The arts in the early years

Abstract

The arts are important in early childhood education. For young children the arts provide connections between play and learning. So what should teachers do in the early years (children aged birth to eight year olds) to allow children to learn in the arts? How can we make sure children are able to use sound, movement, gesture, marks, form and image to express their thoughts, feelings and ideas? This chapter will provide a snapshot of current arts activities in early childhood settings throughout Queensland, Australia to help answer these questions. Three early childhood teachers share their experiences with implementing arts approaches. These vignettes of experiences explore arts appreciation, composing with voice and instrument and motivating children with drawing.