Have you ever considered using art therapy to help children guide their feelings?
Art therapy is a form of expressive therapy that uses the creative process of making art to improve a person’s physical, mental, and emotional well-being. The creative process involved in expressing one’s self artistically can help people to resolve issues as well as develop and manage their behaviors and feelings, reduce stress, and improve self-esteem and awareness.
Art therapy is about the process not the product. It helps the child’s social and emotional development. It is important for children to be free to express themselves especially when creating art which is why art therapy in particular is focused on the process of completing the art and not what the final outcome “should” look like.
When teachers allow children to express themselves in this way, children are more likely to have positive feelings about themselves and their abilities. They can feel a sense of pride and accomplishment when they have completed an art project. As teachers, we want to foster this creativity and give children a variety of opportunities to express themselves. Each child is unique and while some children can easily express themselves verbally, others may find it difficult. Providing art as a form of expression in the classroom, helps those children that find it difficult to express themselves in other ways. Consider providing children with a variety of art supplies and give them the freedom to use whichever they choose.
Interested in learning more? H&H Child Care Training Center offers several online training courses in the use of art when working with young children. Go to our website at www.childcareed.com and see our full list of trainings.