Arts, Crafts, and Mental Health
“Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life.”
Pablo Picasso
Childhood mental health outcomes have been a concern of experts for several years now. The C.D.C. estimates that one in six children between the ages of two and eight has a mental or behavioral disorder. Mental health rates are even worse for pre-teens and teenagers. The most common diagnoses are anxiety disorders, oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Particularly following the COVID pandemic, poor mental health is on the rise for children.
However, interventions by parents, guardians and teachers can counter some of the adverse effects of these disorders. One such intervention is incorporating arts and crafts into your child’s daily or weekly routine.
Arts and crafts demonstrably benefit mental health. Art therapy for adults reduces stress and anxiety, increases heart health, and increases self esteem and feelings of wellness. Childhood art activities have been found to increase release of oxytocin, a hormone that helps to reduce stress and increase wellbeing. This effect is especially true in children with autism.
For National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day, here are some ways that arts and crafts can help your child’s mental health. This post also offers soothing craft ideas for the children in your life.
So, how does art help children’s mental health?
It’s Relaxing
First, arts and crafts can help children relax and release stress. Art projects are associated with dopamine release, a hormone that makes one feel pleasure, satisfaction and motivation. At the same time, making art has been found to lower levels of cortisol, a stress hormone.
Part of this is the tactile component of most crafting. As we’ve written about previously, sensory input can be a calming focal point. Working with materials like fabrics, beads, and paint can be a tactile self-soothing experience. Physically handling durable materials like clay and playdough can also help release tension and anger in a healthy way.
Crafting can be particularly helpful for children who struggle with anxiety. An art project requires a participant to stay in the present and focus on completing small steps. Focusing helps block out intrusive thoughts and fears. On the other hand, art projects can be an outlet for overwhelming emotions. Expressing themselves through art can help children process what they’re feeling.
It Boosts Self-Esteem
Arts and crafts are a productive activity and result in hard evidence of what one has accomplished. Producing something creative can empower a child to view themselves as capable. Children can also grow their confidence by attempting new things. Often, they’ll discover that even if their end result isn’t perfect, they are more than capable of achieving their goal.
Once your child has finished their project, you can help them feel like a featured artist by displaying their masterpieces around the house.
It’s Fun!
Most of all, arts and crafts are just a fun way to spend an afternoon. They can be collaborative and social. On the other hand, crafts can make time alone feel productive and restorative rather than lonely.
Crafting Ideas for Mental Health Awareness Month
There are almost an infinite number of possible arts and crafts ideas. A quick Google search will provide parents and caretakers with a long list of excellent options curated for their child’s particular interests and abilities. Here, though, we provide a short list of craft options for better mental health options to get the ball rolling.
For children who need encouragement:
Craft kits provide a great option for children who do best with the support of instructions and a goal to work towards. Open ended crafting can be overwhelming for kids who don’t know where to start. Children who don’t think of themselves as artistic may be quickly discouraged if they aren’t given guidelines. So, kits that teach children how to weave baskets or provide ideas for using myriad art supplies are good training wheels until the child feels confident creating their own projects.
For children struggling with self-esteem:
Self-portraits are excellent opportunities for children to exercise autonomy and assert their self view in a creative way. Many famous artists created self portraits that announced how they saw themselves to the world. Self portraits give children the opportunity to look at themselves in a mirror and identify the features that make them unique. They can also lead to a conversation with your child about how their view of themselves might differ from how others see them. In a world where children are increasingly receiving messages about who they should be from social media, the introspective exercise of a self portrait can help them establish their own self-definition.
For children overwhelmed by daily stress:
Coloring books, the unsung hero of craft supplies, provide a soothing, simple outlet for children who are easily overwhelmed by their daily routines. If your child is tired or sad after coming home from school, giving them time alone to simply color can help them unwind before they tell you about their day or tackle their homework.
While these ideas are great for kids, adults benefit from creative outlets also. Find time to craft with the child in your life – because, ultimately, quality time is one of the best treatments for mental health.