Arts for Learning Early Childhood

The way we engage children in the first years of their lives has a profound impact on future learning and success.

As the Maryland affiliate of the Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning through the Arts, we know that decades of practice and research prove that integrating the arts into early learning experiences contributes to greater school readiness for our youngest learners in the domains of social and emotional, physical, cognitive and linguistic development.

Our Early Childhood programs bring learning alive by connecting performing arts strategies with core subjects such as language, literacy, science, and math. Using a two-generational approach, we also aim to build the confidence and skill set of caregivers and educators to use these strategies in their day to day lives and classrooms long after the artist is gone!

Our Early Childhood programs bring joyful, arts-based learning and creative exploration to our youngest learners, families, caregivers, and educators through an evidence-based programming model!

Residency Programs

A teaching artist and child interact during a Baby ArtsPlay workshop.

Wolf Trap Baby Artsplay!™ Residencies

Baby Artsplay!™ residencies provide hands-on music, movement, and drama experiences that parents, caregivers, and early childhood educators can use daily in order to set their young learners on a path toward kindergarten readiness.

A young child sticks a tongue out while participating in an Early Childhood workshop.

Wolf Trap PreK and Kindergarten Residencies

Literacy and STEM-based residencies train early childhood educators to effectively integrate the arts in their classrooms and provide joyful, active learning experiences that encourage critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration.

A La Carte Programs

Young students smile during a performance.

Assemblies

Inspire and motivate your students with a live, interactive, and educational arts assembly performance with an A4L teaching artist or ensemble. Early Childhood assemblies are 30 minutes in length with a maximum audience size of 250 students unless otherwise specified.

A smiling adult embraces a young child in a pink jacket.

Family Involvement Workshops

Children and caregivers will find inspiration in Family Involvement Workshops, where artists engage children and adults in hands-on creativity to support the learning of any topic. These interactive workshops for families and children are 45 minutes in length.

Special Programs + Resources

An adult and young child listen attentively during an arts-integrated workshop.

Video Portal

Receive FREE access to a library of over 50 Early Learning videos that engage young children and care providers in joyful arts experiences with performances and instruction by Wolf Trap teaching artists.

An adult embraces a smiling young child.

Month of the Young Child

Join us for a fun-filled month of arts-integrated workshops, lessons, and activities for ages 3-6! With interactive artist-led workshops designed for our youngest learners, educators, families, and caregivers will build skills and confidence in using arts strategies that support childhood development while students creatively explore topics like language, science, math, and social-emotional learning.

A teaching artist sits with a doll on her lap.

Professional Development Institute (PDI)

Each year, Arts for Learning Maryland hosts a series of free professional development workshops for early childhood educators and child care providers with our Wolf Trap-trained artists. Through engaging theatre, music, and dance activities, participants will learn simple strategies for integrating the arts into their classroom and daily home routines.

Residency Programs

A teaching artist and child interact during a Baby ArtsPlay workshop.

Wolf Trap Baby Artsplay!™ Residencies

Baby Artsplay!™ residencies provide hands-on music, movement, and drama experiences that parents, caregivers, and early childhood educators can use daily in order to set their young learners on a path toward kindergarten readiness.

A young child sticks a tongue out while participating in an Early Childhood workshop.

Wolf Trap PreK and Kindergarten Residencies

Literacy and STEM-based residencies train early childhood educators to effectively integrate the arts in their classrooms and provide joyful, active learning experiences that encourage critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration.

A La Carte Programs

Young students smile during a performance.

Assemblies

Inspire and motivate your students with a live, interactive, and educational arts assembly performance with an A4L teaching artist or ensemble. Early Childhood assemblies are 30 minutes in length with a maximum audience size of 250 students unless otherwise specified.

A smiling adult embraces a young child in a pink jacket.

Family Involvement Workshops

Children and caregivers will find inspiration in Family Involvement Workshops, where artists engage children and adults in hands-on creativity to support the learning of any topic. These interactive workshops for families and children are 45 minutes in length.

Special Programs + Resources

An adult and young child listen attentively during an arts-integrated workshop.

Video Portal

Receive FREE access to a library of over 50 Early Learning videos that engage young children and care providers in joyful arts experiences with performances and instruction by Wolf Trap teaching artists.

An adult embraces a smiling young child.

Month of the Young Child

Join us for a fun-filled month of arts-integrated workshops, lessons, and activities for ages 3-6! With interactive artist-led workshops designed for our youngest learners, educators, families, and caregivers will build skills and confidence in using arts strategies that support childhood development while students creatively explore topics like language, science, math, and social-emotional learning.

A teaching artist sits with a doll on her lap.

Professional Development Institute (PDI)

Each year, Arts for Learning Maryland hosts a series of free professional development workshops for early childhood educators and child care providers with our Wolf Trap-trained artists. Through engaging theatre, music, and dance activities, participants will learn simple strategies for integrating the arts into their classroom and daily home routines.

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