Dear colleagues,

Children are imaginative and insightful. They love to explore and create. A rich preschool experience taps into these qualities by encouraging and supporting children’s thinking and expression in many ways. A rich preschool experience integrates the arts.

Some educators feel confident and clear about incorporating art, music, dance, and theater into their settings; they may even have talents in these areas. Others feel less confident, and they may wonder how to foster children’s development in the arts.

An educator in Belleville, New Jersey, recently shared with me how she supported children creating, responding, and connecting to the arts. I enjoyed visiting her classroom, where the children were connecting the fall season with arts by painting the outlines of leaves gathered from outside. I went to the next classroom and joined an exuberant dance party with preschoolers wiggling and jumping to the beat of the music. From my own childhood, I have wonderful memories of music and dance providing opportunities to learn self-expression and gain confidence.

Arts woven into early education provide additional avenues of learning and growing in homes, schools, and early learning programs throughout communities. Children delight in and grow from joyful arts experiences. I hope you find inspiration in this issue for integrating the arts in your setting.

In gratitude,

Michelle Kang
Chief Executive Officer