Musicals, the ballet, concerts and exhibitions.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Some may balk at the idea of attending an art gallery showing, let alone producing a personal piece.
It’s certainly the case for many children, who’d rather kick a footy than produce some sort creative writing.
Marian College’s sensational production of GREASE in 2016 is a fine example of kids excelling at doing what they love and an insight to how there’s always avenues available to make kids tick.
Not everyone is an academic or a sports nut, but every child deserves the chance to excel.
The arts provide an attractive alternative for those kids dreading the idea of PE class, or struggling to make sense of algebra.
The arts, especially when encouraged in the classroom, can provide self-worth and hone skills useful in adult life like structure, courage and discipline.
They can also provide children with life-long memories, exposure to new friendship circles and unearth undiscovered talents.
While the modern curriculum is becoming more accommodating of children’s personal interests and incorporating them into learning, much of the nurturing still needs to happen at home.
And quite often a child’s talents and interests need to be extracted through encouragement and opportunity.
Luckily, for some children, learning a musical instrument, taking singing lessons or painting isn’t a chore or an extracurricular activity.
Some will do it purely for pleasure.
Sure, not every child has the potential to be the next Picasso, or the determination to mirror the genius of Beethoven.
But there’s no risk of failure giving kids an opportunity to express themselves and find happiness through art.
Regional centres can often be painted in the same stroke in many ways, but one common thread is sport’s wider influence throughout the community.
Economically and socially, it plays a huge role in rural cities and towns like Griffith and provides the fabric of what makes living in the bush so great.
But don’t underestimate the benefits of encouraging your children to dip their toes in a different pool occasionally.
You never know, your child’s first steps towards Hollywood or Broadway could be thanks to you encouraging them to put their hands up for a role in the school production.
***
RELATED