How children can use drawing to regulate their emotions

ABSTRACT

Learning how to regulate emotions is a significant developmental milestone in a child’s life. It is important to understand which activities help children cope with emotionally distressing situations. One such activity, I argue, is drawing. In this article, I consider 2 ways in which drawing elevates mood in children: Drawing allows them to be distracted from their negative thoughts and feelings; or it allows them to express (and thus vent) their negative thoughts and feelings. Using drawing as a means of distraction proves more effective, perhaps because drawing to distract is more enjoyable and more absorbing than using drawing as a means of expression. Engaging in arts activities over many months not only increases positive emotions but also lowers stress as measured by cortisol levels. Taken together, this work demonstrates the important role that the arts play in children’s emotional lives.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional Resources

• 1. Silberstein-Storfer, M. (1997). Doing art together: Discovering the joys of appreciating and creating art as taught at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s famous parent-child workshop. Abrams Books.

Using methods taught in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s parent-child workshops, this book provides a comprehensive guide for making art with children of all abilities levels and ages. For each art lesson, step-by-step instructions and detailed illustrations are provided as well as suggestions for additional projects.

• 2. Art in Action website. https://artinaction.org/

Art in Action is a nonprofit organization that has developed visual-arts curriculum and lessons plans for grades K through 8 aimed at improving visual literacy, creativity, and self-esteem. Through a subscription, teachers can assess 12 comprehensive lesson plans for each grade and can receive training on how to implement the lessons. The web site also contains free lesson plans and resources for teachers.

• 3. Scott, F. L. (2021). Digital technology and play in early childhood. Encyclopedia of Early Childhood Development.

This article examines the often-controversial role that digital technology plays in children’s role. The author reviews research on which technologies children are engaging in, how they may differ from more traditional methods, and the possible implications of technology on children’s development.