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Having just posted a blog about the practical effects of having art in the home, art as part of home decor, my mind races to other ways art interacts with daily life. Childhood memories provide a clue.

   Children connect with the world through art. Children's books are created as "picture books" because visual input is so powerful for children. It's the first path to understanding their world, as pictures teach children to associate words with thoughts - hear a word, see an image related to that word, and - voila! - the connection. Picture books for children are a gentle introduction to the world beyond their room, introduced in a comforting family voice.

   Then children bring their world home to the family with pictures drawn and colored in school, pictures of other children, of playing games. In school, too, children learn about holidays and nature by coloring pumpkins and flags, flowers and birds - parts of the world around them. Childhood artwork is an excellent way to share a child's growth with distant grandparents, of course - and childrens' delight seeing their pictures in Grandma's house when visiting her!

   This day and age, so managed by computer, still uses art as part of the learning process - an online children's dictionary is illustrated with pictures; "illustration" showed me a picture, "crayon" showed me a picture of crayons!

   Y'know, art is largely fun, fun for a family to encourage and enjoy children's growth - and for the artist . . . I'm grinning looking at the online children's dictionary illustrations while researching this blog! To keep the joy of childhood alive in your home, try art!