Has Your Child Been Diagnosed With Learning Disabilities? Art Might Help!

By Lillian Brooks

[Image Source: Unsplash]

There's a reason children are encouraged and advised to paint and draw at a very young age. One of the most important benefits of art is that it helps them develop critical motor skills. Besides, studies have shown that exposure to art from a young age can help kids evolve socially and emotionally. Plus, it teaches them problem-solving and analytical skills. For children with learning disabilities, especially, art projects can be much more than fun.

Use Art as a Tool

Art allows children to reduce anxiety and stress as they work through their learning challenges. By providing kids with a safe place to relax and recharge, art has been shown to enhance a child's mental, emotional, and physical well-being. It goes above and beyond coloring and playing with dough and encompasses all sorts of activities, such as writing stories, making music, dancing, and more. These are easy to do at home. Here are a few activities that will help your kid overcome learning challenges that are also simple and fun.

Natural Art

Natural art is one of the simplest projects you can find, and it is what its name implies. You need very few supplies besides a plain canvas like a piece of paper, cloth, or cardboard. Collect flowers, leaves, pine cones, shells, or sticks; get non-toxic glue; and encourage creativity and innovation. Stay around to help your child with the glue, but allow them to express their inventiveness freely.

Dancing

Dancing is an art that allows children and adults alike to express themselves and let go of negative experiences and emotions. Have a dance evening every few days by simply cranking up the music at home. Better yet, enroll your kid to dance classes at Sherwood Dance Academy. Learn different moves and allow your child to create their own. Children with learning difficulties will especially find this exercise useful as it can help them focus, improve concentration, and boost creativity. Besides, physical activity is incredibly healthy for the mind, soul, and body.

Sandpaper Art

Get a box of multicolored chalk and crush each color separately to form a powder. Put some of the colored powder on a piece of sandpaper and let your kid spread it around with a loofah. The project is as simple as that. Adults tend to limit children with learning difficulties and other disorders by asking them to focus on studies and other work as they feel they must catch up to their peers. Art can allow them to let go, and some kids have even outdone themselves at disciplines like math, music, and even memory without prior inclination towards the subjects — only with the help of art.

Make Space for Creativity

Dedicating an area for your child to express their creativity is a wonderful idea. If you have extra room or space you don’t use, consider making renovations and upgrades to create space that supports your child’s artistic pursuits. This will enable them to think freely and explore ideas without restrictions. As a bonus, additional, functional space could even boost your home's value — something to consider if you’re selling the house now or in the future.

Art as a Learning Aid

Avoid giving your child instructions as much as possible. Allow them to work and figure things out on their own. Don't analyze results or be too critical — once they have created something, leave it like that. You also need to notice your child's behavior and note how they go about the activity. This will help you understand the process and allow you to find more ways to stimulate their mind. Overall, be patient and give the child the tools they need, and they will surprise you with how capable they can be.

If you're looking for ways to help your child be better at learning due to their learning disabilities, involving them in art is one of the best solutions. These art activities can help you assist your child in their journey in a loose but sufficiently controlled manner.

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Our guest blogger, Lillian Brooks, is the founder of learningdisabilities.info. For years, Lillian worked as a special education teacher with a focus on teaching children with learning disabilities. She created learningdisabilities.info to offer information and understanding to parents of children with learning disabilities, as well as adults who are in need of continued support in order to succeed.