Babies & ToddlersKidsPre-SchoolPrimary School

How your child can benefit from pottery lessons

Clay is a malleable material that children can easily manipulate, using their fingers as direct extension of their imagination.

Your child’s adorable purple turtle from pottery class represents more than just a unique art form. There are so many benefits of pottery for children, from increasing their self-esteem to enhancing their motor abilities.

Pottery clay’s relaxing properties

Pottery clay can hold a child’s attention for hours. Even energetic children might become enthralled by clay and concentrate on a single masterpiece. The medium’s relaxing characteristics keep them interested while their imagination takes over.

Increasing creativity

When your child chose purple paint for the turtle instead of the conventional green, they were being creative. Although you are unlikely to discover a purple turtle in your local pond, pottery teaches children to think “outside the box”.

Clay is a forgiving art form that is easy to handle for little fingers. Children immediately learn that their mistakes can be rolled back into a ball and restarted.

Developing motor skills

Pottery lessons can help children develop their motor skills by allowing them to use their arm, hand, and finger muscles. They will realise that their hands can be strong tools as they learn how to control the clay.

Another benefit related to motor skills that parents may see occurs outside of pottery class. Penmanship can be improved by working with clay. Hand-eye coordination abilities learned in pottery class can also be transferred to schoolwork in the form of more legible writing.

Enhancing sensory development

A pottery class engages the senses of scent with clay and paint, sight with artwork, and touch with clay. Most pottery classes allow children to create and learn at their own pace. Children make art based on their developmental phases, and the safe environment of a pottery class allows them to express themselves freely.

Increasing self-esteem

After making a vase in pottery class, a child’s bright smile is endearing. Although the vase may be uneven and only painted on one side, your child has created something unique and is proud of it.

Because children have control over their crafts and may see results fast, pottery classes can boost your child’s self-esteem.

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I'm an experienced writer, sub-editor, and media & public relations specialist with a demonstrated history of working in the media industry – across digital, print, TV, and radio. I earned a diploma in Journalism and Print Media from leading institution, Damelin College, with distinctions (Journalism And Print Media, Media Studies, Technical English And Communications, South African Studies, African & International Studies, Technology in Journalism, Journalism II & Practical Journalism). I also hold a qualification in Investigative Journalism from Print Media SA, First Aid Training from St John’s Ambulance, as well as certificates in Learning to Write Marketing Copy, Planning a Career in User Experience, and Writing a Compelling Blog Post. More »
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