Art is a universal language. It’s joyful. It’s inclusive. It knows no boundaries. When children make art, they experience the unique satisfaction and joy that making art offers.

Our right brain thinkers are going back to school, to an environment that often leaves them feeling inadequate and unsuccessful. Art has the power to help them feel amazing and capable of great things. It has the power to take them to places that only exist in their heads right now. It gives them the ability to get those great innovative ideas, that are constantly flashing around in their minds, onto paper and into the world.  

Of course, art isn’t just beneficial for right brain thinkers. All kids can benefit from the engagement of the whole brain that participating in the arts can produce. Sometimes, left brain thinkers can get caught up in the details of how to do something and miss the big picture of why it is important. Art has the power to jump start the conceptual, big picture parts of their brains too. It can help them think about the possibilities outside the sequential, detail filled box. It is our duty as parents and educators to give our kids the tools that they need to be successful in a world that desperately needs unique ways of thinking and problem solving.

Art can help our kids see other viewpoints and get in touch with what they are feeling. By studying art from other cultures and time periods, kids gain empathy for the situations of other people and an understanding of cultures different from their own.

All kids need art class. They need to dig in, get messy, express and explore themselves and the world around them. They need it to develop their minds and share ideas. I encourage you to celebrate the art programs in your school and your community and know that you are providing adventures and opportunities that are impacting your children in powerful ways.