Visual and Performing Arts
Visual arts are an important part of our days at Little Folks. Art activities, important in their own right as a means for children to express themselves creatively, also help to develop the pre-academic skills necessary for future learning. Each day begins with an open-ended art activity, providing children with experience using a variety of media.
Music is an integral part of our daily Circle Time and utilized throughout the curriculum. Our main objectives at the early childhood level are for children to develop their singing voices, to develop a repertoire of songs and to progress toward a recognition of the steady beat. In addition, children will develop the concept of fast and slow, loud and quiet, and high and low. The Music program taps into a child’s natural curiosity and love of music.
Children’s literature provides a vehicle for our exploration of movement and drama. Children become actively involved in activities based on storytime books. This allows for “whole child” participation through movement and the dramatization of stories that have been presented.
Since the year 2000, the Little Folks School has been fortunate to collaborate with the Education Department of the Wolf Trap Performing Arts Foundation. A professional Wolf Trap Teaching Artist partners with a classroom teacher to plan and teach arts-integrated experiences designed to support children’s achievement and curriculum goals.
During a seven week residency, for two 30-minute sessions each week, children participate in arts integrated lessons that support developmentally appropriate learning and concepts as well as creative, expression and problem solving, critical thinking, communication and collaboration-the 21st Century skills that are so important to the growth of our children.
Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts has long been recognized as a national model for arts integration in early childhood classrooms. Visit www.wolftrap.org/education for more information.