The Benefits of Educational Posters in Tamariki Bedrooms and Play Spaces.
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We all think our tamariki are smart little cookies and, of course, want to give them every opportunity we can to grow and learn. While there are plenty of educational toys, games, and apps out there to help them progress along the way, there’s one often-overlooked element that can have a profound impact on our kids’ development:
Wall Art!
Enhancing our children’s living and playing spaces with educational wall art and posters can have so many advantages. In this article, we highlight ten surprising reasons why wall art is beneficial for our tamariki and how it can contribute to their growth and progression.
Tahi – Promotes Learning and Development
Turning your blank wall space into another tool for teaching is a really simple yet effective way to help your tamariki learn fundamental concepts such as numbers, letters, and colour recognition. The wide range of posters out there presents an excellent opportunity to introduce tamariki to almost any topic while making the learning process fun and engaging.
For parents looking to support their child’s learning journey, educational posters and wall art can be an excellent tool for promoting development in a range of different areas!
Rua – Encourages Creativity and Imagination
Artwork such as vibrant illustrations and colourful images can be a great source of inspiration for children, encouraging them to create their own art/mess. Additionally, these images can prompt children to tell their own stories about what they see in the pictures, which can transport them to different worlds and evoke feelings of excitement and curiosity.
Creative outlets like drawing, painting, and storytelling also provide imaginative outlets for kids outside of their digital worlds and away from their screens – which I’m sure a few of us are guilty of using to babysit the kids for us.
You should also note that art can be a therapeutic and calming activity for children, especially those who may struggle with big emotions. Creating art can help them express them and their thoughts in a healthy way, which can lead to improved emotional regulation and overall well-being.
Toru – ‘Maorify’ their Environment
Creating a Maori inclusive whare for our tamariki by including Te Reo Māori wall art allows them to connect with their cultural heritage and helps them develop a sense of identity and pride in their whakapapa (genealogy).
Being surrounded by their language is also one of the best ways for our tamariki to learn it. This enables them to visually connect words and concepts together, while also enhancing their vocabulary and grammar skills by learning new kupu (words).
Everyday exposure to language normalises it and makes it easier for our tamariki to integrate it into their life and solidify it into their growing little brains, promoting fluency, understanding and comprehension.
Wha – Improves Cognitive Skills
Did you know that interacting with wall art and educational posters can have a positive impact on cognitive function? Here are some of the ways it can help:
- Enhances spatial awareness by improving their understanding of physical objects’ position in the world around them.
- Improves depth perception, making it easier to judge distances and relative positions.
- Develops perspective skills, including linear, colour, and atmospheric perspectives.
- Boosts memory retention and recall.
It can also improve their communication skills and provide them with a valuable outlet for expressing thoughts and emotions. Exposure to art can even enhance a child’s creative thinking and problem-solving abilities. By engaging with art, children can also develop their visual-spatial skills as they analyse and interpret the various components of each unique piece.
Rima – Fosters a Sense of Ownership
While our tamariki might be all too quickly growing out of their clothes, they are slowly growing into their own personality. Allowing them to help choose the art work or giving them their own space to decorate can empower them to be themselves and express their individuality.
As they are still ‘learning to person from scratch’ and figuring out what they are interested in and enjoy, it is important to provide them with a safe and comfortable environment where they can learn and grow. By allowing them to have control over their own personal space, they can develop their unique taste and style, which in turn can boost their self-esteem and confidence.
Ono – Provides Visual Stimulation
Wall art can provide visual stimulation for babies, toddlers, and kids, which is essential for their eye development. Displaying contrasting colours, shapes and patterns that capture a child’s attention trains their eye muscles to coordinate with their brains properly, and can also assist in teaching them to focus and increase their attention spans. It stimulates their sense of sight, increases their visual perception and develops their observation skills.
Whitu – Boosts Fine Motor Skills
Wall art can be a fun and effective way to promote the development of fine motor skills in kids, especially when paired with games and activities. Tamariki can improve their hand-eye coordination, grip strength, and dexterity by drawing, painting, and colouring what they see on their walls, which engages the small muscles in the hands and fingers.
Games that involve placing objects on a table under the poster and moving them around can help develop precision and accuracy.
For example, using our Ngā Tae – Colours in Te Reo Māori for Kids Poster, you could put some different coloured paper down and have the tamariki sort toys of the same colour onto the correct page.
Or use our Te Tinana (Tane) Maori Body Parts Poster to sing ‘Mahunga Pakihiwi’ and have the kids practice the actions by putting hands on heads, shoulders, tummy, hips and knees. You could even turn this into a game of Simon Says!
These types of games are particularly beneficial for tamariki who are still developing their fine motor skills. By carefully placing objects, and moving their bodies, children can improve their hand-eye coordination and spatial awareness. Additionally, these games can also encourage problem-solving and critical thinking, as children must sort the items correctly or place their hands on the correct body part. Overall, incorporating games like these into playtime can be a fun and effective way to support our kids learning journeys.
Waru – Develops their Cultural Awareness
Wall art and posters that are designed specifically for Māori and Polynesian tamariki can be a fun and engaging way to promote cultural understanding and appreciation in their young minds. By featuring both English and Māori, traditional symbols and patterns, tamariki can learn new words and phrases, expanding their vocabulary while also gaining exposure to their culture, language and traditions. The colorful designs and imagery can also spark curiosity and interest, encouraging tamariki to ask questions, learn more about the world around them and serve as a constant reminder of their rich heritage.
By surrounding them with meaningful visuals, tamariki are more likely to develop a sense of pride and belonging. The understanding of their roots helps them to grow into well rounded, confident little legends who have a deep love and respect for their background and whakapapa.
Iwa – Sparks Conversation and Discussion
Adding educational wall art to your child’s room not only promotes language learning, but can also spark conversation and discussion. Kids can ask questions about the meaning of the words, phrases or images they see depicted, while learning more about the world around them. Educational wall art can also inspire creativity and imagination. By incorporating colorful and visually appealing designs, children can become more engaged with their environment.
It can also draw guests attention when they visit and inspire conversation with visitors as they ask about the meaning or story behind each piece. This gives kids a further opportunity to practice the concepts depicted when they get to explain it to their guests.
Tekau – Adds Personality and Character to the Room
Empower your tamariki by allowing them to select their own artwork to adorn their walls. This will let them showcase their personality, interests, hobbies, favorite things, people, or characters. By visually representing and expressing themselves, they will gain a sense of independence and enjoy customising their room to their own taste and style.
Strategic placement of carefully chosen artwork can also create a focal point, make use of blank space, set the overall tone of the room, and promote a desired atmosphere. Art work can help to set a theme for the entire room, from Interstellar themed spaces for the aspiring astronauts to a jungle themed den for our little nature lovers, allow kids to really turn their rooms into a wonderland of their own creation helps them to build their identity.
We’ve got some inspiration boards set up already on Pinterest for you to check out and we’d love to hear your bedroom themes in the comments below!
Well, there you have it Whanau!
Who would have thought the power of wall art in our kids lives could be that beneficial? From fostering creativity and cognitive development to nurturing language skills and emotional well-being, it’s clear that wall art is much ‘moa’ than just decoration (unlike my kids taringas!).
By incorporating some pretty pictures into our kid’s living and playing spaces, we are providing them with a vibrant and stimulating environment that fuels their growth and curiosity; and we’ve made creating an inspiring, Maori inclusive environment at home that much easier for you with our range of thoughtfully designed, educational posters, made especially with tamariki in mind!
If you’re ready to empower your pēpi’s young mind through the beauty of educational art, check out our online store now to shop our unique range of poster prints today!