Art Therapy offers the child a pleasurable experience while opening an important avenue for defining himself as an individual while he is discovering his world. For the young child, art is a kinesthetic experience where he discovers different textural sensations, how his body moves and how his body connects with his growing world. Art materials act as a bridge connecting the child to his world. As the child grows, the art process provides experiences in--patterning, habilitative skill development, reaching developmental milestones and the appropriate expression of feelings and emotions. 

Art is one of the child's first forms of communication. While not yet able to communicate effectively through reading, writing or speech, the child discovers and expresses himself through the use of art materials. The art process affords the child an opportunity to control a part of his life. Art Therapy is a place to "fulfill symbolically both positive wishes and negative impulses, without fear of real consequences. He can learn to control the real world . . . relive past traumas . . . rehearse and practice for the future." (Rubin 1984)

Art Therapy plays an important part in preparing the child to read, write and communicate because it innately works with sensory integration, gross motor coordination, fine motor coordination, eye-hand coordination, visual/verbal communication, development of self-identity and behavioral change to reach its goal of individuation for the child.