Nintendo’s Art Academy Hits the Classroom

We all know the benefits of teaching Art in the classroom. Studies have shown that art helps fuel creativity and helps prepare the brain for other disciplines such as mathematics, reading, and writing.

Nintendo also knows these benefits and through its partnership with the National Art Education Assocaition (NAEA,) they have provided various classrooms with Nintendo DSi XL systems and copies of Art Academy to provide a new way to teach art in schools.

“The abundance of visual images being displayed through technology is transforming the ways art education in schools can be presented to students,” said Deborah B. Reeve, EdD, NAEA Executive Director. “In today’s schools, an emphasis is still placed on rational and analytic subjects like math and science. Art class is one of the few places where kids can exercise their creativity and develop flexible forms of thinking to build additional skills for their future. We are thrilled that the incorporation of Nintendo’s Art Academy into the classroom provides students with another creative outlet that supports teaching and learning in art, and the students agree.”

The great thing about Art Academy for the Nintendo DS is that is your personal art teacher, providing various lessons in drawing, shading, and painting that you can then use in real life. Because you can save your progress any time during a lesson, Art Academy gives you a great portable experience that teaches you art skills at your own pace. Having it in schools also introduces portable gaming to students who may not be fortunate enough to have played on a Nintendo DS before. It’s not only a great way to promote learning, but it also serves as a great introduction to the positive benefits of playing video games.

Art Academy is currently available for the Nintendo DS family of systems.