Story Tapestries: Weaving Art, Storytelling, and Joy Into Early Learning - post

Art and storytelling can transform an ordinary classroom moment into an opportunity for children to communicate, imagine, connect, and build confidence. Through its partnership with Story Tapestries, ChildCareEd shares arts-integration events and resources that help early childhood professionals bring creative learning into their programs. Educators can also explore the self-paced Power of Art: Building Self-Esteem and Positive Behavior for All Abilities Buy Now $24.00 course, which offers practical strategies for using art to strengthen self-esteem, social skills, positive behavior, and inclusion. This article highlights Story Tapestries’ opportunities and explores how educators can use creativity, expressive experiences, and joyful interactions to enrich children’s learning.

What events and volunteer opportunities does Story Tapestries offer?

Exciting experiences to smile about in 2022

As you start to plan for warmer weather, here’s a different way to connect with Story Tapestries each month over the next several months:

• Gaithersburg Book Festival May 21st 
• Wine tasting with friends in June
• Live outdoor performance in July
• *Surprise* fun event in August - stay tuned!
• Games and family fun at an outdoor venue in September
• Our annual fundraiser on October 7th at Tommy Joe’s

Volunteer opportunities are available for each of these events - both in-person and online - so email us to get in on the fun: development@storytapestries.org.

You don’t have to wait for May for a reason to smile, relive the fun we had with a video recording of the 2021 Gala, with some additional highlights and performances you won’t want to miss! Watch now: https://youtu.be/cm-708bPE4Q

Additional things to make you smile right now:

• Watch Story Tapestries artists perform on The Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage 
• A sweet video celebrating Read Across America Day
• Weekly spotlights on women artists throughout the month of March on our Facebook page  You may also be interested in a related piece on women's historic milestones, Women History In the Making, which explores recent nominations and achievements that shaped women's history.

As we spring forward and move through our busiest time of the year, I’m grateful for the ability to take a breath and share a smile with you. The days are hectic and full, but they are also graced with moments of connection and celebration and it is my hope that through my work at Story Tapestries, I’m able to shine a light of possibility on your day. By joining in on the fun and sharing your smile, you become a beacon of light for our community.

Who is Valerie Baugh-Schlossberg and what role does she play in Story Tapestries?

Valerie Baugh-Schlossberg is the artistic director and a founding leader behind Story Tapestries' community-facing work. Under her leadership the organization has emphasized multi-sensory, arts-based literacy and social-emotional learning approaches that meet children where they are and create multiple access points for language and meaning-making. Story Tapestries pairs storytelling, music, movement and process art with explicit literacy goals so that sessions function as both cultural engagement and instructional scaffolding; this combined approach is described in the organization's background and impact summary (organizational background) and in our local partnership post (Story Tapestries - post). For programs, naming a point person for coordination and aligning pilot outcomes to learning goals helps translate visiting artists' work into lasting classroom practice.

How does arts integration support early learning?

Arts integration supports literacy, language development, and social-emotional learning by embedding multi-sensory practices—storytelling, music, movement, and process art—into everyday instruction. These strategies increase engagement and support multiple pathways for learning, particularly for children who are multilingual or have diverse learning needs. Story Tapestries explicitly uses arts-based literacy and SEL strategies to re-engage learners and strengthen school and community ties (organizational background).

How can my program partner with community arts organizations and sustain that work?

Meaningful partnerships begin with mutual goals, shared scheduling, and clear roles. Start by identifying a local organization (like Story Tapestries) whose mission aligns with your curriculum priorities. Use a memorandum of understanding to define responsibilities for staffing, materials, and assessment. Consider small pilots (one classroom or family night) to gather outcomes and family feedback; successful pilots can help secure grants or in-kind support. For practical community coordination skills, see ChildCareEd's Coordinating with Community in Child Care Buy Now $24.00 course and the recap of community-focused events that show partnership models in action (community partnerships case study).

What ChildCareEd courses and resources help staff implement arts integration?

Integrating the arts into routine practice benefits from targeted training. Recommended ChildCareEd trainings include: Power of Art: Building Self-Esteem & Positive Behavior Buy Now $35.00 (process art and SEL), Setting the Stage: Story Time Buy Now $25.00 (engaging read-aloud techniques), and Coordinating with Community in Child Care Buy Now $24.00 (partnership management). For curriculum ideas that integrate music, food, art and stories for toddlers, consult our article Cultural Activities for Toddlers.

How can I attend, volunteer, or sustain involvement with Story Tapestries?

1. Register early for events you plan to attend; multiple events are open to families and professionals.
2. Volunteer for event logistics or outreach; email development@storytapestries.org to offer specific skills (in-person or remote).
3. Run a short pilot arts session in one classroom and track family/child engagement to build internal support.
4. Apply for small classroom grants (see classroom grants resources) to cover supplies.
5. Use intergenerational programming and cultural celebrations to broaden reach (see intergenerational activities and celebrating culture through music).

How can I get involved and continue learning?

Attend a Story Tapestries event, pilot an arts-infused lesson, and take one targeted training this season. Combining classroom pilots with professional development and community partnership creates durable, scalable arts integration. For a local snapshot and partnership details see the ChildCareEd Story Tapestries post (Story Tapestries - post).

Summary

Story Tapestries offers accessible, arts-based literacy and SEL programming for children and families; programs can adopt these practices with short pilots, targeted staff training, and community coordination. Explore the linked ChildCareEd courses and articles above to plan your next steps. #arts #literacy #SEL #community #volunteer

Enjoy a free performance for all ages presented online by Montgomery County Public Libraries. From Sea to Shining Sea with Valerie Baugh-Schlossberg of Story Tapestries: Travel from coast to coast singing and hearing stories and folktales that celebrate and explore the beauty of our nation through song, music, and dance. Visit the majesty of Redwood Forest, the rugged Rocky Mountains, and the hidden treasures of the East Coast without leaving the comfort of your own home.

Thursday, March 24th at 2pm ET - you’ll find the Zoom link here one week prior: 

https://mcpl.libnet.info/event/6074302