Kids who doodle, finger paint, or design bead jewelry aren’t just making art—they’re boosting their brainpower.

Making a masterpiece—or just a stick-figure drawing—is actually a problem-solving project for kids: First a child looks at the materials and decides what they want to make and how they’ll make it. Then they’ll engage motor skills by manipulating tools to make and adjust their art until they’re happy with their creation … or not. (Dealing with disappointment is good life practice too.)

Creating art can even make your child a kinder friend. Neurologists have found that creating art at least once a week can increase introspection and empathy because the act strengthens the brain’s default mode network, regions that are active when thinking