Three 'Rs' for the Nineties I 
 
 
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Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2012 with funding from 
 
 Boston Library Consortium Member Libraries 
 
 http://archive.org/details/childrenparentsaOOnati 
 
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 Theatre & Education, 
 * American Alliance J^ iona i Conference, 
 
 mi0H \ , Dance Association, 
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 SEASON BP.USCH 
 (7TH CBvADE, SALMON, ID) 
 
All young children love to play with words. They love to make 
 jokes and puns, sing songs, invent names and listen to and tell 
 stories. It is a short step from loving such language play to 
 loving writing. 
 
 You can help your child make that short but important step: 
 
 • Encourage your child's curiosity and imaginative play. 
 
 • Make reading an important part of your family life. 
 
 • Respect your child's interests in writing and reading. 
 
 • Suggest imaginative ways to write for school and for fun. 
 
 Preparing ^Kbur Child for Writing 
 
 Your family's attitudes and habits can make learning to write 
 natural and fun for your child rather than hard and frustrating. 
 You can lay a firm foundation for future writing by reading and 
 telling stories to your child; by letting your child know that you, 
 too, enjoy and learn from books; by respecting your child's 
 curiosity and imagination. 
 
 Reading and listening to stories help make writing easier. 
 Children who read or hear stories regularly develop a natural 
 understanding of how sentences, ideas and narratives work, and 
 so have a much easier time later when these skills are "taught" to 
 them in school. Reading can also make your child more eager to 
 write. Just as young sports fans long to go out onto the playing 
 fields, so children who love reading want to make up their own 
 stories and poems. 
 
 Here are three ways to prepare your child for writing: 
 
 1. Read aloud to your children, even when they are very little. 
 
 When you read aloud, children get not only a good story but also 
 a moment of intimacy with you that adds to their good feeling 
 about books and writing. Also, the fact that you take the trouble 
 to read shows that you respect the written word. Keep reading 
 aloud even after children can read on their own. You can read 
 more advanced books than your child is reading, or return to old 
 favorites together. As children listen, they come to see that 
 different kinds of writing have different effects on us. 
 
 2. Encourage children to read by taking them to the library. 
 
 Give books as presents. Be patient. Don't worry if at first your 
 child is interested only in comics. Children who enjoy reading 
 simple books will move on to more mature ones. 
 
3. Answer your children's questions and listen to their stories. 
 
 If children think that you don't care about what they say, they 
 will not feel confident about expressing themselves, aloud or on 
 paper. Also, your explanations help them understand how to 
 organize their own thoughts. 
 
 Writing with children helps them learn to organize their ideas and 
 stories and to think of themselves as authors. Here are a jew ways to 
 have fun "writing' with children who can't yet write on their own. 
 
 "Tell me a story." Ask your child to tell you a stoiy. Write it 
 down as it is told. Don't worry if you are a slow writer. While 
 waiting for you to finish copying a line, your child will be think- 
 ing about what happens next in the story. If your child loses 
 track of the story, you can help by reading it back and by asking 
 questions like: "So then what happened?" or "What about the 
 bad pirate?" Be careful not to "steal" the story by making too 
 many suggestions. Children might take your contributions as 
 criticisms, and end up feeling as if they've failed. 
 
 The team story. This is a good party game. Ask your child and 
 some friends to form a circle and take turns making up one big 
 story together. If the children are shy, you can start it off. Keep 
 going until everyone has had a turn or the story feels finished, 
 then read it back with gusto. You'll be surprised by how much 
 fun this is. 
 
 Playtime. Young children spend much of their free time 
 pretending they are other people — superheroes, princesses, 
 astronauts. Creating a play is a natural literary form for children. 
 Have your child (perhaps with some friends) dictate a play or 
 story to you. When it is finished, the children can act it out. 
 Let them change the play as they act it out, if they wish. 
 
 "Publication." Just like adult authors, children write to 
 entertain themselves, but they also like to have other people 
 appreciate their work. There are many ways to "publish" your 
 children's writing. You can put it up on a bulletin board or the 
 refrigerator. You can type it, read it aloud, or photocopy it and 
 give it to family, friends and teachers. You can also make a 
 child's writing into little books (with illustrations by the author) 
 and keep them on a special shelf. 
 
 It is perfecdy all right to take dictation from your child even after 
 they can write on their own. As long as children enjoy the 
 experience, it is good for the development of their writing. 
 
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Writing for School 
 
 Much of your child's writing will be done at school. One way to 
 help your child enjoy school writing is to take an interest in it. 
 Give special praise for those compositions based on imaginative 
 assignments — stories, poems, etc. — because these are the sort 
 your child is most likely to want to try doing independently. 
 
 If a child enjoys writing in school, provide the time and space at 
 home to continue writing and encourage imaginative 
 experiments. If your child is bored by school writing assignments, 
 try to find ways of making them more interesting. Say the assign- 
 ment is to answer the question "What is love?" One way of 
 answering is to be wacky: "Love is a school bus full of rutabagas." 
 Another is to be honest: "1 don't know what love is. Sometimes I 
 hate the people I am supposed to love...." Remember, many 
 teachers like surprising responses. 
 
 Writing at Home 
 
 Many children begin writing on their own at home simply because 
 it is fun. For some this is a natural outgrowth of writing with their 
 parents. Other children need encouragement. 
 
 The first thing you should do to encourage your child to write at home is 
 provide the basics that all writers need, young or old: 
 
 • The tools of the trade: paper, pencils and pens; 
 if possible a typewriter or computer. 
 
 • A place to write that is comfortable and quiet. 
 
 • Time enough not only to write but to look for inspiration by 
 daydreaming and letting the imagination wander. 
 
 You can make writing special by allowing your child to use your 
 desk, your typewriter or computer, or just your favorite pen. You 
 can fold several sheets of typing paper in half, staple the folded 
 edge, and say, "Here is an empty book, ready to be filled!" 
 
 Don't be pushy. Encouraging your child to write is a delicate 
 matter. Many children react to pressure by becoming afraid of 
 failure. Many children don't want to write because they're afraid of 
 making spelling mistakes. Tell children that when they write 
 poems and stories for themselves, they don't have to spell every- 
 thing right. Only when children are ready to revise or publish their 
 writing do they need to go over spelling, punctuation, etc. School 
 homework is a required activity for children, but writing poems and 
 stories at home ought to be voluntary — suggested only as a way of 
 having fun. Children will write a lot if they enjoy it. 
 
If your children already like to write at home, it is probably best not to 
 meddle. Children will enjoy writing more if they feel that it is really their 
 own. But if they ask for help, or you see that they are running out of 
 inspiration, here are a few ideas you could try: 
 
 • Riddles. Ask your child to describe something without revealing 
 what the thing is. Example: "I come from a land where everything 
 is upside-down. 1 have a pocket but 1 don't wear clothes. I have 
 four legs but I don't walk. What am 1?" (Answer: a kangaroo.) 
 Writing riddles improves children's ability to describe accurately. 
 
 • Apologies. Suggest that your child write a series of apologies for 
 wild offenses. Example: "I'm sorry 1 told your mother that a pack 
 of meat-eating butterflies had eaten your litde sister, but I couldn't 
 think of anything else to say and I didn't know she'd believe me." 
 To make a surprising apology, your children will have to visualize a 
 situation vividly. 
 
 • Impossible day. Suggest that your child write a story about a day 
 when only impossible things happened. Example: "While my 
 father was riding his crayon, a camel flew in and kissed my mother 
 on the cheek." The more impossible, the better. The joy of this 
 type of story is that it invites children to search their minds for 
 startling words and combinations. 
 
 • First sentences. Help your child start a story by providing a first 
 sentence that sets up a strange or intriguing situation. For ex- 
 ample: "On Saturday morning I noticed a flower beginning to grow 
 out of the center of my forehead." Or, "When we reached the 
 mountaintop, we found a rope hanging from the sky." It takes 
 creative and connected thinking to make an attractive story out of 
 such ideas. 
 
 • Photostories. Suggest that children flip through a magazine until 
 they find an interesting photograph. Then, have them write a story 
 (without reading the caption or article) that describes what hap- 
 pened before, during and after the photograph was taken. This 
 idea also works well with paintings and family photographs, 
 particularly if they are of people or places the children have never 
 known. Whatever the subject matter, the story will help your 
 children think logically and creatively about events. 
 
 • Dialogues. Suggest that your child write a conversation between 
 two related objects, like a pencil and paper, a fork and meat, their 
 own feet and the sidewalk. How would it feel to be the floor? How 
 would it feel to be feet? Creating dialogues helps children think 
 about the ways objects or ideas are linked. 
 
Your response to your children's writing is all-important If you are 
 proud of what they have written at home or at school, they will also be 
 proud and will want to do more. If you are indifferent or too critical, 
 they will find writing much more difficult. 
 
 • First point out what you like in your child's writing. Praising 
 children's strengths is a much more effective way of helping them 
 to write well than pointing out weaknesses. You can always 
 find something to praise. Be specific and honest. If you praise 
 everything uniformly, your praise will lose its effect. 
 
 • Be very gende with your criticisms, especially with beginning 
 writers. Always introduce your concerns after some praise. 
 Remember that your main purpose is not to rum the child into a 
 Shakespeare, but to encourage the child to enjoy writing. As long 
 as children keep writing, they will improve. 
 
 • Praise what is unique or unexpected in your child's work, even 
 if it seems a bit out of place, for it is in such unconventional parts 
 that children are often truest to their own way of seeing things. 
 
 If children feel free to be "different," they are much more likely to 
 value writing as a mode of genuine self-expression. 
 
 • Don't worry if your child wants to write only about super- 
 heroes or puppies. A child who enjoys writing will inevitably 
 move on to other topics. 
 
 Teachers & Writers Collaborative was founded by a 
 group of writers and educators in 1967 to send writers into 
 schools and to publish and distribute materials about teaching 
 writing. T&W writers work with children and teachers, giving 
 them an understanding and appreciation of literary traditions and a sense of 
 the methods and motives of writers. T&W houses the Center for Imaginative 
 Writing, a resource library and meeting place. For more information write: 
 Teachers and Writers Collaborative 
 5 Union Square West, New York, New York 10003 
 Stephen O'Connor and William Bryant Logan developed this brochure. 
 
 * 
 
 The National Endowment for the Arts, an 
 
 independent federal agency, was founded by Congress in 
 1965 to foster excellence in the arts throughout the United 
 States, to help broaden the publics understanding of the arts and 
 provide broader access to the nation's rich cultural resources. NEA's 
 Arts in Education Program focuses on increasing and improving arts 
 programs in the nation's schools. For more information write: Arts in 
 Education, National Endowment for the Arts, 1100 Pennsylvania 
 Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. 20506 
 
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Dance is essential to 
 general education for 
 boys and girls. Dance 
 education beginning 
 in early childhood 
 and continuing 
 throughout life 
 benefits the body, 
 mind and spirit. 
 
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Dance education has many benefits: 
 
 • Physical. Dance helps to increase flexibility, improve 
 circulation, tone the body and develop muscles. It also im- 
 proves posture, balance and coordination. 
 
 • Intellectual. Dance enriches learning through a variety of 
 perspectives, both traditional and experimental. 
 
 • Esthetic. Dance awakens consciousness of beauty, lending 
 new meaning to movement and form. 
 
 • Cultural. Dance increases understanding and appreciation for 
 forms, choices and rituals from a broad range of historical, social 
 and cultural perspectives. 
 
 • Emotional. Dance helps develop self-confidence and self- 
 esteem in a stimulating environment. 
 
 • Social. Dance improves sensitivity, understanding, apprecia- 
 tion and consideration for others, both for their similarities and 
 differences. 
 
 Dance Engages the Whole Person 
 
 Although dance can be great exercise, it is primarily an artfonn and 
 an esthetic expression ojmind and body. Dance as an art form has 
 three dimensions: 
 
 • Learning. Like other art forms, dance helps us to perceive 
 and communicate who we are. 
 
 • Knowledge. Dance has its own body of knowledge which can 
 be shared, passed on and enlarged. 
 
 • Experience. The very nature of dance is best discovered 
 through experiencing it. In this it is almost unique as an art 
 form, and very special as part of a child's education. 
 
 By combining these three dimensions, dance engages the whole 
 person in simultaneously moving, thinking and feeling. Thus 
 dance education can enhance your child's physical, mental and 
 emotional development. This holds for boys and girls alike. 
 
For young children, dance offers avenues for exploration, 
 discovery and the development of natural instincts for move- 
 ment. Dance activities offer many benefits for children, encour- 
 aging mental and emotional development as well as obviously 
 enhancing motor skills. 
 
 Dancing gives the young child a chance to experience and 
 understand both personal and social perspectives in a stimulat- 
 ing situation. Dancing offers opportunities to express thoughts 
 and feelings and to understand other's thoughts and feelings. 
 
 The dynamic balance of dance's physical, mental and emotional 
 aspects should be present in dance education, regardless of 
 whether the child plans to pursue a career in dance. As in other 
 arts disciplines, professional preparation in dance demands 
 years of rigorous education, training and practice. 
 
 What you can do to get your child started in dance 
 
 As a parent, you can offer your child early exposure to the art of 
 dance and movement through many activities: 
 
 • Encourage your child to experience movement Ask ques- 
 tions like "How many ways can you balance yourself besides 
 standing?" and "How many different ways can you move your 
 head (arms, leg, upper body)?" Questions like these will help 
 your child become aware of his body and its relationship to 
 other people and the environment. 
 
 • Provide a place and times for your child to explore and 
 invent movement Have her tell a story by acting it out with 
 body movements. Or, ask him to move with different types of 
 walks (downhill, on parade, stiff, up stairs) or to pretend to use 
 different kinds of vehicles (bicycle, skateboard, car, horse, etc.). 
 
 • Encourage the child to relate movement to rhythm. This can 
 be as simple as getting a child to clap, rock or hop to music or a 
 rhythmic beat. Your child may also enjoy moving or dancing to 
 familiar songs and nursery rhymes. The goal is to get the child 
 to experience movement as it relates to music or rhythm. 
 
 • Allow the child to experiment with basic movements. Walk- 
 ing, running, jumping, skipping and such are basic locomotor 
 movements. Bending, stretching, twisting and swinging are 
 non-locomotor movements. By varying the size, level and 
 direction of these basics, children discover a large number of 
 movements which can be combined to form basic dance steps. 
 
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educators and teacher organizations increasingly recognize 
 creative movement as integral to children's development, and 
 there are a number of exemplary dance education programs in 
 elementary schools. But unfortunately, well-balanced dance 
 programs are not found consistently in our schools today. As a 
 parent you can do two things to ensure good dance education 
 for your child. 
 
 First, look into the situation in your school and school district. 
 Find what importance is given to dance and advocate making it 
 a high priority. Second, look into private instruction in studios, 
 community centers, parks* and recreation programs, summer 
 camps and other enterprises such as YWCAs. 
 
 In both cases, assure yourself that a dance program is appropri- 
 ate for your child's physical and social development and that it 
 is educationally sound. The following information may help 
 you review the dance instruction in your local school, private 
 studio or other setting. 
 
 Evaluating Teachers and Classes 
 
 Ask the following questions about the teacheris) who might instruct 
 your child. In an ideal situation all the answers will he yes: 
 
 • Can I observe the class before enrolling my child? 
 
 • Does the teacher seem aware of the physical, emotional and 
 social development and needs of the students? 
 
 • Does the teacher seem enthusiastic about the work? 
 
 • Is the teacher supportive of each student's abilities, potential 
 and goals? 
 
 • Does the teacher use imaginative, varied and interesting 
 approaches to the material being taught? 
 
 • Is the teacher well trained and qualified? 
 
 • Does the teacher seem well prepared and able to effectively 
 communicate his or her knowledge? 
 
 • Is the teacher familiar with human anatomy and the proper 
 use of the body? 
 
 In the same spirit, ask these questions about the classes: 
 
 • Are the students grouped according to age, physical abilities 
 and social development? 
 
 • Are class and time allotments appropriate for the age group? 
 
• Does the teacher give time for movement exploration? 
 
 • Does the class provide satisfaction and enjoyment? 
 
 • Is required attire appropriate and comfortable? 
 
 The following class sizes and durations are suggested: 
 Ages 3-5 7-15 students 30-45 minutes 
 
 Ages 6-8 20 students 45-60 minutes 
 
 Ages 9-12 25 students 60-90 minutes 
 
 Facilities 
 
 A good place for dance classes offers the following: 
 
 • A space that is clean, well ventilated, well lit and free of 
 obstructions. 
 
 • A floor that is resilient and well maintained. (A suspended 
 wood floor is best to avoid physical stress, but certain treatments 
 over cement and tile can accommodate dance that does not 
 include a great deal of landing from jumps.) 
 
 • Floor space that is adequate for the class size and the age 
 of the participants, ideally 100 square feet per student. 
 
 • Adequate space for changing clothes. 
 
 • Access to drinking water and restrooms. 
 
 Other Considerations 
 
 • Dance class should not over-stress the body. 
 
 • Major portions of the class should not be devoted to 
 performances or preparing for recitals. 
 
 • Dance for children should concentrate on individualization, 
 creativity and movement exploration. 
 
 • Formal instruction in specific dance forms should not begin 
 before age 7 or 8 depending on the development of the child and 
 previous experience. 
 
 • Pointe work (ballet dancing on "toe' 1 ) should not begin before 
 there is well -developed body coordination, adequate strength, 
 proper skeletal alignment and working body placement. Special 
 attention must be given to the development of the feet, legs and 
 back. Very few children should start pointe work before age 11. 
 
For more information, you may want to consult the following books: 
 
 Jacob, Ellen. (1981). Dancing: A Guide to the Dancer You Can Be. 
 Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley Publishing Co. 
 
 Loren, Ten. (1978). Dancer's Companion. New York: 
 The Dial Press. 
 
 These pamphlets may be purchased from the 
 National Dance Association: 
 
 DANCE: A Career for You . 
 
 Dance Curricula Guidelines K-12 
 
 Dance Education - What Is It? Why Is It Important? 
 
 Guide to Creative Dance for the Young Child 
 
 Dance Scholarship Directory 
 
 Dance Resource Guide 
 
 Stinson, Susan. Dance for the Young Child. 
 
 Children's Dance. 
 
 # 
 
 The National Dance Association represents 
 practitioners of every aspect of dance and dance education in 
 the United States and abroad. Through publications, 
 symposia, workshops and resource papers, NDA promotes 
 quality dance and dance education for all levels, populations, 
 ages and cultures. 
 
 National Dance Association 
 
 1900 Association Drive, Reston, VA 22091-1502 
 Tel: 703/476-3436 Fax: 703/476-9527 
 
 The National Endowment for the Arts, an 
 
 independent federal agency, was founded by Congress in 
 1965 to foster excellence in the arts throughout the United 
 States, to help broaden the publics understanding of the 
 arts and provide broader access to the nation's rich 
 cultural resources. NEA's Arts in Education Program 
 focuses on increasing and improving arts programs in the 
 nation's schools. Eor more information write: Arts in 
 Education, National Endowment for the Arts, 1100 
 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. 20506 
 

 
 
 
 
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 The visual arts interpret and reflect 
 life. Through studying art, children 
 gain valuable insights about the world 
 along with knowledge and skills they 
 can use throughout their lives. 
 
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Art education — appreciation courses, hands-on art classes, 
 museum visits and parent-assisted activities — helps children 
 develop their own creative skills and understand the artistic 
 work of others. By encouraging visual arts education, you will 
 help your children to: 
 
 • respond to what they see in art and in the world around them; 
 
 • perceive and grasp relationships in their environment; 
 
 • think creatively while developing skills in drawing, painting, 
 sculpting, designing, crafting, etc; 
 
 • gain manipulative and organizing skills through their own 
 creative work; 
 
 • learn about humankind's vast cultural heritage; 
 
 • understand the nature of art and the creative process; 
 
 • make informed esthetic judgments about art. 
 
 To educate children, parents along with teachers and museum 
 professionals must keep in mind each student's interests as well 
 as his intellectual, social and esthetic maturity. The instruction 
 should be interesting in order to stimulate intellectual growth. 
 Not all activities should get the same emphasis at each age or for 
 each student. Find opportunities that allow your child to: 
 
 • Take close looks at both natural and cultural 
 objects of many kinds. 
 
 • Find outlets for expressing perceptions and feelings through a 
 variety of art forms suited to the child's abilities and preferences. 
 
 • Experiment with different materials and methods in order to 
 understand their different properties. 
 
 • Evaluate and review the child's work so that the youngster 
 gains understanding of formal structure and the potential for 
 developing line, form, color, shape and texture. 
 
 • Read about, look at, and discuss works of art from other past 
 and modern cultures; to do this, use different educational, 
 media and community resources. 
 
 • Evaluate the child's works of art as well as those of artists past 
 and present. 
 
 • See artists and designers at work in classroom and museum 
 demonstrations, on film and video. 
 
 • Engage in arts activities — museum visits, tours of art schools, 
 participation in art classes — to apply new knowledge the child 
 has gained. 
 
You, Your Child and the Visual Arts 
 
 Here are activities you can use to introduce your child to the 
 world of art. Remember that your own attitudes make strong 
 impressions on your child. A sense of openness to the visual 
 arts of diverse cultures, along with a willingness to ask questions 
 about art, are as important for you as for the child. 
 
 At Home and About Town 
 
 "Seeing" versus looking is something you can encourage every 
 day. Teach your child to see colors, shapes and textures in the 
 world at large. Help your child recognize and understand the 
 signs and symbols that abound in our lives. Make a game out of 
 identifying elements of art as you ride in the car or take family 
 walks. You will discover art all around: in local architecture, 
 monuments, billboards, a park's design, the patterns of streets 
 and signs as well as in traditional arts and crafts. 
 
 Encourage your child to react to visual stimuli — colors, shapes, 
 sizes, textures and materials — found in art dealing with a wide 
 range of situations and subjects. Some will be more engaging 
 than others. Children generally prefer bright colors, realism and 
 familiar subject matter. 
 
 To help get children involved: 
 
 • Find a wall at home that your children can use to display 
 reproductions or original art that they have created. Or set up 
 an exhibition in an "art corner." 
 
 • Provide a space in which your child can explore different 
 media such as paints, crayons and clay. (Pick an easy-to-clean 
 space and dress in washables.) 
 
 • Make available various two- and three-dimensional materials: 
 paper to cut-and-paste, blocks to build. 
 
 • Ask the art teacher at school about appropriate materials for 
 your child at different development levels. 
 

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To keep interest alive: 
 
 • Encourage and compliment your child's creative efforts. Ask 
 the youngster to tell you about the art. Do NOT say what you 
 think is "wrong" with it or how you think it should be done. 
 
 • Remind yourself that complex and fine motor skills take time 
 to develop. Offer experiences that strengthen skills already 
 learned. Provide materials and tools that broaden the range of 
 creativity. 
 
 • Remember that many children paint and draw for no other 
 reason than the pleasure it gives them. These activities can be 
 easily fostered. 
 
 At the Museum, Gallery or Arts Center 
 
 Planned in advance, a visit to a local art center, gallery or 
 museum can be rewarding, exciting and stimulating for both 
 parent and child. Your state arts agency or local council can 
 provide information about art exhibitions — where they are, 
 and what there is to see. Ask about programs designed for 
 children and about parent-and-child events. 
 
 Take time to plan your visit so that it meets your child's 
 physical and learning needs. Identify in advance the exhibit 
 areas and art works you wish to see. Learn where benches, 
 restrooms and cafeterias are located. 
 
 Don't overwhelm or tire children by overdoing it. If you are 
 visiting a large museum, stay in two or three galleries, depend- 
 ing on the child's age and abilities. A number of short visits 
 are better than a long one that is overwhelming. 
 
 By listening carefully to your child before planning a trip, you 
 will learn what things he or she is most interested in seeing. 
 Remember to meet a child's physical need for movement and 
 change while engaged in "seeing and appreciating." If a child 
 expresses interest in a work of art you did not select, spend 
 time with it. Children may get frustrated at having to view art 
 selected for them, rather than what they choose for themselves. 
 
Younger children have both a shorter attention span and lower 
 level of retention. For the very young, pictures and drawings 
 in books can spark interest in the visual arts and you can build 
 from there. It is a good idea to have children view works of art 
 on several occasions. They will remember some vividly, while 
 a second visit and talking about the works will reinforce first 
 impressions. 
 
 Also, it is good to encourage children to respond to pictures, 
 sculptures and crafts in their own way. Resist the urge to tell 
 them what they should see, feel or think. After a first experi- 
 ence, you can discuss the art, listening to the child's 
 interpretation. Then share information you have about the 
 work, the artist who made it, and how it was achieved. The 
 facts you want to share should be appealing and easy to 
 understand. 
 
 A Word of Warning: At the first sign of boredom, fatigue or 
 disinterest, take a rest or quit for the day! 
 
 More suggestions for making the arts enjoyable: 
 
 • Museum shops sell postcards, posters of art works and 
 books about art and artists written especially for children. 
 Your child may want to buy a book or reproduction of a 
 particular favorite. 
 
 • Emphasize what the child understands and learns. Make 
 connections with what he already knows. Ask what she is 
 studying in school that relates to pictures you saw. Tie your 
 "seeing" experiences into those subjects. 
 
 Special Art Classes 
 
 To get professional arts training for your child, check with 
 your school's art teacher, or with your local or state arts agency 
 for the names of qualified instructors and schools. 
 
For more information about how to offer your child learning 
 opportunities in art, consult the following pamphlets and hooks: 
 
 Purposes, Principles, and Standards for School Art Programs. 
 National Art Education Association, 1916 Association Drive, 
 Reston,VA 22091. 
 
 Beyond Creating: The Place for Art in Americas Schools. J. Paul 
 Getty Center for Education in the Arts, 401 Wilshire Boulevard, 
 Suite 950, Santa Monica, CA 90401 
 
 The Role of Imagery in Learning by Harry S. Broudy. 
 Getty Center for Education in the Arts. 
 
 Art Education and Human Development by Howard Gardner. 
 Getty Center for Education in the Arts. 
 
 Looking at Paintings by Susan Woodford, Cambridge University 
 Press, 1983. 
 
 Art Appreciation for the Popsicle Generation by Lauann Brown, 
 Good Apple, Inc. 1948. 
 
 Children and Their Art by Charles D. Gaitskill and Al Hurwitz, 
 Harcourt Brace Javanovich, 1982. 
 
 Emphasis Art: A Qualitative Art Program for Elementary and 
 Middle Schools by Frank Wachowiak, Harper and Row, 1985. 
 
 Creative and Mental Growth by Victor Lowenfeld and W. 
 Lambert Brittain, Macmillan, 1987. 
 
 The National Art Education Association, founded in 
 |JD 1947, is the largest professional art education association in 
 the world. Members include elementary and secondary 
 teachers, artists, administrators, museum educators, art 
 council staff members and university professors throughout the United 
 States and 66 foreign countries. NAEA's mission is to advance art 
 education through professional development, service, advancement of 
 knowledge and leadership. For information write: NAEA, 1916 
 Association Drive, Reston, VA 22091 
 
 St 
 
 The National Endowment for the Arts, an 
 
 independent federal agency, was founded by Congress in 
 1 965 to foster excellence in the arts throughout the United 
 States, to help broaden the public's understanding of the arts and 
 provide broader access to the nations rich cultural resources. NEA's 
 Arts in Education Program focuses on increasing and improving arts 
 programs in the nations schools. For more information write: 
 National Endowment for the Arts, Washington, D.C. 20506 
 
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Why should your child study 
 music? From elementary 
 school onwards, music 
 study helps children acquire 
 knowledge, skills and 
 attitudes that influence them 
 throughout their lives. 
 In addition to learning music 
 for its own sake, children 
 who participate in music 
 learn coordination, goal- 
 setting, concentration and 
 cooperation. 
 
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As a parent, you can encourage your child's love of music and 
 nurture his or her musical talents in a number of ways: By 
 listening to good music programs and recordings together, by 
 attending musical events and making music as a family, by 
 praising children for their musical activities and accomplish- 
 ments. As a result of music-listening and music-making experi- 
 ences, elementary school children can become better listeners 
 and develop musical intelligence. They also develop pride and 
 a sense of accomplishment as young musicians. 
 
 Suggested Activities 
 
 Listening to music, moving to music and playing musical games 
 are best for small children and good for elementary students as 
 well. By ages five to eight, many children are ready for one-on- 
 one music lessons. You can help your child choose an instru- 
 ment by consulting the school music teacher and by noticing 
 what sounds your child most enjoys while listening to music. 
 If you decide to supplement lessons offered at the school with 
 private lessons, you can find a good teacher by asking the school 
 music teacher or the music faculty at a local university for 
 recommendations . 
 
 Group classes are particularly supportive for young children. 
 In the early stages, a parent should be in the room with the 
 child during at-home practice periods to offer encouragement 
 and praise and to request specific songs ("That was really good! 
 Would you play it again for me?") It is impossible to give any 
 child too much encouragement. Success at music-making 
 bolsters self-esteem. 
 
 When To Start 
 
 • Children can begin piano lessons whenever they can 
 sit on a piano bench and concentrate. 
 
 • Stringed-instrument study can begin very early 
 (if scaled-down instruments are used) — 
 preferably by grade four. 
 
 • Study on wind instruments should begin by grade five. 
 
You can invest in your child's future by ensuring that your 
 school has good music programs, taught by certified music 
 specialists in general music, instrumental music and choral 
 instruction from pre-kindergarten through high school. 
 
 What to Look For in Elementary School 
 
 • Opportunities for all students: to sing, move to music, and 
 learn to play classroom instruments; to develop skills in per- 
 forming, reading, creating, listening to and describing music; to 
 learn to use music vocabulary and read and write music nota- 
 tion; to develop enjoyment of and sensitivities to music; to 
 explore music from a variety of cultures. 
 
 • Opportunities for students to participate in both choral and 
 instrumental music starting in grade four. 
 
 • Special experiences for gifted and handicapped students. 
 
 • Instruction by certified music educators supplemented by 
 classroom teachers. 
 
 • Adequate textbooks, printed music, instruments, equipment, 
 recordings and other music materials. 
 
 • Music rooms that have adequate space, ventilation and light 
 as well as access to a good piano, risers, audiovisual equipment 
 and a good sound system. 
 
 Students in grades one through three should learn to enjoy and 
 explore music. By the end of grade three, students should 
 realize that music is an important part of everyday life and be 
 able to perform and create it. They should be able to use music 
 as a means of individual expression and to listen to the creations 
 of other people with respect, curiosity and pleasure. 
 
 Students in grades four through six should build on the skills 
 they developed earlier. By the end of grade six, they should be 
 able to participate in music activities by singing and playing 
 instruments. They should enjoy listening to most types of 
 music, and be able to describe musical works and discuss their 
 personal responses to them. 
 
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At every age, your child should have regular opportunities to: 
 
 • hear, sing or play music with and for family and friends 
 in a relaxed setting. 
 
 • take part in community music events that relate directly to 
 the child's own culture and that involve distinctly different 
 cultures. 
 
 • join you in watching music and arts programs on televi- 
 sion. (To make the most of these experiences, ask your child 
 questions about the program afterward — not during the 
 performance.) 
 
 How to Make Your Child's life Musical 
 
 • Encourage your child to participate in general music 
 classes and performing ensembles. 
 
 • When school offers band or string instrument instruction, 
 help your child choose an instrument. 
 
 • Visit the classroom to gain a better understanding of what 
 takes place in the music program. 
 
 • Volunteer to chaperon trips to music events and work to 
 bring outstanding performers to your child's school. 
 
 • Attend concerts with your child. 
 
 • Help with home practice and set scheduled practice times. 
 Set up a well-lit, quiet practice area free from distractions. 
 Ask your child to play for you and others, and give sincere 
 and frequent praise. Do not be overly critical; the music 
 teacher will correct problems. Listen and show enthusiasm 
 for your child's efforts and achievements. 
 
The following publications provide more detailed information. 
 
 Growing Up Complete: The Imperative for Music Education. Report 
 of the National Commission on Music Education, 1991. $7.95 
 
 Action Kit for Music Education. This includes two books includ- 
 ing Building Support for School Music, two videotapes; and four 
 brochures to help conduct a local advocacy campaign. 1991. 
 $37.50. 
 
 The School Music Program: Description and Standards. Guidelines 
 for music curricula, K to 12. $10.50. 
 
 Music in Today's Schools: Rationale and Commentary. A concise 
 explanation of why music is important in every child's 
 education. $4.00. 
 
 Guidelines for Performances of School Music Groups: Expectations 
 and Limitations. $7.50. 
 
 These publications are available from: 
 
 Music Educators National Conference 
 
 1902 Association Drive 
 Reston, Virginia 22091 
 
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 2 The Music Educators National Conference (MENC) 
 
 is the only national association that addresses all aspects of 
 music education: hand, chorus, orchestra, general music, 
 teacher education and research. More than 60,000 members 
 represent all levels of teaching from pre-kindergarten to 
 postdoctoral levels. Since 1907, MENC has worked to ensure 
 that every student has access to a well-balanced and compre- 
 hensive school music program. 
 
 The National Endowment for the Arts, an 
 
 independent federal agency, was founded by Congress in 
 1965 to foster excellence in the arts throughout the United 
 States, to help broaden the publics understanding of the 
 arts and provide broader access to the nations rich 
 cultural resources. NEA's Arts in Education Program 
 focuses on increasing and improving arts programs in the 
 nations schools. For more information write: Arts in 
 Education, National Endowment for the Arts, 1100 
 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. 20506 
 
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Children of all ages love to pretend, 
 to enter worlds of the imagination. 
 As toddlers, they mimic things they 
 see in everyday life. By elementary 
 school age, they act out stories, 
 creating original plots or adapting 
 fairy tales and real-life events. By 
 middle school they're ready for more 
 formal play-acting: going on stage to 
 present prepared scripts, whether 
 scenes from the classics or their own 
 inventions. In other words, each 
 stage of childhood has its own forms 
 of drama, and all these forms help 
 children grow and learn. 
 
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(children enter the world of make-believe first as toddlers when 
 they discover the soul of theater by engaging in activities they see 
 around them and by putting themselves in the places of others. 
 This activity involves mind, body and imagination. It is dramatic 
 play, what one educator calls "rehearsal for life." An extension of 
 ordinary play, creative play — the root of theater — is essential to a 
 child's full development. 
 
 As children grow older, their play develops structure. They act 
 out favorite stories, create original situations from life experi- 
 ences, and imagine themselves in fantasy worlds where anything 
 is possible. If they are encouraged in this kind of play at home, 
 they become ready for creative drama by the time they enter 
 primary school. As essential as dramatic play is to a child's 
 healthy development, creative drama is an art form, a socializing 
 activity and a means of learning. At this point, guidance by an 
 experienced teacher or leader is needed, someone to guide the 
 drama, to help the young players deepen their experiences and 
 express themselves more effectively. 
 
 Creative drama is not acting as adults think of it. It requires no 
 script or memorized lines. It is improvised and centers on 
 children as the participants. Older children often want to extend 
 the process and present their work for an audience. This is fine, 
 so long as the desire to "go public" comes from them, for it is the 
 process rather than the product that is important for youngsters. 
 
 In middle school or junior high, many children become ready for 
 what most people think of as the "theater arts" which involve a 
 stage, actors and a play. This implies theater's formal elements: 
 acting, directing, scene and costume design, as well as technical 
 concerns such as stage management, set building, lighting, 
 publicity, etc. 
 
 Besides creating theater in its many forms, children also benefit 
 from seeing it. Children's theater, comprising an ever-growing 
 diversity of companies and scripts, is an excellent introduction to 
 lifelong enjoyment of theater. 
 
 For young children the theater arts are best used informally and 
 playfully. This offers pre-kindergarten and elementary-age 
 children opportunities to make theater that is a natural extension 
 of their physical, intellectual and emotional lives. Creative drama 
 builds on the universal human desire to understand our world 
 by imitating and reenacting it. 
 
 As a parent, you can help your child enjoy dramatic play, even if 
 you have had no theater background or experience. First of all, 
 
you can encourage your child to play. Enter into the game, taking cues 
 as to your role. For example, your daughter may want you to be a 
 storekeeper or a customer, a doctor or a patient, a bus driver or 
 passenger, depending on which character she wants to be. Provide a 
 place for creative drama. This could be a corner of the child's room 
 where toys are kept. "Props" can be simple and commonplace. For 
 instance, a scarf can become a shawl, a sash or any number of things. 
 Hats can denote different characters. Baskets, bags and plastic 
 dishes are all useful props. 
 
 Dramatic play need not be confined to one space, for it is 
 spontaneous and the impulse to enact a character or imitate an 
 action is rarely planned in advance. Chances are it will be brief and 
 fragmentary, although as children grow older the game becomes 
 longer and more detailed. Favorite stories and activities are often 
 repeated, but even with repetition new ideas are constantly gener- 
 ated, thus fostering continued imaginative growth for the children. 
 
 Read aloud and tell stories. Good literature suggests many 
 possibilities and discourages a tendency to imitate situations seen on 
 television. However, many ideas may come from real life issues, even 
 for very young children. 
 
 Finally, enjoy these spontaneous moments. Remember that they are 
 the child's first engagement with an art form and can lead to lifelong 
 pleasure. You are not encouraging a career in the theater; you are 
 helping in the development of a human being through this most 
 human of the arts, the theater. 
 
 What Does Creative Drama Offer to Young Children? 
 
 Creative drama provides many benefits, among them: 
 
 • Development of imagination and esthetic awareness 
 
 • Independent and critical thinking 
 
 • Social growth and the ability to work with others 
 
 • Improved communication skills 
 
 • Healthy release of emotion 
 
 • Knowledge of self 
 
 • Fun and recreation 
 
 • An introduction to the theater 
 
 What Do You, as a Parent, Get Out of It? 
 
 Creative drama offers benefits for parents too: 
 
 • Quality time spent with your young child in creative moments. 
 
 • Valuable insights into the observations, impressions, interests, 
 fears and humor that your child reveals. 
 
 • Fun! You can both enjoy dramatic play for the pure fun of it. 
 
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Because creative drama is a group activity requiring skilled leader- 
 ship, you should check with your child's teacher or principal to see 
 whether it is already part of the school program. It may be that 
 you will want to look further to find opportunities in your commu- 
 nity for classes in the performing arts. While many schools are 
 now adding theater to the curriculum, unfortunately it is absent in 
 most elementary schools. Therefore, you should look for available 
 resources in the following places: 
 
 • Community centers and city and county recreation 
 departments. 
 
 • Libraries, museums, churches, playgrounds and camps, 
 ; YMCAsandYWCAs. 
 
 • Local colleges and universities for year-round or summer 
 " classes for children. 
 
 • Performing arts centers, professional and community theaters. 
 
 Many facilities have splendid programs in the arts. Visit classes, 
 check the age levels of the children and the preparation of the 
 teachers. Classes in creative drama, puppetry, mime and dance 
 offer enrichment beyond whatever the school provides. Again, for 
 the young child, the chance to explore creatively and act spontane- 
 ously is more valuable than pressured situations involving either a 
 performance for an audience or a predetermined product. 
 
 While creative drama involves children as active participants, 
 children's theater engages them as audience. Plays range from 
 entertainment for the primary grades to more mature material 
 designed for junior high school. Many adult plays can be enjoyed 
 by older teenagers and (depending on the subject matter and the 
 style of the production) by younger audiences as well. 
 
 Children's theater companies should be checked carefully before 
 taking a child to a performance or engaging a company for a 
 school assembly. Many plays are over-simplified for the very 
 young, with occasional lines aimed at die adults in the audience; 
 this is a condescending practice and children are quick to perceive 
 it. Some good sources of information about children's theater 
 companies are: theater departments of colleges and universities; 
 newspaper reviews, if available; local or state arts councils; the 
 American Alliance for Theatre and Education (AATE). In addition, 
 many regional arts agencies support touring theaters for children 
 and young audiences. Your state arts council can put you in touch 
 with the regional organization for your area. 
 
Going to the theater has many benefits for children, among them: 
 
 • Appreciation of theater as an esthetic experience. 
 
 • Increased awareness of social and cultural values. 
 
 • Sharing in a communal art form. 
 
 • Increased knowledge of history and human events. 
 
 Elements of a Good Production 
 
 By attending children's theater regularly, both parent and child 
 gain personal likes and dislikes and can grasp what is an excellent 
 production as opposed to one that is poor or merely competent. 
 If you have not attended children's theater regularly, here are 
 some elements that characterize a good production, along with 
 some questions concerning each element. Not every criterion will 
 apply to every production. 
 
 • A Good Story: Children's theater today is wide-ranging, 
 offering plays from traditional fairy tales to homelessness and drug 
 abuse. Whatever the topic, a good production will clarify its 
 subject. Did you leam something new or gain a new insight 
 through the play? 
 
 • Credible Characters: A "willing suspension of disbelief is 
 necessary for viewing theater, but the characters should be 
 believable. Did actions seem totally out-of-character for someone 
 in the play? If so, did you lose interest in the action? 
 
 • Excellent Performance Skills (acting, dance, music, and any 
 other skills called for such as juggling, fencing, etc.): Do the skills 
 support the believability of the characters? Are they at a level 
 befitting the expectations of the actors, both in terms of the 
 amateur or professional status of the company and the actions of 
 the characters? 
 
 • Effective Visual Elements: Do scenery, costumes, and 
 lighting help transport you to the place and time of the play? Are 
 they visually appealing? In cases where scenery and lighting are 
 minimal or absent, did the production stimulate your imagination 
 in other effective ways? 
 
 • Challenging Ideas: A good script can provoke thought, bring 
 new ideas to light, perhaps help you look at a facet of life in a 
 new or different way. Ask your child what he or she got from a 
 performance. Try open-ended questions such as: What did you 
 see on the stage? What was a particular character trying to do? 
 What happened at the very beginning? The discussion you are 
 likely to have may surprise you. 
 
• Insight into Other Cultures: Theater can take us in time and 
 place to other communities and cultures. Did the production 
 help you to learn about cultural or ethnic traditions? If the play 
 was in the present time, were there characters of culturally diverse 
 backgrounds reflecting contemporary society? 
 
 • Strong Emotional Response and Involvement in the Plot: 
 
 Were you moved by the action of the play? Tears or laughter are 
 sure signs that the playwright and actors reached you. While 
 emotions can't always be verbalized, a discussion with your child 
 about his or her feelings about what happened can benefit both of you. 
 
 Children's theater includes a wide range of subject matter: folk 
 and fairy tales; contemporary social issues, adventure stories; 
 historical and biographical dramas. The form may be the straight 
 dramatic play, the musical, documentary, or movement theater. 
 In every case, however, the story line or theme should be clear 
 and honesdy presented and the production should be enjoyable. 
 
 The American Alliance for Theatre & Education: Artists & 
 Educators Serving Young People, a professional organization, 
 promotes the highest standards of excellence in drama and theater 
 education for children and youth. We provide the theater educator 
 and theater artist with a network of resources and support, a base 
 for advocacy, and programs and projects that focus on the impor- 
 tance of drama in the human experience. For more information, 
 contact: 
 
 American Alliance for Theatre & Education 
 
 Department of Theatre 
 Arizona State University 
 Tempe,AZ 85287 
 
 The National Endowment for the Arts, an independent 
 federal agency, was founded by Congress in 1965 to foster 
 excellence in the arts throughout the United States, to help 
 broaden the public's understanding of the arts and provide 
 broader access to the nations rich cultural resources. NEA's 
 Arts in Education Program focuses on increasing and improving 
 arts programs in the nation's schools. For more information 
 write: Arts in Education, National Endowment for the Arts, 
 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. 20506 
 
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