n a highly competitive world that places a huge premium on easily measured achievements, creative arts are sometimes considered an extra for which there is not enough time or money. However, experts believe that this thinking is dated since research indicates that the arts can provide important benefits to brain development and learning alongside traditional academics. The Benefits of Childhood Exposure to the Arts: Enhanced Development, Academic Performance, and Self-Confidence Teachers have always intuitively known that the arts increase academic performance, behavior, and attendance. And recent brain research confirms that the arts boost memory, intellectual curiosity, and self-esteem. In its published study, “Champions of Change: The Impact of the Arts on Learning,” the Arts Education Partnership says, “When well taught, the arts provide young people with authentic learning experiences that engage their minds, hearts, and bodies and nurture the development of cognitive, social, and personal competencies.” Diverse, Highly Valued Skills That Contribute to Future Success There’s often an assumption that a significant investment in the arts is a financial loss. Sure, it’s nice to have an artistic child, but having a By: Shannon Dean I 138 Hawaii Parent NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2026
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