We are passionate about introducing children to art and music by exposing them to the great artists, past and present. The benefits of an early education in art and music are life changing. It’s a proven fact that art and music education improves academic skills. Organized music lessons appear to benefit children’s IQ and academic performance – and the longer the instruction continues, the larger the effect, according to a study published in the May issue of Journal of Educational Psychology (Vol. 98, No. 2). Lead researcher E. Glenn Schellenberg, PhD, says the recent study builds on work he published in 2004, in which 6-year-olds given a year of voice or piano lessons saw a significantly larger increase in IQ than a control group that waited a year for musical instruction. (Courtesy of American Psychological Association). Students who study art are 4 times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement and 3 times more likely to be awarded for school attendance. Arts and music education programs are mandatory in countries that rank consistently among the highest for math and science test scores, like Japan, Hungary, and the Netherlands. (Courtesy of DoSomething.org)