Do you feel it's a help to young people of all ages? I think it's a good thing - kind of like musical instruments. Anyway, when you were young did you dabble in art or music? Was it both? Regarding the art, what art did you do - and do you think it helped out your mental health? Did it help you make friends? What did you accomplish? What effect has art had on your kids or ones you know personally?
Personally, when I look back I feel that being exposed to musical instruments early really helped boost my creativity growing up. I was never really a good artist (although my best friend was exceptionally well) and felt discouraged because of it. Music was my creative outlet. It's a passion I still carry with me to this day. No idea if it was in me all along, or if having instruments in the house helped instill that into me. Either way, I'm thankful - kids can benefit a lot from having a creative outlet, and we should recognize and commend their efforts when partaking in these tasks!
I have noticed that parents have the tendency to expose their young children to music. Not exactly musical instrument but music per se. With instruments the most common when I was young was the piano and guitar. Some parents lately are indulging in visual arts that they enroll their kids to watercolor painting sessions.
I always enjoyed any art class, but honestly, I have never been able to draw or paint (I'm a music person.), especially draw. Anyway, I have been into 3D computer art recently and it's easier cause there's no drawing or painting. Anyway, the fact - I haven't really put effort toward drawing or painting is the real problem - but I seem to enjoy 3D computer art better anyway, but the making of computer models is a huge challenge. How has 3D comptuter art been introduced in schools? Myself, I went to school in the pre-internet age.