Art in a Child's Life

By Angela Gartner

Is your child always dancing to music or putting on theater performances for you in the living room? Does he or she spend hours working on coloring books while adding new dimensions to the pictures? Or, is your child fascinated with musical instruments in the toy box? If so, you might want to think about getting your child involved in an art program to expand on those interests.

Northeast Ohio has many programs that help children explore the arts outside the school system.

“Community arts fill a special niche,” says Brint Learned, executive director of Rabbit Run Community Arts Association in Madison. “They are a supplement to arts education in the local schools.”

According to local experts, art programs are specific to certain skills which take continual practice and determination to improve. Children in the arts typically do better in other areas because of the discipline involved in the arts.

Jeannie Fleming-Gifford, director of education for Fine Arts Association in Willoughby, suggests that the arts provides skills to work independently, be patient, resilient and to be able to make a commitment. In addition, involvement in the arts creates social skills, imaginative thinking and problem-solving skills.

The arts also develops skills in areas that will be helpful in lifelong learning.

"Arts supports the educational process because of the discipline a child learns,” Learned says. “When someone takes on the responsibility of (an art) lesson every week, that accountability carries over to their school work which is understanding commitment and follow-through.”

Children are ready to take part in an arts program if they are showing a passion for the arts early on or parents would like their children to explore an art subject. Parents may not understand how to equip their child with the tools necessary to succeed in art and look to programs in the area for help.

“(Parents may come in the center and say) their child has been drawing or painting at home, but the parents don’t know a thing about art and ask the center to help the child find his or her way in that discipline,” says Ed Gallagher, director of education and creative arts therapies at The Beck Center for the Arts in Lakewood

Most programs in the area provide a variety of art disciplines for children to explore. Places such as The Beck Center, Fine Arts Association and Rabbit Run provide art programs for each member of the family. In addition, class time commitments in these programs generally range from a half-hour to two hours per week depending on the discipline. Children and parents in these programs have to make a commitment like any other after-school activity to practice the skills outside the classroom.

“I think we all know when you really learn and grow is when you put the effort into it,” Learned says. “(Whether it is) voice or dance, outside work is involved. It is just not that one-time weekly lesson.”

The programs offer an opportunity for students to showcase their skills. Most have recitals, art displays and theatre performances that rotate during the year. These performances are open for the public to see.

“There are different opportunities to showcase their work with free performances to the public which is the right time to expose your child to music (or the other arts displayed),” Fleming-Gifford says.

In addition, these displays can help enhance a child’s appreciation of the arts.

“The arts are something we can do lifelong,” Gallagher says.

Faculty members in art programs are usually highly specialized and can be a great resource for students.

“Our faculty is very accessible for students and parents who want to talk about different career options in the arts,” Fleming-Gifford says.

Most instructors in these programs have extensive experience in the field they are teaching.

“Our faculty has a wide variety of college degrees. Some don’t have degrees but are working artists which gives a balance of life experience and book study for students,” Gallagher says.

Programs such as these are helpful to expose your child to the arts or expand their knowledge in a specific interest. In addition to these programs, parents can help to expand their child’s knowledge in arts education. Parents can be a model for their children.

"The best thing is for parents to model behavior,” Gallagher said. “The children don’t know if you are being a great singer, you are just being a great parent who is only going to encourage the kids and show them what can be done.”

By exposing your child to performances in the area or going to local art museums while having a discussion with your child about the artists will help them understand the value of art.

 Angela Gartner is a freelance writer who lives with her family in Northeast Ohio.