This week in our Imagine That! class for ages 3-5, parents and children are creating “photo books” with pictures that the children take or that are taken of them as they go through their day through the “city.”   Photographs and stories about the past help preschool children develop their own sense of identity over time. Concrete documentation, such as photographs, allow children to reconstruct stories and express memories. And as children tell stories of past events, narrative and sequencing skills are being developed.

The visual arts “are a universal language, with a symbolic way of representing the wordl. But they also allow us to understand other cultures and provide for healthy emotional expression….They can enhance cognition, emotional expression, perception, cultural awareness, and aesthetics…” (Arts with the Brain in Mind, by Eric Jenson pg. 49) The visual arts are an integral part of Kindermusik classes. Through our Cities! Unit, your children are invited to draw (Family Activity 13), sculpt (Family Activity 6), build (Family Activity 12) and photograph (Family Activity 7). These art activities help children develop spatial awareness as they learn how to estimate depth and distances, which can lead to an increased success in sports, engineering and even driving a car. The arts also help children develop fine-motor skills and an attention to detail. Kindermusik encourages children in their artistic pursuits as well as their music education and overall brain development.