AMERICAN FORK — Adults can spark a child's interest in the arts with just a little creativity, a Brigham Young University professor says.

Children do not generally gravitate toward opera or sculpture by themselves. Parents and grandparents usually introduce them to the arts. And they can start when the children are babies, said Kaye Terry Hanson, a business professor who holds a doctorate degree in theater.

"We shouldn't push it upon them," she said.

Hanson used examples from her own family life as she spoke recently to about 35 parents and members of the community at the American Heritage School, a private grade school that emphasizes LDS Church teachings. The school's Family Education Center hosts lectures on the second Friday of each month.

"I began playing classical music to my children when they were babies," she said.

Hanson said there are numerous ways children can be guided toward an appreciation of the arts. Among her suggestions was for parents to download classical music into their children's iPods and for grandparents to consider buying music lessons for their grandchildren on gift-giving occasions such as birthdays or Christmas.

Hanson recalled a summer in Europe with her children when she was doing graduate work. She was in Paris and desperately wanted to visit the Louvre Museum without the children.

"My friend said, 'Why don't we have them play a game?' " Hanson said.

They invented a scavenger hunt style game, with a list of famous paintings that the children were supposed to find during the visit. It gave the adults two hours to look at the world-famous art with minimal interruptions. And the children had an opportunity to identify the pieces for themselves.

Parents can teach art appreciation simply by purchasing an art book, Hanson said. She suggested they page through the book with their children and discuss the paintings, ask children to identify objects in the paintings as well as which paintings are their favorites and why.

Audience member Bennett Greene, who lives near the school, agreed.

"I think there's a story behind the art," he said.

Bennett believes children will appreciate and understand art better if they can learn about the artist, why he created the art or if there is a story behind the piece such as it being lost for centuries.

Mitch Huhem, whose children attend the school, said that children become interested in theater if the family decides together what they enjoy. His family likes comedies, especially "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat." The family has traveled around the United States and watched a dozen different performances of the musical.

"Every one was different," he said. "Every one made us laugh."

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E-mail: lhancock@desnews.com