How children can use drawing to regulate their emotions

Abstract

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.