Playing Diamond Painting and Listening to Music : An Enggaging Way to Stimulate Children’s Fine Motor Skills
Playing Diamond Painting and Listening to Music: An Engaging Way to Stimulate Children’s Fine Motor Skills
Oleh : Lukius Wartawan ASWIN Jombang
Playing diamond painting is a fun and relaxing activity where small diamond-like beads are attached to a canvas or board with a specific pattern. Some materials needed for this activity include a diamond painting canvas or board, small diamond beads, and a placement tool. To play, choose a diamond painting canvas or board, check the pattern and colors you want to create, pick the diamond beads according to the color, and then stick them onto the canvas using the placement tool. On the other hand, listening to music is an enjoyable and educational activity for children. It can involve singing along, playing musical instruments, dancing to the rhythm, or making body movements in sync with the music. Fine motor skills refer to the ability to perform small, precise, and controlled movements using fine muscles, such as grasping and releasing objects, writing, drawing, playing musical instruments, and more. The benefits of diamond painting and listening to music include stimulating children’s fine motor skills by enhancing hand and finger coordination, developing fine motor skills, improving focus and attention, fostering creativity and patience, as well as reducing stress and anxiety. These activities can also be particularly beneficial for children with certain conditions such as ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder), Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, fine motor skill disorders, emotional spectrum disorders, or trauma and post-traumatic stress. The ideal age for music therapy is 3-12 years, while diamond painting is suitable for children aged 5-12 years. According to Nurmawati S. Lataima, a lecturer at STIKes William Booth who has researched the combination of diamond painting therapy and music therapy on the fine motor skill development of preschool-aged children, the study found a significant positive impact of these therapies on children’s fine motor skill development. “By combining diamond painting and music therapy, it is hoped that children’s fine motor skill development and overall growth can become more optimal,” said Nurmawati. “Diamond painting and music therapy can be carried out at school or at home with parental guidance,” she concluded.