Nearly every study that has been done on children’s participation in the arts has indicated a strong positive correlation between involvement in the arts and social behavior. Some have gone further to suggest that academic achievement is improved as well. Whether or not one credits these studies, one thing seems clear: The arts offer experiences that allow children to connect to their imaginations as they also connect to others in their community.
In San Diego there are countless arts programs for children. Arts organizations, both large and small, are deeply committed to providing young people with exposure to, and training in, the arts. Not a week goes by without a theater, museum or other arts organization providing some kind of activity for young people. At the Old Globe, we continue to offer free student matinees of many of our main stage productions to tens of thousands of students throughout San Diego County and to provide a great variety of in-school theater and literacy programs.
However, as plentiful and enriching as these experiences are, they cannot substitute for ongoing arts programs in our schools. Exposure to the arts shouldn’t just be relegated to special events in a child’s life; rather, they should be present every day in school. If the arts are not part of our children’s educational experience, they will not have the frame of reference or understanding that is so important as they become fully realized human beings. Humans are made up of mind, body and spirit. The arts offer all three. We think, we move, we create.
I urge you to get involved with your child’s school. Familiarize yourself with the variety and frequency of arts programs and the expertise of the individuals teaching these programs. I would also argue that the arts are essential to a complete education, and we must do everything in our power to maintain these courses as a daily part of the core curriculum.
And include the arts in your family’s life. Take your children with you to a play, a concert or a museum. The opportunity to discuss what you’ve experienced together is priceless, and your children will value what you have shared with them.
When I worry about the future of theater, I remind myself that on any given day in backyards and family rooms, children are making up stories and putting on make-believe productions to delight themselves and their friends. Children have an instinctive need to create what they imagine and, most importantly, share it with others.
Let’s take our cue from the kids and give them a hand.