Elementary education is where a child begins their formal learning journey. Utilizing art in the classroom as a supplementary teaching tool and teaching the subject creates a thriving learning environment. But how can we confidently say that art is a key part of a child’s early academic career? Today we’re looking at the significance of art in primary education.
Why Is Art Such an Important Factor in Elementary Education?
Art is a substantial part of a child’s early education and development. It matters just as much as math and reading, and should be seen as a part of the core curriculum rather than an elective. Art is more than entertainment, cute crafts for the holidays, or busy work to keep children occupied while teachers and parents do “more important” things. Know that art itself is indeed an important thing.
Art Makes It Easier to Adjust to a New Learning Environment
For the youngest elementary students, school is absolutely a new activity, and much of what they learned prior to attending school was presented through art. For example, books are colorful and often include tactile elements; numbers and letters are accompanied by pictures, and stories are read dramatically.
This pulls children in and makes learning fun and engaging. When this continues in the classroom, it can ease the adjustment from at-home learning to group learning in a new place. Art is any activity that children recognize and want to participate in.
Art Fosters Engagement
When art is taught or used to supplement other subjects, it can help children feel less stress. Children who ask or answer questions show that they are not only listening, but working to understand the material. Because they often view art as fun and more freeform, students may find it easier to participate in their class activities with confidence. This engagement is a key to both academic and life success.
For example, supplementing a lesson on fractions with an activity creating shapes using construction paper and board brings the learning to life. Teachers can also have older students explain what they’ve created based on the lesson. This brings math, art, and presentation skills together. And when a student can discuss it, they have a better chance of remembering it.
Art Supports Long-Term Information Retention
Children who do hands-on activities (like creating a timeline when learning about key moments in history, or acting out part of a play they are reading) tend to retain important information from those activities for longer periods of time.
A study showed that students who previously faced reading challenges and received arts integration instruction had a long-term information retention rate of 97.6%. Students similar to those who received only conventional instruction had a 76% retention rate—this is a significant difference that once again shows us why kids need art. When art is part of an elementary student’s life, they enjoy and retain their learning experiences.
Get Free Resources to Provide Art Lessons for Elementary Kids
Golden Road Arts exists to inspire an appreciation for art in elementary and middle school students. We provide these resources free of charge to educators and families to make art accessible to everyone. Check out our free art lessons, and if you’d like to support our work, you can make a donation.
