The Benefits of Art on Children's Mental Health
- Gabrielle Wood
- Sep 7, 2023
- 4 min read
Updated: Jul 5, 2025
Art is so good for children for many reasons. But here at Bundabubs, we believe that art is particularly good for children's mental health. Which, is a high priority for most of us parents!
So what are the benefits of art on children's mental health?
Freedom to express themselves
Children who are suffering with anxiety, who regularly get caught up in all of the dos and dont's of daily life, need an outlet for their feelings. Anxiety can build up and cause children to retreat, to feel badly about themselves and to stop wanting to do things they would normally want to do.
So how does doing art help with that?
Generally the practise of doing art has no rules. There isn't anything that children can "get wrong". With paper and a pencil they can escape the real world and delve into their creative brains to release their inner emotions, thoughts and feelings.
The sensory nature of making art, whether it is painting, drawing, using glue, is all very hands on. Children have to present in the moment of creating which benefits their mental state because they aren;t thinking about anything else.
The Doing Is The Important Bit.
The act of painting, the actual physical act, can immediately calm their nervous systems and bring them to a place of peace. The freedom this brings, to creatively express themselves - without any judgement or rules, means that children can have the freedom to explore how art can make them feel and tune in to what is going on inside. Children can communicate feelings and emotions through art which otherwise may go unnoticed. This has the knock on effect of alerting adults around them to the fact that something might be wrong.
Self Esteem Booster
Due to the very nature of art, it can boost children's self esteem. Big claim right?! But this is because they as soon as children start creating, their brains are going fro one good decision to the next. They are problem solving, choosing what works and what doesn't and making a piece of art that they are proud of. Which boosts their confidence in themselves therefore boosting self esteem.
At Bundabubs our art play classes are designed to allow children to take the lead on the artwork they want to create.Allowing them to feel like they are achieving and being successful more often than feeling like they can't do it or it is too hard. When we set them up in this way, it opens them up to trying new things, stepping out of their comfort zone and feeling more confident in their own ability.
We love to see the shine that comes through when children are actively creating something.
As I always say, "the doing is the important bit."
Mindfulness
At Bundabubs we spend a lot of time creating a space where children feel safe to create. We want our environment to be relaxed, cosy and comfortable. This not only gives children a sense of peace as soon as they walk in, but it also encourages them to work in a mindful and calm way. Don't get me wrong, there is excitement and high jinx too but at the core of everything is creating the right environment for everyone to succeed.
We always start with everyone doing a painting activity because it brings the calm. It also encourage them to tap into mindfulness as it is a solo activity where they are making decisions for themselves. We find that this is the best way to start because it enables children to settle in, realise they are in a safe place for creating and just start. This then leads to improved their concentration, learning to trust themselves and becoming more independent. Something we love to see!
Our favourite reason of all...
Wondering
My number 1 benefit of art for children's mental health is that it occupies your mind away from daily life and opens it up to wondering. Moments of wonder can trigger a change in our perspective. To go from negative thoughts to positive thoughts. This is where the magic lies.
In our world of more screentime and less outdoor play, children are having less time to wonder.
But what is wondering in relation to art?
Wondering is all about being curious and inquisitive. It gives you the chance to be more open to exploration and learning. Learning new skills of reflection, questioning and problem solving. When we wonder, we are actually tapping into childlike curiosity and joy. Without art, children could be missing out on this inherent state.
One of my favourite things about our classes is how we foster wondering.
We start off simply by thinking of all the things we've seen recently that inspired us. Maybe it's a beautiful illustration from a picture book or a mural we saw in the city. Or even a funny cartoon. Everything we see in the world is inspiration and we love to see children using thier real world experiences to inspire their creations.
By opening our minds up in this way, we are then able to open up our minds to thinking outside the box, wondering, imagining, envisioning and analysing. Skills we need to be an artist, which lead to new possibilities and ideas, and to creative thinking. Then to risk taking The more time that kids have to wonder, the more their imaginations turn into creative thoughts and ideas which they can put into action. Literal magic!!
Have you ever watched a child wonder?
It is so special. Seeing ideas spark as they take their time looking at their surroundings. Then tentatively exploring, putting ideas into practise. Gaining confidence to try out new ideas. Living completely in the present moment and envisioning something they've never thought of before.
I would LOVE to hear your thoughts on this, and if you have any others to add! Tell me in the comments, it would be great to chat!
We know all too well that carving out precious time to do arts and crafts in everyday life isn't always possible. This is where we come in!
Our art classes are specifically designed to give children the time and space to wonder, explore & imagine and create art work they are proud of. They learn to envision & trust their instincts; skills they can take with them into their everyday life.
See our latest art classes and services at www.bundabubs.com.au
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