Young children feel a sense of emotional satisfaction when they are involved in the creation of art. Be it modeling with clay, drawing with crayons, or making a collage from recycled scraps, satisfaction comes from the control children have over the materials they use and the autonomy they have in the decision making process. Deciding what they will make and what materials they will use, may be the first opportunity children have to make independent choices and decisions.
Art builds the child’s self-esteem by giving them opportunities to express their creativity. When children participate in artistic activities with fellow classmates, the feedback they give each other builds self-esteem, by teaching them to accept criticism and praise from their peers. Group play / activities also help children learn and practice important social skills like taking-turns, sharing, and negotiating for materials. For very young children, art is a sensory and exploratory activity. They enjoy the feeling of a crayon moving across paper and seeing a blob of colored paint grow larger.
Children develop social skills while working and playing together, sharing puzzles and learning new songs. Children are taught to live a healthy lifestyle and the importance of healthy diet, exercise and spiritual awareness.