Cherie Gough
Creative Arts and Sports
Why they’re important right now
Upheaval and stress have caused
tremendous concern about the emotional health of our kids. The way they spend their extracurricular time is more important than ever. Involving kids in the arts and sports offers a much-needed release, social connection, and critical developmental tools. Read on to hear from experts about how the arts and sports help shape kids’ brains and what you can do to help them use extracurricular time in the healthy ways.
Art Has a Calming Effect “Art immerses you in the moment,” says Alyssa Navapanich, California Outstanding Elementary Art Educator of the Year and Lemon Grove AMP (Art, Music, PE) teacher. Many of her students report that her class helps them feel relaxed during distance learning. Navapanich teaches her students that there are no mistakes in art. She encourages focus on process over product, which takes the pressure off creating perfection.
20 • SanDiegofamily.com • February 2021
“I like to build a sense of resiliency into my students,” says Navapanich. “When they feel like they make a ‘mistake’, I encourage them to refocus, see their creation differently and recreate their idea. The picture book Beautiful Oops by Barney Saltzberg is a great tool for teaching this concept.” Children’s Physicians Medical Group (CPMG) Pediatrician Dr. Rachel Gianfortune agrees, “Being able to express yourself through any type of art helps kids process emotions and exercises the brain’s muscles in new ways.”
Art Connects People According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the emotional well-being of members of the same family is closely related—and parental calm is essential to children in times of crisis. Creating art together is a great way to connect with children.
Sometimes the family members of Navapanich’s students join in during her virtual art lessons. “My favorite moments of teaching virtually are when family members participate in the process,” she says. “It creates a very real and tangible connection to a child’s education in a low stress way. They connect to each other and to art. Honestly, that’s the best reward an art teacher could have.”
Physical Activity Improves Mental Health Many studies have proven that daily physical activity improves mental health by increasing serotonin, one of the brain’s happy chemicals. “Giving kids a break from academics and time away from social media improves mood and helps manage stress,” says Dr. Gianfortune. Physical activity also helps kids gain more confidence and work through emotions, as it stimulates the brain in different ways.
