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The Simple Wonders of Beading: A Relaxing and Educational Hobby
Beading is more than a mere pastime; its therapeutic, it’s a key to serenity and mental agility.
Did you know that approximately 1 in 5 people globally suffer from some type of mental health disorder at any given time?
This includes anxiety, depression, eating disorders, substance abuse which result in an over all global population mental health decline.
Our fast paced lifestyle does not benefit our overall well being.
It is important that we take into consideration our brain health and overall well being and do things that make us happy and calm our ever-moving minds.
Beading can bring us joy, sooth us, comfort us and provide anxiety relief.
Crafts like beading are good for just about everyone but can be especially beneficial for children with special needs. Whether it is a child who needs to spend an extended period of time in the hospital, a kid who is struggling to learn to write because they have trouble with fine motor skills or a little boy or girl who is struggling in school due to symptoms of ADHD, autism etc. beading can help.
Here are some of the benefits of beading in adults and children:
For Adults: A Stress Buster:
Adults find beading to be a therapeutic diversion, a welcomed pause that helps refocus thoughts and alleviate the pressures of everyday life.
Beading makes us feel happy, and when we as humans do things that make us feel good, our brains respond by releasing endorphins.
Endorphins are the very chemicals in our brain that reduce stress and promote happiness. Art therapy is also proven to help alleviate anxiety by reducing the stress hormone cortisol in our bodies.
For Children: Learning Through Play:
Children gain valuable life skills like numerical understanding, organizational abilities, and spatial awareness, all through the engaging act of beading.
The repetitive motion of the beading process is extremely beneficial to a child’s fine motor skills as it strengthens their small, growing muscles. The act of grasping both small and large beads repeatedly for a particular pattern involves many hand movements. These repeated movements can help develop and strengthen a child’s grip and hand dexterity, which can lead to improved writing and coloring skills at school
Encourages mindfulness and reduces stress and anxiety:
Picture yourself settling into a rhythm as you pass beads, each one helping to wash away stress. Studies back up this feeling of tranquility, with the American Journal of Public Health reporting that just 45 minutes of creative activity, such as beading, significantly cuts down stress for people of all skill levels.
Beading keeps our hands busy and our minds at ease. This exercise requires full focus and concentration on the task in front of us so it prevents our thoughts from wondering
Sharpens the Brain
Designing a beading pattern or selecting the perfect palette isn't only about aesthetics; it's a cerebral workout. These tasks boost problem-solving abilities and concentration, offering a delightful way to engage and exercise your mind.
Fine Motor Skills:
The delicate task of picking and threading beads is a proven way to enhance fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination, essential for people of all ages. This is particularly true for children, as a study from the Journal of Occupational Therapy in Early Childhood confirms, highlighting how beading activities support the development of these vital skills in youngsters.
Math Skills in Disguise:
For children, beading is a stealthy form of math education. They hone in on counting, sorting, and pattern recognition while fully immersed in play, often without even realizing they're learning core mathematical concepts.
Fosters Teamwork and Socialization:
Beading can be done in a group setting as well, allowing individuals to share ideas, stories and help one another out. In addition, it gives the individual the opportunity to provide each other with positive feedback and recommendations in design. Spending time with loved ones, such as your best friend, your better half, your children, your siblings. Sharing this activity with them can be an overall positive experience.
A Boost in Confidence
Finishing a beading project offers a profound sense of satisfaction, particularly empowering for children. It instills a sense of pride and self-confidence, as they see the tangible results of their creativity and diligence.
Adopting beading as part of your routine isn't just a relaxing venture, it’s a mentally stimulating and joyful activity. Supported by research highlighting its ability to relieve stress and foster developmental skills, beading is a hobby well-suited for anyone seeking a creative and fulfilling way to unwind.
Conclusion
If you are experiencing anxiety symptoms, feeling lonely or uninspired, and in need of a confidence boost, it is no secret that art is therapeutic and helps relieve our stress and gives us a boost of happiness. There are many studies on this very topic. Beading will help calm your mind and anxieties, and propel you to beautiful creations that you can delight in. Allow your imagination to run wild, grab your beading buddies and join one of our workshops and start creating!
Our workshops are offered on our website monthly, bring a friend or two or make it a family activity.