Integrating the performing arts into early childhood education is a highly effective way for young children to learn and for early childhood educators to teach. Arts integration combines the arts—singing and making music, dancing, role-playing, and storytelling—with subjects like math, science, and reading.
At Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts, we’ve been pioneering arts integration for more than 35 years. Our programs encourage active learning with children through high-quality professional development for teachers.
Integrating the arts into early childhood education helps children succeed
Research shows that arts integration helps children develop academic and social skills that are the foundation for their future learning, behavior, and health.
When learning through the arts, children use different senses and
parts of their brain, which help them connect with and recall important information. Arts integration also develops critical social and emotional skills, like recognizing different perspectives and expressing empathy.
Teaching through the arts empowers educators
Incorporating the arts into daily lessons helps educators connect with students, practice creativity, and infuse joy into their teaching. Learning how to integrate the arts also provides educators with new strategies, engagement tools, and confidence to support students with different learning styles and needs—all important components of
high-quality early childhood education.
Wolf Trap Institute uses proven methods to train early childhood educators in sustainable and effective arts integration techniques to provide deeper learning for all children.