Explore the Arts with Young Children

This list contains resources to help early childhood educators and caregivers plan high-quality learning experiences in the arts. The resources below are grouped by art form.

Visual Arts

IEL Tip Sheet: Out and About with Preschoolers: Close Up with Visual Arts

IEL Tip Sheet: Things to Do While You’re Waiting: Art Is All Around (Graphic Tip Sheet)

IEL Tip Sheet: Things to Do While You’re Waiting: Art Is All Around

IEL Tip Sheet: The Power of the Pen: Drawing and Scribbling

Resource List: Make a Mess and Explore STEAM

Blog Post: Scribbling as Early Steps to Reading and Writing

Blog Post:Make Art a Part of Every Day: Focus on the Process

Blog Post:Cherishing Children’s Treasures Can Create Many Opportunities to Learn

Blog Post: Challenge Young Artists to Create in Three Dimensions

Project Approach: Helping Children Sketch and Draw from Observation

Adapted Lesson Plan: The Arts Lesson Addressing Benchmark 25.B.ECa

Adapted Lesson Plan: The Arts Lesson Addressing Benchmark 26.B.ECa

Benchmark Video: Drawing a Friend

Benchmark Video: Mila Paints the Fence

Benchmark Video: Roland Draws a Garden

Benchmark Video: Straw Painting

Benchmark Video: Bethany Draws a Wheel

Dance and Movement

IEL Tip Sheet: Out and About with Preschoolers: Dancing on the Sidewalk

Benchmark Video: Creative Movement: The Flower Dance

Benchmark Video: Oats, Peas, Beans and Barley: Learning Through an Action Song

Drama and Storytelling

IEL Tip Sheet: Young Authors at Work: Story Dictations

IEL Tip Sheet: Toys from Throwaways: Boxes

IEL Tip Sheet: Drama and Young Children

Blog Post: What Puppets Can Mean to Children

Blog Post:What Puppets Can Mean to Children, Part 2

Blog Post: Super Story Time

Parenting Video: Pretend Play with Big Boxes

Guidelines Video: Tea Party

Benchmark Video: The Right Word: Conversation and Print During Pretend Play

Benchmark Video:Tattoos and Teakettles: “Housekeeping” Conversations

Music

IEL Tip Sheet: Sing, Play, and Hear: Music’s in the Air

IEL Tip Sheet: Out and About with Preschoolers: Make Some Music

Resource List: Music for Preschool Children

Blog Post: Learning Through Music and Movement

Adapted Lesson Plan: The Arts Lesson Addressing Benchmark 25.A.ECc

Project Approach: The Music Project

Benchmark Video: Dustin’s French Horn Model