Why art must be central to a child’s education

In October 2022, the IUB Art Club visited a primary school in Tangail and invited children to draw and paint, first giving them paper and colours to depict what they knew best; their surroundings, school, and everyday lives, and then encouraging them to create freely on a shared canvas. 

For many of these children, coming from financially challenged backgrounds, this was their first meaningful exposure to creative materials and artistic freedom.

What unfolded was not unusual. It was instructive. Given space, tools and encouragement, children who had rarely been invited to express themselves visually began experimenting, collaborating and communicating ideas with confidence. A post-event survey later revealed that nearly 85% of participants continued drawing or exploring other art forms, suggesting that the experience did more than entertain. It demonstrated what becomes possible when opportunity meets potential.

This moment offers a powerful insight into what art education can achieve, not as a special initiative, but as a core part of schooling.

In many schools around the world, art — whether painting, music, dance or drama — is often positioned as a "nice-to-have," included only if time and resources allow. Yet decades of research, spanning early childhood education, psychology and neuroscience, increasingly point to a different conclusion, creative arts are not peripheral. They are central to a child's cognitive, emotional and social development. If we are serious about raising well-rounded, resilient and capable young individuals, art cannot remain at the margins of education.

The foundation of cognitive development

Art is not simply about colours, shapes or rhythms. Engaging in artistic activity — painting, drawing, sculpting, making music or dancing — activates multiple brain systems simultaneously. Research combining music and visual-arts group practice has shown that sustained artistic engagement can positively influence children's brain development in the early school years.

In a large-scale study involving more than 2,000 children, approved by the Swiss National Science Foundation, those who participated regularly in arts education demonstrated stronger creative thinking, self-expression, problem-solving abilities and overall perceptual and cognitive skills than peers without such exposure.

Art and design encourage children to observe closely, recognise patterns, experiment with form and explore spatial relationships. These habits of mind support learning far beyond the arts. Spatial reasoning, flexible thinking and problem-solving are equally vital in mathematics, science and technology-based disciplines.

When a child paints their first picture, shapes clay into form, writes, plays music and sings a song, or moves to a rhythm, they are not simply making art; they are thinking, processing, communicating, and revealing how they see the world. Through these expressions, we come to understand our children more deeply — their thoughts, emotions, fears, and glimpses of their hopes.

Early childhood educators also highlight the role of art in developing fine-motor skills. Activities such as drawing, painting, cutting, moulding clay or handling paintbrushes help children strengthen hand–eye coordination and dexterity, skills that underpin handwriting, tool use and everyday functional tasks.

Rather than competing with academic subjects for time or attention, art strengthens the neural and cognitive foundations that support learning across the curriculum.

Nurturing emotional intelligence and self-awareness

Children are not merely recipients of information; they are individuals with emotions, imagination and lived experiences. Art provides a safe and meaningful space for children to express what they may struggle to articulate verbally —- joy, fear, curiosity, confusion or hope.

Through creative expression, children begin to recognise and make sense of their inner world. Translating emotions into images, movements, sounds or stories supports emotional awareness and regulation, skills closely linked to mental health and long-term resilience.

Completing an artwork, performing a piece of music or participating in a creative performance gives children a sense of accomplishment. These moments build confidence, reinforce a sense of capability and encourage them to take intellectual and creative risks.

In an increasingly demanding world, particularly for adolescents navigating academic pressure and social expectations, such outlets are not indulgences. They are essential.

Promoting social skills, empathy and cultural understanding

Creative arts are often collaborative by nature. Choirs, school plays, group murals, dance ensembles and music groups require children to work together. These shared experiences foster communication, cooperation, listening and respect for others' perspectives.

Exposure to diverse art forms from different cultures and traditions also broadens children's understanding of the world. Art becomes a bridge to empathy, allowing students to appreciate difference, reflect on shared human experiences and see beyond their immediate environment.

In an interconnected and multicultural world, capacities such as collaboration, empathy and cultural awareness are not optional additions. They are essential life skills.

Supporting mental wellness and resilience

Academic expectations, examinations and social pressures can make childhood and adolescence emotionally demanding. Artistic engagement offers a constructive outlet; one that can reduce stress, encourage calm and help children process emotions in healthy ways.

For children facing adversity, instability or trauma, art can be especially powerful. By offering a voice, a sense of agency and tangible achievement, creative expression can build  resilience, self-worth and emotional healing.

Developing an entire personality

Education systems often prioritise measurable outcomes such as grades, scores and rankings. While academic rigour matters, children are more than the sum of their exam results. They are developing human beings with identities, emotions and creative capacities.

When schools integrate art alongside mathematics, sciences and languages, they honour the whole child — intellectual, emotional, social and creative. Research in early childhood and primary education consistently shows that arts participation supports imagination, logical and spatial thinking, cooperation, aesthetic awareness and self-expression.

Importantly, these benefits are not confined to specific social or economic groups. Large-scale studies indicate that children from diverse backgrounds benefit comparably from sustained engagement in the arts.

As a school leader and curriculum designer, I have repeatedly observed that when schools create genuine space for arts, many children, often those who struggle to shine in traditional academic settings, discover confidence, purpose and a renewed relationship with learning.

A shared responsibility

For educators and school leaders, embedding art into daily school life should not be an afterthought. Regular opportunities for painting, music, drama, dance, and crafts can transform classroom culture and deepen engagement across subjects.

For policymakers, investment in arts education, funding for teacher training, and accessible resources should be seen not as a luxury, but as a long-term investment in human capital.

For parents and communities, encouraging children to draw, sing, dance, create, and perform sends a powerful message that their ideas and expressions matter.

In a world that often prioritises standardisation and measurable outputs, art reminds us of what it means to be human — to imagine, feel, express, and connect. For children, art is not an optional enrichment; it is a foundation.

When a child paints their first picture, shapes clay into form, writes, plays music and sings a song, or moves to a rhythm, they are not simply making art; they are thinking, processing, communicating, and revealing how they see the world. Through these expressions, we come to understand our children more deeply — their thoughts, emotions, fears, and glimpses of their hopes.

If we want to raise children who are not only academically competent, but also emotionally intelligent, socially responsible, creatively alive, and resilient, then art must sit at the heart of education alongside all other subjects.