The benefits of exposing your kids to arts & culture at a young age

Sometimes we leave education to the schools that our kids attend, which isn’t necessarily the best approach. While schools do a good job at teaching technical aspects of subjects, there are so many areas that aren’t addressed in most education systems. For example, a child may be learning a language, such as French, and not being educated on the culture or history of the country where this is the people’s native tongue. Similarly, kids should be made, to some extent, to engage with subjects such as music, drama and dance.

Such subjects are in their own way just as important as maths and the sciences. If children aren’t thoroughly exposed to arts and culture throughout their prime period of development, it is likely that a good deal of potential talent will go to waste, and never be realised. So for the sake of the next generation of painters, ballerinas, award winning directors and open-minded and culturally aware human beings, let’s not forget to introduce our children to this beautiful part of the human experience.

There is an abundance of pop culture lacking in diversity

In today’s day and age, children can grow up listening to music and watching videos with highly questionable morals. To balance this out, it’s a great idea to expose them to art, music and movies from different times. Without this, they are likely to have a very one-track view of the world. They should constantly be exposed to different opinions, ways of seeing life and people from different backgrounds. Besides travel, the easiest way to do this is through exposure to a variety of art forms. There’s nothing wrong with being immersed in popular culture, as long as there is a healthy diet of other ideas and opinions scattered into their brains as well. You can also pick and choose what you would like to expose them to and which ages, or stages of development at which to do so, bearing in mind that watching and listening to things is a form of subliminal messaging, and they will unconsciously be shaped by these experiences.

They will be more likely to get involved in creative & artistic activities

Kids who are exposed to creative and artistic pursuits outside of just school subjects are more likely to engage in such endeavours themselves. If not introduced to the likes of these pathways, they are unaware of various hobbies (which could one day materialise into potential career options), and may be able to develop their creativity far beyond the level it would otherwise have been at.

How early is too early?

Many believe there’s no such thing as beginning too soon. Some people even sing or read to their babies while they are still pregnant with the growing foetus. Although it may sound crazy to you, there are studies that show positive effects of doing so on the resulting baby. Definitely begin reading and singing to your little one while they are still an infant. Feed your baby comfortably in a nursing chair and perhaps have some soothing music playing in the background. Cots are really convenient as you can lay your toddler or young child down to nap, and read them a story as they nod off to sleep. Who knows, maybe you have the next Whitney Houston or Ernest Hemingway on your hands?

A fantastic outlet from academic stresses

We often hear awful stories of children who get extremely anxious and stressed out at school – and frequent exposure to other activities of a different nature can definitely help to alleviate some of the pressure they feel throughout their youth.

Learning a language (that they aren’t assessed on), taking a trip to the local museum or watching a theatre performance are all great examples of how to do so. You may find your child grows to have a maturity about them unlike those who only engage in screen-based entertainment (ipads, televisions, phone games, Xboxes etc.) and thus tend to have shorter attention spans.

The benefits are endless and the implementation is easy. Some kids may engage in such activities with excitement and interest right off the bat, while others may have to be coaxed into it. Either way it’s good for them have some exposure to various forms of arts and culture, through performances, galleries, festivals and the list goes on. You’ll undoubtedly find something that takes their fancy. It’s imperative for a well-rounded education, childhood experience and to discover aptitude and talents you never knew they had.

By Monisha Iswaran
Content Writer at MyDeal.com.au