Curriculum • 7 min read
Why Arts and Music Are Not Optional in Modern Schooling
Arts and music are routinely cut to make room for 'more academics.' That is a mistake — and the research is clear on why.
Published 11 April 2026 by Yajur Academic Team
Ask most parents to rank school subjects by importance and 'art' and 'music' end up at the bottom. Ask the same parents what they remember most fondly from their own school years, and a surprising number of them name a play, a choir, a painting competition. There is a lesson in that gap.
What arts education actually does for a child
- Builds fine motor skills that directly translate to better handwriting and pencil control.
- Develops spatial reasoning — the same skill that drives geometry and design.
- Trains sustained attention — finishing a painting is the same skill as finishing a maths problem.
- Provides emotional regulation — music and art give children safe ways to process feelings they cannot yet name.
- Strengthens cultural identity — Indian music and Indian visual traditions root a child in something larger than themselves.
Music in particular
Learning a musical instrument or being part of a choir improves working memory, phonological awareness, and pattern recognition — all of which feed back into reading and mathematics. This is not opinion; it is one of the most replicated findings in education research over the last 30 years.
What good arts and music programmes look like
- Timetabled weekly — not 'when there is time.'
- Specialist teachers — not the class teacher filling in.
- Process over product — the goal is the learning, not the annual day photograph.
- Choice and exposure — children should try multiple forms over their years in primary school.
- Integration — arts that connect to history, geography, science, even maths.
How Yajur treats arts and music
At Yajur Public School, arts and music sit alongside academics from Pre-KG to Class 7. We have dedicated specialist teachers, weekly timetabled periods, and regular opportunities to perform and exhibit. Visual art, vocal music, instrumental music and theatre are all part of the curriculum, not extras.
What parents can do at home
- Keep simple art supplies accessible — paper, crayons, a sketchbook.
- Play music your child can move to, not just listen to.
- Visit a local exhibition, attend a kacheri or a school play.
- Avoid grading their art — 'tell me about it' beats 'that's beautiful.'
See arts and music at Yajur
Visit during a working day and watch a music or art lesson live. The energy tells you what the prospectus cannot.
Plan a campus visitFrequently asked questions
Does my child need to be 'talented' to benefit from arts education?
No. The benefits of consistent arts education — motor skills, focus, emotional regulation — apply to every child regardless of natural inclination.
Should I send my child to a separate music or art class outside school?
If your child shows genuine interest, yes. Outside classes go deeper than a school can. But school exposure is the foundation that helps a child find that interest in the first place.
Do arts and music affect academic performance?
On average, yes, positively. They do not detract from academics; they support them through stronger focus, memory and motor skills.
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