Education is no longer limited to getting children to understand theoretical concepts and pass examinations with flying colors. The focus of the modern world education system is more on the holistic development of young minds. Children today are no longer expected to mug up the information from textbooks with the sole purpose of obtaining good grades in exams; they are instead familiarized with a multitude of things that surround them and impact their lives both in the short and long term.

Having said that, a lot of attention is already being laid on instilling children with essential life skills, morals, ethics, values, etc. However, one area which still needs consideration is about building aesthetic sensibilities in children. We at St. Xavier’s High School, positioned among the Top School in Greater Noida West, strongly believe that nurturing children’s aesthetic side is indeed very important as it helps them witness and realize all the beauty that life holds in varied forms.

Today, in this article below, we shall shed light on what exactly aesthetic sensibilities refer to and how the same can be incorporated into children’s lives.

What are aesthetic sensibilities?

Before going ahead with describing ways in which aesthetic sensibilities can be developed in children, let us first look at what this concept actually means. Aesthetic sensibility essentially deals with a child’s ability to see and appreciate beauty while not forgetting to experience and commend the vast majority of aesthetic value that life offers.

Aesthetic sensibility is not a one-way agenda, which is limited to witnessing and experiencing the beauty that life has in store. It also has to do with the individual’s reaction, in this case, children’s reaction to beauty.

If we go by what philosophers have to say, they have opined on multiple occasions that aesthetic sensibility is important for understanding people’s value systems, ways in which they interact with each other, and, most importantly, pillars on which they make decisions.

Here’s how aesthetic sensibilities can be developed in children:

• Breaking the routine:

We at St. Xavier’s High School, ranked among the top 10 schools in Greater Noida, have seen that one of the best ways of introducing children to a new concept is by creating a set-up where they are made to step out of the routine. For instance, if you wish for your children to understand the beauty of good music, you can host an event such as a fun fair or a festive party, where children can be familiarized with the soothing nature of music. Now that children are out of monotony, they will be better placed to absorb the aesthetic value associated with the activity that their attention is being directed towards.

• Change in perception:

When children continue to look at certain items, activities, and aspects in the same manner over and over again, it is common for them to fall out of love and interest towards these engagements. Hence, the first step towards channeling children’s aesthetic sensibilities in the right direction is by closely working with them to reframe their ideologies.

When this is done, children will start receiving things in a brand-new manner. Most importantly, they will begin tapping on the emotional and sensory wings of the engagement. Through this, children will start forming a connection with the appearance, feel, look, touch, and sound of the engagement, which in the real world, will help reignite their aesthetic sensibilities.

• Being invested in the overall ambiance:

When speaking about the concept of aesthetic sensibilities, we at St. Xavier’s High School cannot help ourselves from citing this peculiar example. Let us say you have planned dinner for a couple of friends. No doubt, the first thing you will do is invest your time and energy in cooking a great meal. However, this is not where you will stop.

You will further work on the overall ambiance. You will make sure that the dinner table is set up right, use premium cutlery, throw in a vase of flowers at the center of the table, and maybe light a few candles in and around. When your guests arrive, they will not just be smitten with the sumptuous food served by you but will be appreciative of the overall ambiance as well. A similar ideology becomes applicable when it comes to introducing children to aesthetic sensibilities. Focusing on the overall aura and ambiance becomes indispensable here.

• Appreciating beauty “in the thing itself”:

When introducing children to aesthetic sensibilities, it is important to push them into seeing the beauty of the object placed before them, irrespective of its purpose and utility. The premise here is to make children understand that the world is full of beautiful things, and all it takes is to recognize and cherish the beauty that surrounds each one of us.

This done right, your children will grow more appreciative and grateful for all the beautiful things that form a part of their lives, in the course of which their aesthetic sensibilities will sharpen.

Final Words:

We at St. Xavier’s High School, one of the Top School in Greater Noida West, firmly believe that when we work towards developing aesthetic sensibilities in children, we basically help them embrace positivity as a way of life. They train their mind to look at the beautiful and positive side of life while keeping the negativities at bay. This is one of the key reasons why we have made sure that our pupils tap into music, visual arts, and pretend play to gain expertise in this area. This vital skill which has got far more relevance in today’s highly competitive world than you can imagine!