SALT LAKE CITY — The arts have a compelling and lasting influence on children. Multiple studies correlate exposure to the arts with smart and successful children. So, what are the best ways to have an arts-filled home?

It wasn’t until I was an adult that I realized how weird my childhood was.

We listened to and played all types of music, especially classical. We had a room in which the main feature was an organ. Classic pieces of art — like "Blue Boy" by Gainsborough and "Two Young Girls at the Piano" by Renoir — adorned our walls. These gave me an introduction to the world and a thirst to discover more. Later, when I saw these original paintings in museums, it was like meeting old friends.

How do the arts benefit children?

Classic or creative arts, music, drama, and dance all have been shown to increase a child’s cognitive abilities.Additional findings report those who are active in the arts also have higher GPAs. A study published by the University of Kansas found that “students in elementary schools with superior music education programs scored around 22 percent higher in English and 20 percent higher in math scores on standardized tests, compared to schools with low-quality music programs.”

If you need more convincing, SAT scores for students who studied the arts for four years were 103 points higher than students with no course work or experience in the arts.

How to have an arts-filled home

You don’t need to start hanging van Goghs and Monets on your living room walls to bring the arts into your home. However, the first rule is this: It has to start with you. Don't just leave it to the schools. If you don't initiate or provide the materials and setting, your child will probably not become an artist on his own.

Ideally, it’s best to start young. If you wait until your child is 16, it will be like giving her shrimp and lobster to eat for the first time. Blech.

Listen to music while pregnant and continue thereafter. Recently, I laid my fussy grandson across my chest and began singing (I was grateful there were no music critics in the room). He immediately calmed down and fell asleep. Turn off the TV and turn on music when getting kids up and ready for school in the morning, or during the “witching hour” before dinnertime. In my family, we have a no-TV rule on Sundays; it's a music-only day. Once a week, our house turns into a more sacred space just by changing the environment.

When appropriate, parents may consider having their child learn to play an instrument, sing in a choir, or engage in some other art form like poetry, photography or visual art. Learning a skill will teach them discipline, attention span, time management and give them increased social opportunities and cognitive growth.

My three brothers played basketball and are very musical. You can imagine how rare it was to see a 6-foot-8 athlete playing the organ. I warned you we were a weird family! My oldest brother is now over 50 and his bad knees don’t keep up with basketball, but he continues to enjoy his hobby of music and teach it to his children.

Where to fill your home with art

Families who facilitate a love of art know how, when and where to encourage creativity. Here are five simple ways I have fostered creative arts while raising my five children:

1. Craft drawer. Keep a container, shelving unit, drawer, and/or child-sized table and chairs stocked in a central location with materials that are kid friendly. Add new materials to keep it fresh. Keep it organized and inviting.
2. Traditions. Rather than store-bought cards, encourage your child to make birthday or get-well cards. Deliver handmade Christmas and Valentine’s cards to neighbors and friends. Even a Hallmark card can be personalized with a poem on the inside. Create banners for announcing “Welcome home” or “Congratulations.” Let your child decorate his or her bedroom for the holidays.
3. Save “trashables.” Keep a box of open-ended recyclables like empty boxes, egg cartons, toilet and paper towel rolls, aluminum foil, twist ties and drink containers to build 3-D models, robots, etc. Appliance boxes become play houses, rocket ships, tunnels, cars and restaurants with a little paint and imagination. Invite friends, as it often lengthens the time spent and increases creativity and conversation.

Related

'Read it again, Mom!' Enhancing the parent-child reading experience

When my mother comes to visit her young grandchildren, she packs her suitcase with children's picture books. Guess what the grandchildren look forward to do with grandma as they curl up together on the couch?

1. Change the venue. Art doesn’t always happen on the kitchen table. Buy water-soluble colorful foams and paints for the bathtub, chalk up the sidewalk (add music and make a video like my daughter did years ago), collect natural collage materials at the park, or use the backyard fence as your easel.
2. Make it a reward. Instead of rewarding your child with a tooth-decaying sucker or ice cream, why not give them a brain-boosting book to read together? Children’s picture books are illustrated by some of today’s greatest artists, and poetry for youth can be a delight to read together. Comic book graphic art can be a huge reward and an entry point for a reluctant youth. When you plan a trip to another country or city, make time to visit a museum or a cultural program. For a birthday or Christmas present, buy a pair of season tickets to the opera, ballet or symphony or theater. My kids never clapped their hands in rapturous delight when we took them to a concert, but pairing the evening with a restaurant of their choice or a treat afterward helped them associate the arts with something delicious. So parents: do you want a smart and successful child? Consider putting down flash cards and picking up a musical instrument, a paintbrush, or an illustrated book. The arts have a compelling and lasting influence on children.

Julie K. Nelson is a mother, wife, professor, author of "Keep It Real and Grab a Plunger: 25 tips for surviving parenthood" and "Parenting With Spiritual Power," and is a contributor on radio and TV. Her website is www.aspoonfulofparenting.com.

Related topics