Arts participation in early childhood often includes such activities as music, song, and dance; drama and theater; and visual arts and crafts. In toddlerhood, children have experienced a rapid development of communication skills, motor skills, and perspective-taking (or the ability to see from “someone else’s shoes”). To help children further develop these abilities, researchers have found that this can be accomplished by participation in various kinds of arts activities. For example, music-based activities include relatively passive experiences such as listening to music or watching someone play an instrument, sing, or dance. This type of arts participation also takes the form of active experiences such as singing songs and rhythms, playing instruments, or playing to a beat, and dancing, bouncing, or moving to rhythmic sounds. Children can also participate in visual arts and crafts, such as playing with building blocks; drawing, painting, or finger-painting; and sculpting clay or playing with sand.
We here at H&H Child Care training understand the value the arts can bring children in the classroom and have developed many classes to help teachers learn how to implement the arts within their programs such as Power of Art: Bldg Self-Esteem & Positive Behavior for ALL Abilities, and Open Heart, Open Art to name a few.
Visit our website to see a full list of classes on how to support the arts in your classroom.
H & H Child Care Training Courses grant .2 CEUs or more as well as awarding state approved clock hours of 2 or more for all childcare centers, and family childcare providers in many states. Check with your licensing agency to check for any additional requirements and to see if we are approved in your home state.