As the leader of a team, what you value can trickle down to the rest of your team. Make a commitment to increasing the learning opportunities provided by your program. Help teachers and families understand and buy into this commitment as well.  Here are a few ways you can do this:

• Share the benefits of performing arts with families on a regular basis. Comb through your state’s early learning standards and pinpoint the specific skills that performing arts activities help to develop.
• Send home performing arts activity ideas. Encourage families to share pictures of themselves engaged in the activity. Ask family members and children to identify what skills they used during the activity.  Post the pictures and lists of skills in a central location for others to appreciate.
• Share information about community theaters, and performing art center productions in your newsletters.
• Contact local performing art centers and inquire about their calendar of events, field trip opportunities, and discounted prices for matinee shows.  Ask if the theater offers large group discounted pricing, and if so, organize a family event for a kid-friendly performance.
• Reach out to performing arts organizations to explore possible collaborations. Many programs have community education programs that you may be able to bring into your program.
• Incorporate some drama games into your teambuilding events or staff meetings. Be sure to make connections between the skills your employees used, the skills they want their children to learn, and how they can adapt these games for their classrooms.
• Be sure to set aside a portion of the supply budget for materials needed for performing arts.
• Check lesson plans for performing arts activities. Coach teachers who may need to stretch their thinking to include more engaging or intentional performing arts activities.

Does your program have an excellent performing arts program?  Share what you have done on our Facebook page here!

For the Main Article on Performing Arts in ECE, CLICK HERE.

For Infant and Toddler Activity Ideas, CLICK HERE.

For Preschool Activity Ideas, CLICK HERE.

For School-Age Activity Ideas, CLICK HERE.