As our children grow, they need well-rounded stimulation and exposure to various interests in order to become informed and educated adults later. Most children are taught to engage in sports, while their exposure to the arts may not be as intensive. As the daughter of a teacher who has taught the basics of art, dance, music and theater to children; I have an appreciation for what they have to offer. My life has been enhanced greatly by art and music, especially. If you are thinking about enrolling your child in afterschool programs, consider an art, music or dance class to get them started in the fascinating world of the arts. My mother's students through the 45 years she has taught have appreciated what they learned from her, and have come back at times to tell her so. The arts are meaningful and broaden your child's world tremendously.
For example, if you child wants to play an instrument, encourage this and find a tutor or enroll them in a class. Let your child choose an instrument then either rent one or buy a second-hand instrument until you know he or she likes it enough to get a new one. Music teaches discipline, and studies by experts claim that it can help with learning mathematics as well. Besides, music is a good outlet for children, and pulls them away from less educational pursuits like video games or chatting online. By stimulating your child's brain, you are allowing them to gain mastery of a subject. By sticking with lessons and completing them one-by-one, your child will gain in self confidence, too.
If your child loves to dance, there are courses at the arts or recreational centers in your community on ballet, tap or more. Sign up for a course in the topic he or she finds most interesting, and make sure to give encouragement as the courses progress. Dance promotes agility, grace and physical fitness. Install these interests early to set them up for interest in these disciplines as they mature. Go to the dance performance at the end of the course, and your child will be happy to know that you support all their hard work. It means a lot for them to see that you approve of what they are doing.
Art is most near and dear to my heart, as I am a trained illustrator. Let your child try a broad spectrum of different arts and crafts, so he or she can see what is most interesting to pursue further. For example, there are courses in pottery-making, drawing, painting, enamelling, sculpture and much more. I myself have taught children in drawing and painting, and they absorb what is taught to them like sponges when interested in the subject. Make sure to find a teacher who will make learning fun and give them positive encouragement. Many of my students have told me at the beginning, "I can't do this. I can't even draw a straight line." That doesn't matter, there is no right and wrong in creative art. It's the artist's creative license to do whatever he or she wants. My main concern with insecure students is to let them know that it takes time and practise, like in any branch of the arts, to become skilled. It doesn't happen overnight, no matter how talented you are. Then, I go ahead and teach them, project-by-project, to gain confidence and see that art truly is for them. Some of my students have taken off to create projects on their own, once they realized that perfection isn't expected of them. The pressure is off, and they can be free to enjoy whatever medium they like the most.
As a kid, my mother and father enrolled me in a wide variety of courses. As a shy child, it scared me at first, but even the courses I wasn't as interested in were educational to me. I took away from each course a little more knowledge and appreciation for what the pros have to do to become good at their craft. Though I didn't get into dance, I loved drawing, painting, music and pottery. And, trying different things pulled me out of my shell, making the shyness disappear later on.
I am a professional artist, my preferred style is realistic art, but I appreciate different disciplines unlike mine, such as impressionistic or abstract art. My mother teaches her young students to appreciate the Old Masters (painters like Van Gogh, Monet, Degas, etc.) every year, and they love it. Each child is taught to choose a painting they like, then try to paint it, using basic tempera paint. It is amazing how lovely the paintings can turn out, and every year she gets copies of the work before it goes home with the kids. Unbeknownst to these three to five year old children, classic training in painting includes copying the Old Masters further along in art education. Trying it early is invaluable, and there is no pressure to create a masterpiece, just in having fun and seeing how each child interprets the original painting. The kids love it, and work hard to do a good job, so they can go home and give it to their parents. A very worthwhile project.
Having grown up immersed in the arts myself, I truly encourage you to give your child exposure to them away from what they learn in elementary school. If they enjoy a certain branch of the arts, encourage it, and later as adults they will do this for their children in return. The arts make the world a prettier, more musical and interesting place. No time spent on learning them is wasted. So, go ahead and enroll them in a course after school. You won't be disappointed, and maybe you will open their eyes to a new passion to pursue. It's most definitely worth a try.
Carolyn McFann is a scientific and nature illustrator, who owns Two Purring Cats Design Studio, which can be seen at: http://www.cafepress.com/twopurringcats Educated at the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York, Carolyn is a seasoned, well-traveled artist, writer and photographer. She has lived and worked in Cancun, Mexico, among other interesting professional assignments in other countries. Clients include nature parks, museums, scientists, corporations and private owners. She has been the subject of tv interviews, articles for newspapers and other popular media venues.
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