3 BIG Reasons Why Art and Crafts Make Kids Happy
1 Quality time together as a family
Kids love to spend time with their parents. The problem is that it can be hard to find ways to get the family together when everyone is busy with work, school and everything else that goes along with it. Plus, the distractions of screens and having every kid in the class around for dinner, makes it even harder to find uninterrupted time to just be together.
When you’re a kid, there’s no better way to spend time with your parents than by getting stuck in a craft project together. Crafting is sacred. It’s an easy way to get one-on-one, screen-free time. It gives you a chance to ask questions, work together to solve problems, and talk about how you are feeling. These simple moments can end up being the most special memories.
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2 Boosts kids’ self-esteem
There's a reason kids all love crafting, and that's because it's rewarding in a way that goes beyond the creation itself. Once kids finish their project they get to see it adorning their walls or receiving praise from loved ones, it leads to a burst of pride (or dopamine, if you want to get technical about it), which makes them feel good and motivates them to continue their hard work (whether that’s crafting or applying themselves in the classroom).
It turns out, crafting can also help build a child’s self-efficacy (which is the fancy term for believing in your own abilities to do something).
Self-efficacy is a powerful force: it makes you believe in yourself and your abilities. It helps you face challenges with confidence, knowing that you'll be able to handle whatever comes your way. And it makes you more likely to try new things and take risks, because when you feel like you're capable of doing something, there's no limit to what you can achieve!
3 Mental wellbeing
If you've ever seen a child completely absorbed in a craft project, you've probably noticed how much they lose themselves in the activity. Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi first described this phenomenon as flow: a few moments in time when you are so completely absorbed by an activity that nothing else seems to matter.The effects of flow are similar to those of meditation.
Furthermore, when children focus on a creative activity they become more mindful and relaxed. In this state, our brain releases happy hormones like endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine which promote positive feelings like pleasure, happiness and love. These are essential for mental wellbeing as demonstrated by ground breaking new research from BBC Arts * showing that taking part in even a small amount of creative activity can improve wellbeing, with scientists able to pinpoint how the brain regulates our emotions during these periods.
So, what are you waiting for? Let’s get crafting! Get 50% off your first box!
Footnote
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/h0Wf2JL3GnG52jLp7j1ydk/take-the-feel-good-test-to-improve-your-wellbeing
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