As you read this, families around New Westminster are packing their bags to get their little ones ready for music or dance class.
No surprise there. But what might surprise you is the age of the participants - and the fact that many of them can't even walk themselves to class, never mind carry their own bags.
Music and dance classes for babies and toddlers are becoming popular with local families. Private studios and city-run parks and recreation programs offer programs that bear such names as Mini Music and Baby's First Dance.
So what's with the boom in baby arts?
Arts reporter Julie MacLellan - herself the mother of a 15-month-old - thought she'd do a little investigating and find out.
As it turns out, we're not on a quest to turn out a new generation of baby Baryshnikovs and mini Mozarts.
But we are increasingly embracing the notion that early exposure to the arts is good for our kids. And it seems science is on our side.
In this special report, MacLellan takes a closer look at babies, toddlers and the arts in our midst. Follow the Related Stories links below, or check under the Entertainment tab for more.
