12 Benefits of Exposing Your Children to the Arts

As school classrooms become more focused on math, science, reading and writing excellence, our children may be missing out on some of the most important skills they can learn—appreciation of and active participation in the arts.

Fine arts can include much more than drawing and painting. They include music and drama. They encompass many kinds of artistic expression such as working with clay, creating mosaics, three dimensional paper creations, puppetry and making mobiles. They include photography, cooking, flower arrangement—any activity in which self-expression bursts forth.

Children naturally love to engage in art projects. The creative process is motivating in itself—an invitation to create something unique. There isn’t just one answer in artistic endeavors, rather there are infinite possibilities. And that’s good for children.

Child development specialists tell us that the left hemisphere of the brain is used in logical thinking and analytical processes—basically our math, reading and science lessons. The right hemisphere of the brain is used in our emotional, intuitive and creative activities—artistic types of activities. Ideally our children need to develop both sides of the brain and the sides must work together for optimal learning success.

It’s not only beneficial to expose our children to the fine arts, it’s fun. And you might be surprised at the learning that takes place while a child paints or molds playdough or plays the part of Peter Rabbit in a simple play.

Here are 12 benefits of engaging in artistic projects:

  1. Children will improve their fine motor skills. Handling paintbrushes, drawing with a pencil, cutting safely with scissors, all these require precision. Correct placement of fingers on piano keys, learning to play a scale, and strumming a guitar all build motor skills.
  2. Language skills are enhanced. Children learn a whole new vocabulary when they enter the world of the arts. They learn names of famous painters, color and shape words, they learn to describe the items in their drawing and identify various artistic processes such as shading, adding focal points and concepts such as perspective.
  3. Visual-spatial skills are developed. Children learn how to place items on a piece of paper, how to connect pieces of a three dimensional work, and how to move their clay into the shape they desire.
  4. In art appreciation, children will learn about the vast diversity found in artistic expression around the world. They’ll build cultural awareness as they compare African masks with those created by Alaskan natives.
  5. Decision making will develop. In creating any piece of art, there is a series of decisions made. What color, what shape, how big or small? Should I use watercolor or tempera? Art lends itself to experimentation that can spill over into creativity in other areas of life.
  6. Children who sing, act or create art learn to express their feelings either with or without words. They learn to express themselves in many different ways.
  7. Children who might tend to be shy or fearful develop confidence when taking part in the arts. Singing with a group, reciting a poem with classmates, taking a chance on the bright purple paint all work together to build confidence in the decisions they make.
  8. Because there is not just one way to create, children in the arts learn to embrace multiple points of view. If ten children draw the same apple, there will be ten different apples. And that’s okay.
  9. Art helps children learn to observe, describe, analyze and interpret. These critical thinking skills will be necessary in academic subjects such as math, science and writing.
  10. Children in the arts will learn to reflect on a project and see ways to improve or change. They will envision how they might say a line or how they might project their voice in the next performance. They’ll brainstorm ways to sculpt the clay so it looks more like a giraffe the next time.
  11. Children learn collaboration. Working in a singing group, acting a part in a play or working on a class mural are all projects that require communication, shared goals and working side by side to achieve those goals.
  12. Children who participate regularly in the arts have been found to achieve better grades and win more awards than those children who don’t have that luxury. (As reported in a ten year study by Shirley Heath of Stanford University.)

Providing experiences for your children in the fine arts can be as simple as supplying an art corner in your family room. It can be singing songs together or reading poetry aloud. You can make homemade playdough or use old socks to make puppets. It doesn’t have to cost money or take a lot of time.   

You may also choose to enroll your children in music lessons, art lessons or drama classes. You may take them to local art museums and introduce them to folk art, sculpture or oil paintings. Whatever efforts you make to expose your children to the arts will pay off in their motivation, expertise and joy in creative learning.

So get artsy with it and watch your children bloom.

Related:

Visual & Hands-On Arts Opportunities for Kids

Music, Dance & Performing Arts

Enrichment Classes for Kids 

Winter and School Break Camps

 

 

Share This Story

Jan Pierce, MEd, is a retired teacher and freelance writer who specializes in parenting, education and family life. She is the author of Homegrown Readers: Simple Ways to Help Your Child Learn to Read.

Our Daily Things to Do email is the easiest way to plan your day.
Follow Us
 
Want daily ideas of things to do? How about special offers & giveaways? Sign up and we’ll handle the rest.
Things to Do

Easter Egg-Citement at Eckert's
Friday, March 29, 2024
Saturday, March 30, 2024

Hop on down the bunny trail and fill your basket with fun! Eckert’s Annual Egg Hunt includes animals for petting, tractor rides around the farm, planting seeds to take home, ice a cookie, gifts from the bunny, and a free photo scene with the Easter Bunny. 

View this event »
Water Waddlers Indoor Drop-In Swim

Stop in and have some fun in the indoor pool at the Lodge of Des Peres with your little one at this drop-in swim time for kids up to age 6. No pre-registration is needed; Water Waddlers is open to residents and non-residents of Des Peres.

View this event »
Spring Training Sea Lion Shows at the Saint Louis Zoo
Friday, March 29, 2024
Saturday, March 30, 2024

See the amazing sea lions at the Saint Louis Zoo perform for the crowd and cheer them on from the bleachers as the popular Sea Lion Spring Training Shows return. You'll see these beautiful animals perform flipper walks, ball balancing, Olympic-style dives on a high-diving platform, lots of splashing and even more surprises! 

View this event »
You Might Also Like...

From Our Sponsors
Popular Stories

COCA Ignites Creativity and Sparks Fun for Kids of All Ages, All Summer Long

Stroll along the Walk of Fame in the Delmar Loop, and you’ll spot the playwrights, actors, and artists who got their start in St. Louis, from Tennessee Williams and Katherine Dunham, to Tina Turner and John Goodman. Just a few steps away and around the corner, a new generation of Gateway City superstars will discover their love for the visual and performing arts this summer.

Continue reading »
Farmer's Market Make Great Family Outings! Here is Your 2024 Guide to Farmers Market Across the St. Louis Area

A trip to the farmer’s market is a fun outing for the entire family – and it can be educational too. Make plans to visit one (or several) of these top St. Louis farmers’ markets this spring and summer, so that you and your kids can learn more about where your food comes from and indulge in some of the freshest, seasonal produce the St. Louis region has to offer. Plus, many of these markets offer activities just for kids, feature food trucks, welcome dogs, and more.    

Continue reading »
Life Lessons Learned at Overnight Camp

With the perfect blend of adventure and responsibility, camp life teaches kids valuable lessons they can use for the rest of their lives. If you send your child to overnight camp, here are some life lessons they are likely to learn.

Continue reading »
Spring Break Camps Offer a Variety of Activities for Kids and Teens in St. Louis

Excitement is building for summer and the wide variety of summer camp experiences available for kids in the St. Louis metro area. But first! Spring break is around the corner, and there are plenty of Spring Break camps now enrolling. 

Continue reading »
10 Reasons Your Teen Might Love to be a Camp Counselor

Day or sleepaway summer camp is the perfect place for teens to transition to the world of the employed. The paycheck is nice, but being a summer camp counselor has other rewards, too.

Continue reading »
Follow Us