Why teach your child to draw?

Drawing is an age-old technique used for communication from the time when words had not found their existence. Maps, pictures, graphs, were used as a tool of communication, to find ways and to be in touch with one another.

Drawing is not only a way of expressing, but also, a way to develop writing, reading, thinking and overall creativity. It is an art that can prove to be one of the fundamental parts of developing cognitive skills.

But how many of us really take this art seriously?  Sadly, in today’s world drawing is confined to art classes or anatomy drawing in biology classes. The world has advanced and so has technology and the art of drawing is being replaced by the mouse and touch technology.

However, the importance of teaching your kids how to draw has not diminished. Here are a few things of importance and relevance we can relate to in today’s tech savvy world.

  • As a form of expression

Drawings have a way of opening a child better than any other art medium. A child absorbs everything we say, do or act. But, not every child can express himself by words or actions. Drawing gives him an outlet to let out his feelings and express freely. Colours used give away sate of mind at the current moment. Drawing also helps in developing emotional intelligence.

Drawing is no longer considered to be a past time activity but is slowly gaining importance in therapies and group activities where children as well as elders learn to let out their pent up emotions, feelings and learn to express themselves.

  • Improves concentration

One basic issue every parent faces these days is lack of concentration in their children. Drawing helps to correct the problem. It increases concentration among children who sit and draw for a while each day. It improves their focus and in turn, their concentration. The child learns to draw amidst noise and confusion and there is nothing between his paper, pencil and colors.

  • Gives wings to imagination

When asked to draw something on paper, we think hard and using our imagination begin to draw. Similarly, a child using his imagination draws and colours on the paper. Drawing helps in developing imagination and creativity which will be one of the most essential skills in the Robotic Age ahead.

  • Hones motor skills

Holding a pencil or a crayon helps a child in honing their fine motor skills. When we hand a crayon to one year old child, he is more likely to scribble. But, what he is learning is to hold the crayon using his fingers, his eye and hand coordination and the grip required to hold the colour. Starting early with drawing will help them later in their developing stages where they will need to do lot of small activities on daily basis using their hands, balancing and coordination.

  • Socialization medium

When we enrol our children into drawing classes, they get to meet children of their age group with similar liking to drawing and colouring. This paves way for socialization and meeting new people. This helps in developing bonding between your kids and other children. Additionally, children gain confidence and slowly become bold.

Drawing and coloring are a great way of enhancing your child’s overall personality and helps them develop skills and techniques that are important for their future, preparing them to face situations. Thus, it is imperative to teach drawing to your kids even if you can’t draw.

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