With Life skills becoming an important component in the primary school curriculum, more parents are giving their children a head-start by choosing activities that help them develop these qualities – like craft sessions.
Thanks to the advent of technology and globalization, the world is progressing at a rapid pace. This means that it is now crucial for the new generation of Singaporeans to be more than academically adept.
To be able to harness the forces of the future, they must also be equipped with skills and values that will ready them for life. Chief among these are self-confidence, an eagerness for learning, and excellent communication abilities, all of which are attributes handy for working in teams and across cultures.
They are part of what has been defined as ‘life skill” by the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef). It refers to a large group of psychosocial and interpersonal skills which can help people make informed decisions, communicate effectively, and develop coping and self-management skills that may help them lead a healthy, productive life. Life skills may be directed toward personal actions and actions towards others, as well as actions to change the surrounding environment to make it conducive to health.
Research has shown that crafts are an effective way to impart life skills. Whether the session involves making a charm bracelet, a clay figurine, or a mosaic photo-frame, its informal setting allows kids to develop a variety of skills and apply them on practical and everyday tasks.
For starters, children are allowed to interact and socialize with their peers and learn about teamwork, sharing and cooperation. They also get to hone the ability to concentrate on a task at hand and their determination to see the project to completion. As a parent-child bonding activity, crafts add excitement and enjoyment as it helps strengthens the relationship. All this will enhance the kids’ learning capabilities in the long run, so they can grow up to become well-adjusted, healthy and responsible adults.
This article is courtesy of Holiday Fun! Magazine.