"Participating in art activities has been proven time and time again to help children develop cognitive, social and emotional skills they will need throughout their lifetime. Art helps kids develop creative problem solving skills and learn to communicate thoughts, feelings and ideas in a variety of ways. Artistic endeavors also help children learn to adapt to and respect others' ways of working and thinking, as well as gain the tools necessary to develop empathy. When exposed to art in an effective way, children can learn that like most things in life, art is a process that is to be explored. Art is not something that should be "done" for the purpose of producing an end result that should be measured or compared, especially at a young age. Remember to engage your young children in art as much as possible and try not to judge their work or compare it to others. Let them express their thoughts freely and creatively and you will help them be on their way to developing healthy cognitive, social and emotional skills that will lead them to be successful, well-adjusted adults!"
- Lauren Zaniboni
You can read the full article by going to the following link:
http://www.examiner.com/article/the-importance-of-art-children-s-cognitive-social-and-emotional-development