Fine arts refers to the production of something creative, whether it be in the form of music, theater or visual arts. In this fast-paced society, where school curricula often focus on the basics, such as math and reading, and children spend recreational time in front of the television, computer or video games, arts education often gets overlooked. However, it is an essential part of a child's development.
Features
A comprehensive fine arts education should include art, music and theater. Studies in each of these disciplines should include history, methods and theory across many cultures. Children should be exposed to different genres of the arts, and given the opportunity to practice and to express themselves in many forms.
School Improvement
According to Americans for the Arts, exposure to art and music does more than just improve creativity. Children who receive regular exposure to the arts are four times more likely to be recognized for academic excellence, to participate in a math or science fair, and win an award for writing a poem or essay. These children are also three times more likely to be elected to a class office or to win an award for school attendance.
Other Benefits
Art and music have benefits that go beyond the classroom. They can be used as a springboard to develop and fine-tune other skills as well. Participation in the arts helps develops fine motor skills and manual dexterity. It develops sensory awareness and problem solving abilities, and is a calming activity that children can use as an emotional outlet.
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Citizenship
According to Americans for the Arts, young artists, when compared to their peers, perform community service and participate in youth groups more than four times as often. Children engaged in arts activities an average of nine hours a week are also less likely to engage in delinquent or truant behavior.
Brain Development
According to Life123, playing and listening to music does more than just instill an appreciation for music. Listening to music engages several parts of the brain. Just hearing a rhythm engages the brain on both the right and left sides, and hearing music helps the brain develop potential to learn more effectively. According to the Children's Music Workshop, brain studies show the development of more extensive neural connections in musicians than in those that to not receive a music education, and there also is a relationship between the study of music and improvement in math and in spatial-temporal relationships.
