Kids might not come home humming Mozart or painting a Van Gogh, but don’t be fooled—art and music are doing serious legwork behind the scenes of early childhood education. Far from just colourful distractions or background noise, these creative tools shape how children think, feel, and grow. Whether your child is enrolled in Kovan preschool or at a community-based programme elsewhere, art and music should be as common in the classroom as alphabet charts and counting blocks.
Painting the Bigger Picture: What Art Teaches Kids
Art isn’t just finger painting and messy smocks. It’s a hands-on way for children to express what they can’t yet say with words. When children draw, cut, paste, or mould, they are learning to solve problems, control their hand movements, and plan ahead—without even realising it.
These tasks build fine motor skills, sharpen spatial awareness, and help with focus. Cutting out a shape may seem simple, but it’s a workout for hand muscles and the brain’s planning centre. Over time, repeated practice develops coordination and boosts confidence. The best part? There are no right or wrong answers in art. A purple sun? Why not. A five-legged cat? Go ahead. Creative freedom encourages children to take risks in thinking, a habit that’ll help in maths just as much as it does in murals.
Art also supports emotional growth. Kids who can’t yet verbalise their feelings often show them through drawing or painting. Teachers in Kovan childcare centres often note how children work through emotions with a paintbrush or some clay. That messy blob of colour? It could be joy, frustration, or imagination running wild—and it’s all valid.
Sounds Like Learning: Music in the Early Years
Music doesn’t just entertain—it educates, too. Singing songs, clapping to rhythms, and moving to beats are all fun, but there’s more happening under the hood. Music helps with memory, timing, and pattern recognition. Nursery rhymes are especially helpful. Their repetitive structure teaches sequencing, while rhyme helps children pick up language patterns and expand vocabulary.
Rhythm, in particular, plays a role in literacy. When kids learn to keep a beat, they’re also learning to hear syllables and breaks in words—important skills when it’s time to learn reading and spelling. A child clapping along to “Twinkle Twinkle” is doing more than making noise—they’re practising rhythm, listening skills, and muscle control all at once.
And let’s not forget the social bit. Group music activities require listening, taking turns, and working together. These skills carry over into classroom settings and even playground politics. At Kovan preschool, a simple music circle can help shy kids join in or give active ones a way to channel their energy.
A Shared Space for Creative Growth
When music and art collide, they create a learning environment that’s rich in possibility. The early years aren’t just about learning facts—they’re about learning how to learn. Art and music give kids tools to explore, reflect, and imagine. In today’s classrooms, where children come from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds, these tools offer a universal language that everyone can understand.
Centres like Kovan childcare programmes often build their days around creative routines. Morning songs help set expectations. Art activities ease transitions. Structured music sessions aren’t just noise breaks—they reinforce lessons in numbers, colours, and days of the week, all through catchy tunes that kids carry home.
Creativity Builds Brains, Not Just Portfolios
There’s a reason why experts support integrating the arts in preschool. A 2019 study by the Arts Education Partnership found that kids exposed to arts education in early childhood scored higher in literacy and numeracy tests by primary school. Music and art don’t just make school fun—they support the very skills needed to thrive in it.
Another key benefit is persistence. Art projects and music lessons teach kids that mistakes aren’t the end—they’re just part of the process. If a song goes off-key or a drawing doesn’t turn out as planned, children learn to try again. This resilience will come in handy later, both in and out of the classroom.
It’s Not About Talent—It’s About Exposure
A common misconception is that art and music are only for the ‘talented’ few. In truth, all children benefit from early exposure. It’s not about producing the next concert pianist or famous painter—it’s about giving young learners the freedom to explore different ways of thinking.
Children at Kovan preschool aren’t judged on how well they colour inside the lines or whether their singing is pitch-perfect. The focus is on participation, experimentation, and engagement. The goal is to spark curiosity, not polish performance.
ALSO READ: Why We Need Caring and Compassionate Educators during a Child’s Early Preschool Stage
Tuning In to the Future
Parents sometimes wonder if time spent on creative activities might be better used on drilling numbers or learning phonics. But the truth is, creativity isn’t extra—it’s essential. Music and art help children process the world, build relationships, and express themselves. These aren’t side skills—they’re life skills.
And in a world that’s changing fast, the ability to think creatively, adapt, and collaborate will serve children far beyond their school years. So whether your child attends a large centre or a smaller Kovan childcare programme, make sure the arts aren’t missing from the picture.
Contact Little Seeds Preschool to learn how we weave music and art into everyday learning—because creativity isn’t a bonus, it’s the foundation.