Experts state that a child working on any hand skill gradually increases and develops their focus and attention skills, as well as their capacity to sustain these skills. When a child completes a handicraft, they both enjoy the satisfaction of completion and strengthen their self-efficacy.
Child Development Specialist Dr. Lecturer Pınar Demir Asma noted that it is possible to involve children in almost all daily routine tasks at home, and said, “A child can perform tasks such as making their bed, cooking, preparing breakfast, creating a shopping list, or growing plants under adult supervision.”
Dr. Lecturer Pınar Demir Asma, Deputy Head of the Child Development Department at Üsküdar University Faculty of Health Sciences, discussed the development of hand skills in children.
Handicrafts made at school and at home contribute to children's mental development
Dr. Lecturer Pınar Demir Asma noted that the development of hand skills in children is very important because it offers an enjoyable option to support a child's development in many other aspects, in addition to physical development. She said, “Handicraft activities done at school and at home provide support and teach skills to children in various ways. The synchronized movement of the hand and eye strengthens hand-eye coordination. Two hands working in coordination activate different areas of the brain. This creates various new mental connections, which contributes to the child's mental development.”
A child working on hand skills improves focus and attention skills
Dr. Lecturer Pınar Demir Asma also stated that a child working on any hand skill gradually increases and develops their focus and attention skills, as well as their capacity to sustain these skills, and continued:
“A sense of responsibility develops. Continuing a half-finished handicraft that they couldn't complete today in the same way tomorrow contributes to the development of the child's sense of duty. When a child completes a handicraft, they both enjoy the satisfaction of completion and strengthen their self-efficacy. Seeing materials of different colors, shapes, and sizes while doing handicrafts also lays the foundation for a child's mathematical skills. A child imagining and creating any new handicraft product they desire using different papers, materials, colors, and shapes supports their creativity skills.”
Children can create the shopping list
Dr. Lecturer Pınar Demir Asma, who also addressed the issue of children doing chores at home, said, “It is important for a child to do chores at home as well. Because home is the environment where the child feels safest and most comfortable. It is possible to involve the child in almost all daily routine tasks at home. A child can perform tasks such as making their bed, cooking, preparing breakfast, creating a shopping list, or growing plants under adult supervision. Being able to perform all these tasks provides many benefits to the child, such as developing a sense of responsibility, creating order, self-worth, self-care skills, and acquiring social skills, thus contributing to preparing the child for life.”
Parents should be good role models for their children
Dr. Lecturer Pınar Demir Asma pointed out that there are certain points families should pay attention to while children are doing chores. She concluded by saying, “The family should present all these not in a coercive way, but by gamifying them and presenting them within a game. Because the child's language of communication is play. In choices and preferences made in household chores, the child's independent decision-making should be supported, and their creativity and ideas should be respected. This will support the child's ability to make decisions and take responsibility independently. After completing chores, the child should be appreciated and valued, and criticism should be avoided. Finally, parents should not discriminate based on gender in children's participation in chores, should adopt an egalitarian attitude, and parents themselves should be good role models for their children.”