Why do Children, and adults, love art?

During the last 14 years I've been teaching art to children, teens, and adults, I never came across a child, who did not like art. With adults, it's a different story. And teens are sort of in between as they slowly affirm their own identities.

You see when a teacher asks a kindergarten's class "who is an artist?", all of them will raise their hands. It's as they gradually get older that they lose the sense of their inner artist, their creativity, and their confidence as creators.

Before they grow up too fast, give them sponges, glazes, and let them create a mother or father's day gift worth millions... of keepsake memories, of invaluable time spent with your children or grandchildren, of priceless pictures, like the one below.

Just need to see what I'm doing here, that's why I climbed on the table. I am not afraid of creating.

As for the elementary kids age, from my observation, it's best to let them express themselves. When an adult interfere with the creation of a younger child, s/he thinks they need to do their design, painting, art project perfect and as a result will quickly become frustrated. I've seen parents take the kids' project out of their hands and continue the painting because they too feel the calming, soothing and creative process that art brings. The children in that situation will either sulk, start crying, or rebel. It is way more satisfying when both parents and children paint a ceramic piece each and talk about the kind of designs and colors they will use on their projects. It makes for happy parents and happy children as they relax, enjoy and create art, a therapeutic process for families.