“Art allows us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time. » -Thomas Merton. Art has a huge influence on children's minds. This plays an important role in how children want to learn. Art keeps their minds open to imagination and keeps them interested in learning new things. Children are more interested in learning when there is an art form involved. They have incredibly long memories and seeing or drawing pictures helps them remember things much better than if they were just told. It is used in all school subjects because they are obvious and known facts. Art can strongly influence math, science, and literacy. Children with disabilities or difficulty concentrating can use art as an outlet. When they get angry, give them paint and a brush. Getting their frustrations out on a piece of paper rather than on themselves could result in a masterpiece and reveal incredible talent hidden beneath their frustrations. According to Kathy Hawk of the Kingsport Art Guild and former elementary school art teacher, age two is the ideal time to expose children to the visual arts. This is the doodling stage and it usually lasts until the age of four, she says. Remember to purchase age-appropriate materials from reputable manufacturers with the non-toxic AP (Approved Product) seal. Hawk says visual arts teach children to be creative thinkers, curious and able to produce a large number of ideas more easily. It helps them solve problems and the arts emphasize divergent thinking, she says” (Katina Rose, Johnson City Press, article, page 1) Remember going school shopping for the first time for your kindergarten child? The list of supplies seemed endless. Markers, highlighters, pencils... middle of paper ...... soothe a stressed child. Not only can music play a role in this, but so can art. Asking these children to complete art projects can boost their self-esteem by receiving compliments from others for their hard work. All children would rather do an art project than have to sit and listen to a speech they don't fully understand for an hour. It's hard for a child to express themselves if they just sit and stare into space without really paying attention to what you're trying to teach them. Even many adults find it difficult to attend a lecture and really pay attention if they are not interested in what is being said. Doing some sort of project helps Sky Children come out of their shell and show their true colors. A hands-on project also shows they understand what's happening in class and teaches them more skills than many people think..