Visual arts: promoting communication, cognitive skills and wellbeing
The visual arts enrich humanity and contribute hugely to culture. The visual arts are a system of communication, which uses visual symbols to allow people to understand the world, celebrate and record life and pass on cultural traditions.
Children have many languages that they use to communicate; one of their languages is visual art. Visual art enables children to express themselves and their ideas, thoughts and feelings and express things, which cannot be said verbally, record the world around them, and process events and emotions. The young child who gives his parents a picture of them surrounded by hearts is communicating their love. The visual arts is a language children can master when they are taught how visual symbols are used to convey meaning and artistic skills and techniques.
The process of creating art helps develop children’s cognitive skills. It promotes imagination and creativity as it enables children to express themselves in unique ways, and provides opportunity for exploration and experimentation. Problem solving can also be promoted, as children have to work out how to represent their subject matter. The work market is increasingly requiring employees to produce novel ideas and solutions which means means that these skills are essential in the 21st century.
Children find the visual arts very meaningful. They experience high levels of joy in the act of creation and a sense of satisfaction in being able to create an artwork.
In this way we see that visual arts has an important role to play in the life of your children. So look for opportunities for your children to engage with and learn about the visual arts.
Gina is one of Newman Tuition’s primary school tutors and a specialist art teacher. Together, we run 1:1 and small group art classes for primary school children (ages 4-9). For more information please call 020 3198 8006 or email [email protected]