There are many rewards for being involved with art and music. The North Carolina Arts Council found that the arts create many opportunities for success, not only in learning, but in life. Test scores improve and drop-out rates decrease. Kids can brush up on skills like creativity, problem-solving, and collaboration. Our state is proud to have a Comprehensive Arts Education, which has the following three components:
- Integration where the arts serve as a catalyst for learning across the curriculum
- Exposure through artists-in-residence, concerts, performances and visits to art galleries
- Arts as core academic subjects taught by licensed arts educators such as dance, theater arts, visual arts, and music
There have been many studies on the benefits of music. One of the most frequently discussed is the Mozart effect, which highlights the mental influence of music. It has been found that many musicians have an unusual mathematical ability. One study compared students who listened to a Mozart sonata to students who listened to a relaxation tape and the ones who listened to Mozart performed better. Music is also linked to stress reduction. Studies compare people who underwent medical procedures where some listened to music beforehand and others did not, and those who listened to music had lower blood pressure and remained calmer. Music can affect physical health such that people who dance have a lower risk of falling in their senior years because they will have a better gait and better balance than their peers.
Every Forsyth Woman is interested in improving wellness. Time magazine found music as an easy way to stay well. They mentioned studies about what music can do, such as:
- Improve mood
- Fend off depression
- Improve blood flow
- Lower levels of stress-related hormones like cortisol
- Ease pain
- Improve post-surgery outcomes
- Regulate emotions
- Improve sleep quality
You do want to make a conscious effort to choose your music carefully as Time also pointed out that listening to the wrong music can put you in a negative mental state and make you feel angry or sad. Both singing and playing an instrument can be therapeutic. It is about finding what you like and sticking with it.
If you are thinking about kicking your heels up and going dancing, it is a great idea. It is not just about staying fit and having fun. There are many benefits to dancing, including:
- Improving muscle tone, strength, endurance, and fitness
- Making new friends
- Improving heart and lungs
- Weight management
- Improved mental functioning
- Improved self-esteem and self-confidence
- Stronger bones and reduced risk of osteoporosis
- Improved general and psychological wellbeing
- Better coordination, agility, and flexibility
- Improved balance and spatial awareness
- Improved aerobic fitness
- Better social skills
If you would prefer to do something less active, drawing comes with many benefits and can be done with many different mediums. You may not realize all the positive things you gain from picking up a marker or paintbrush, including:
- Developing fine motor skills
- Encouraging visual analysis
- Better concentration
- Improved hand-eye coordination
- Increased confidence
- Teaching creative problem solving
- Helps to express emotions and document memories
Theater is another excellent avenue to get involved in the arts. Kids can participate in school plays and adults can join community theater programs. Some benefits include:
- Cooperation and collaboration
- Problem-solving
- Self-confidence
- Social awareness
- Aesthetic appreciation
- Appreciation of culture and the arts
- Imagination
- New ideas
- Compassion
- Tolerance for others
- Improved verbal and nonverbal communication like articulation, voice projection, fluency of language and persuasive speech
- Trust and risk-taking
- Improved memory from rehearing and learning words
Regardless of which art form you prefer, art and music can become lifelong pastimes and even passions that will help you and your family become more wholesome people.
