As soon as your child is old enough to operate a tape or compact disc player, purchase one along with some children's recordings. Tapes and CD players are now so simple that even very young children can operate them. If your child plays an instrument, help budget practice time and make uninterrupted practice time available. Listen to those tunes the child thinks are good. Encourage your child to perform.
Genuine praise does wonders.
Observation and experimentation open up the doors to confidence. Be positive about the child's attempts and encourage development of interests. Help your child to really ''see'' the subtle variations in nature. Point out differences in intensity of colors. To encourage creative writing , jot down the stories your children tell or the songs they made up.