Drawing Empowers

Visual arts offer kids a safe, creative way to share their feelings and experiences without needing words. Through drawing, kids can visually represent their inner feelings, which fosters emotional awareness and self-expression. Drawing empowers kids by giving them control over how they express their personal stories, helping to level the playing field between them and adults. 

Drawing Boosts Confidence, Self-Efficacy and Fosters a Growth Mindset

Drawing helps kids develop self-confidence through repeated practice and mastery of new techniques. As learners progress in skills, they gain a sense of achievement, which boosts their overall self-efficacy, and indirectly teaches them practice yields results.

Drawing Develops Empathy and Social Awareness

When used as a collaborative tool, kids engage in reflection discussions about their work with peers and educators, discussing shared emotional experiences and finding common ground in their feelings. These community-building practices develop empathy and social awareness—two socio-emotional skills that are crucial for personal and interpersonal development.

Drawing Builds Emotional Regulation 

Drawing helps regulate emotions, reducing stress and anxiety. A 2021 study by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences highlights the calming effects of art-making on students, helping them navigate emotional highs and lows through creative expression​.

Drawing Supercharges Critical Thinking & Decision-Making 

Drawing exercises that involve observation—like still-life drawing or creative challenges—not only boost flexibility in thinking but also improve decision-making. These skills are central to social-emotional learning (SEL) because they help students think critically and make informed choices. Dr. Stana at OsloMet shows that drawing activates both sides of the brain, enhancing problem-solving skills and encouraging a healthy tolerance for mistakes—a crucial part of building resilience.