As a parent of a newborn baby you can put the arts to good use, not with the intent of creating an artist but to stimulate perceptions of sight, sound, touch and smell, to connect early experiences with cognition, to increase self-confidence through a sense of accomplishment, and more. The arts involve the whole person: physical energy, sensual awareness, emotional feelings, intellectual reflection. Use art from the start and throughout early childhood.
Excerpted from Dr. Judith Peck’s book: Smart Starts in the Arts: Fostering Intelligence, Creativity and Serenity in the Early Years.