In 1981, American neuropsychologist Roger Sperry was awarded the Nobel Prize for his discovery that the left and right hemispheres of the human brain serve different functions. This research explained that the left brain is inclined towards logical thinking, such as mathematics, language, and rational analysis, while the right brain is more involved in visual arts, imagination, music, writing, and creative conceptual thinking, possessing rich emotional and expressive abilities. Although this is a discovery in the field of human physiology, it holds significant implications for childhood education today.
This discovery suggests that in children from birth to age 5, the functions of the left and right brain hemispheres are relatively balanced, with their imaginative thinking and creativity being particularly prominent. We often observe that children under the age of 5 can draw with a pencil, sing, and perform naturally, and they all seem to be gifted little artists. However, as they progress to middle school and college, many of them claim that they can no longer draw, sing, or perform. The cause of this is that artistic stimulation and development of the right brain decrease after formal education begins. From elementary school to college and into the workforce, we primarily engage in logic-based learning, guided by the left brain, while opportunities for learning and training the right brain are relatively limited.
This situation is prevalent within mainstream educational systems, compounded by economic pressures. Generations have unintentionally lost their creativity and imagination as a result. Emphasizing the left brain while neglecting the right brain in the education model is gradually pushing lively, exploratory, and innovative children into the confines of mechanized, standardized education. This educational trend is slowly constraining or undermining children’s creativity and enthusiasm for life, leading their thinking to become rigid, formulaic, and their imaginative and problem-solving abilities to diminish over time.
Einstein once said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world.” Picasso put it even more directly when he said, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.”He also said” It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child.”
In light of this, the roles of parents and teachers should not focus solely on “teaching” but on creating conditions and an atmosphere to nurture and enrich the talents of young artists, helping them maintain their creativity and imagination in balance with the logical reasoning skills emphasized by formal education. The best way to stimulate and nurture their right brain, often referred to as the “creative brain,” is to carefully plan and provide an environment that encourages children to freely enjoy creative activities such as drawing painting and music.
1981年美国神经心理学家Roger Sperry因发现人左脑与右脑各自功用不同而获得诺贝尔奖。这一研究解释了人的左脑偏重数学、语言、理性分析等逻辑思维；而右脑则重于图画、想象、音乐、写作和创作性形象思维，具有丰富的情感与表达能力。虽说这是一项人体科学的发现，却对今天的少儿教育成长有着重大的意义。
这项发现表明，从出生到5岁的孩子左右脑的功用是较为平衡的，他们的形象思维、创造力最为突出。我们常看到5岁以下的孩子拿笔就能画、开口就能唱能表演，个个都是极富天赋的小艺术家，但到了中学、大学之后你若请谁画、请谁唱或表演，他们很多却说
不会画、不会唱、不会表演了。长大的他们认为只有经过专业训练的人才可画、才可唱、才可表演。造成这种现象的主要原因是
在五岁正规教育开始后孩子右脑的艺术性刺激与发展就减少了。从小学到大学直至工作，我们所接受的主要是以左脑为导向的逻辑性学习，而对右脑的学习和训练机会相对较少。这种状况普遍存在于主流教育体系中，加之经济压力的影响，一代一代在不知不觉长大中丢失了创造与想象力。如此强调左脑而轻忽右脑的教育模式正在将活泼自由、喜爱探索创新的孩子们逼进狭窄的机械化、模式化的教育之中。这种教育趋势正慢慢地束缚或破坏孩子们的创造力与对生活的热情，导致他们的思想易趋于僵化、程式化，对人对事缺乏感觉与热情，使他们的想象力和解决问题的能力也逐渐变得匮乏。
爱因斯坦曾说“想象力远比知识更重要。逻辑会把你从A带到B，想象力能带你去任何地方。” 毕加索更是直接，他说“每个孩子都是天生的艺术家，问题是怎么在长大之后仍然保持这种天赋” 。画家米罗也曾说：“儿童时期的天赋最珍贵，这个阶段拥有人一生中最高的创造力，一旦长大，这种能力会极容易消失”。
针对这点而言，父母和老师的角色不应着重强调“教”，而是创造条件与氛围来喂养、滋润小艺术家们的天赋，帮助保持他们的创造力与想象力，使之与正规教育侧重的逻辑推理能力一同平衡发展。而使他们那被称为“创造脑”的右脑得到刺激和喂养最好的方法就是精心策划提供环境，引导鼓励孩子自由享受音乐绘画等创作性活动。