We make a lot of art in our house. I keep a wide array of open-ended supplies available, and my boys have a space that they can work on their own projects (my toddler, with some help; my 6-year-old, mostly independently). While I frequently choose and set up supplies for my toddler, my older son has full creative control over his art experience, and he’ll help himself to whichever supplies will help him to bring his vision to fruition.

Why do we spend so much time on art? I think art is the primary thing that makes humans different from other animals. It’s a way to express ourselves that may not serve any purpose, reason, or value other than its own intrinsic beauty. Art is something carried out simply for its own sake, and as such is a way to step back and examine our lives through fresh eyes. Because of this, art helps to build perspective, and it reminds us that we can shape how we see the world as well as our own reality.

In addition to its benefits towards mindfulness, art aids in developing the brain itself. Art requires focus and concentration. It also develops life skills. Art, through developing the skills required for self-expression and communication, can aid us in interacting with the world we live in. Making physical art teaches us how to communicate visually. Whether we choose to document an actual experience or to portray our feelings in a more abstract manner, art allows us to convey things that we may not be able to express verbally. This is especially true for a child, who may not have the vocabulary to express some of the thoughts that go through his mind. Further, even for those of us who have facility with language, words cannot always fully convey an experience, thought, or feeling.

Art develops the right side of the brain. Expressing creatively engages a different part of our brains than the rational reasoning we frequently call upon. Self-directed art requires freethinking, imagination, a willingness to experiment, and a desire to express or show something.

Making art cultivates all sorts of important skills. Children develop fine motor skills as they manipulate an array of materials. In addition, art helps foster creative problem solving abilities. Children develop their own problem-solving skill sets as they explore ideas, test possibilities, and work through challenges. Whether they figure out how to mix a particular color through trial and error, discover why the glue they applied isn’t holding two objects together and then develop another way to keep the objects in place, experiment until they balance a mobile, or decide how to recover from an “oops,” it all takes thought. These processes enable all of us to see that problems often have more than one solution, and that unexpected outcomes can sometimes be wonderful surprises (That came out differently than I thought, but I like it!). Through this sort of hands-on creative process, children can discover for themselves why something occurs as well as how to make or accomplish a particular goal.

Because art is by its very nature subjective, people can make their own assessments of their process as well as of their final products. There is no absolute criterion for what something should look like or when it is complete. When people engage in open-ended art, they can create in their own way; this encourages their self trust and prompts them to rely on their own instincts and intuition, rather than simply following a set of prescribed rules.

When making art, people can express themselves without inhibitions. Art allows all of us to experiment with new ideas. Further, when children see positive outcomes from trying something different within an art context, it may help them to feel courageous enough to try out a new idea within another realm of their lives.

Art, like life, is often messy. Seeing that great beauty can arise from that mess is a lesson that’s worth learning. Whether it’s creating a physical work of art, writing a few words, singing a song, or simply expressing amazement at something gorgeous or touching, we all benefit from incorporating art, and through it the pure joy of expressing ourselves, into our lives on a daily basis.