation of the world through their creations. Our studio’s Big Creative Art Class is tailored specifically for older teens (aged 13 to 18) to hone these skills by exploring a wide variety of art mediums including acrylic painting on canvas, charcoal, mixed media and more.
Another fantastic outcome of structured art classes is a sense of pride and achievement for the students that participate. Many schools focus on exhibitions towards the end of the term to highlight the impressive artistic creations of their students. In A Little Bite Studio’s Big Creative Art Class, we continue to nurture this sense of accomplishment by teaching our students to create professional artworks and provide them with the opportunity to present in local art exhibitions. This teaches kids the importance of ownership by completing a project from start to finish. With responsibility, self-ownership and a sense of achievement comes confidence. As teachers, we love witnessing our students become more confident in both themselves and in their abilities as the term progresses.
We invite you to experience all that art has to offer for older kids with A Little Bite Studio’s term classes and school holiday workshops. Learn more here.
