Growing Through Arts

As many of you know, I was a ballerina for several years. Discipline, self confidence, musical training, creativity, and grace are just a few of the valuable life skills that I learned by dancing. I do believe the arts can have a great, positive impact on children and that's why I was so excited to hear about Growing Through Arts.

Aleksandra Efimova, founder of Growing Through Arts and a former ballerina herself, has created a beautiful series of children's books. The Ballet Series includes storybooks based on classical ballets. I received The Cinderella Ballet title for review:


This is a beautiful, hardcover book with a fresh, modern twist on the original tale. The illustrations are lovely and engaging, and the tale includes lots of material to think about, making for multiple readings of the book. For example, questions throughout the book can be used to get children to teach children valuable, moral lessons. You could read through the book once, and then go back and discuss the questions. There is also a glossary of ballet terms at the back if you children wanting to explore the world the ballet and learn the words used in ballet class. There are endless possibilities, which I love.

We also received the Cinderella Practice and Play Book:


This concept is fabulous! It's an activity workbook combining the creativity and imagination of the Cinderella story. Children will do things such as matching the slipper to the right size foot, or putting all the numbers on a clock striking midnight. This is the perfect way to combine arts with education!

I'm really excited to share these books with my little girl when she gets older. I think she may appreciate it a little more than Bean, who has not escaped my balletic influence just because he's a boy. Still, he performed a pretty good arabesque for a two year old, don't you think?



Growing Through Arts also has a Music Series, which I am definitely planning on checking out one of these days. See their full line of products here and introduce your child to the wonderful world of arts!