Building a strong literacy foundation is invaluable. From the minute that babies are born, we have a strong and direct impact on how we build and strengthen early literacy skills. The environment and experiences that we offer children in their early years make a lasting impact on their future. During these early years, the brain is experiencing rapid growth and development. By engaging with our children through conversation, creating a safe and positive environment, and providing opportunities for purposeful play, we can help build strong and lasting connections in the brain.
Studies have shown that building strong oral language, vocabulary, and alphabetic knowledge in children ages 0-5 are strong predictors of academic achievement in elementary school. Merging literacy and visual art (the “universal language”) is a wonderful way to continue building brain development, encouraging creativity, and applying what is taught in literacy through meaningful experiences.
Here are some of the ways that connecting literacy and art are beneficial for young children:
- Art is fun and engaging! When children are interested in what they are learning, they are much more likely to retain what they have learned. Using art as a method to extend literacy practices can help make concepts stick in the brain!
- Integrating art into literacy lessons allows children to take ownership of their learning and knowledge. Conceptualizing and creating art can help children truly think about what they have learned and apply those skills to their own creations.
- “The arts not only inform our construction of meaning, but they expand our understanding of the world,” (Albers, 1997). Creating art helps children to activate their prior knowledge and put that knowledge into their own creations and experiences. By doing so, they are creating meaning and understanding of literacy concepts that they have learned.
- Most children learn best by doing! There is no better way to DO than through ART!
We hope that you will join us in our new Literacy + Art Preschool class at Small Hands Big Art which puts these principles into practice! Partnering with Melissa McCall* from Moving Little Minds (more about Melissa’s background below!), we have developed a drop-off class for children ages 3.5-6 that focuses on building early literacy skills through fun and engaging instruction and art integration. Our goals with this class are to improve children’s confidence and reading foundation skills – from learning letter recognition and sounds to practicing vocabulary and comprehension skills, all while using visual expression to create a beautiful work of art! At pick-up, parents will receive a written overview of the learning principles and concepts covered in class that day to help them continue to engage their child and extend the learning at home!
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During December and January classes are available as a one-time drop-in (what better way to try it out and see how your child loves it!). Then starting in January the class will be offered as a 6-week session, with each class building on skills learned in the prior class. Click the class dates to enroll or call 704-246-8271.
The 6 week Late Winter session starts Jan. 27th ($210)
We’re excited to work with Melissa! With a BA in Elementary Education and MA in Special Education, she is dedicated to building a strong literacy foundation in young children by educating parents and teachers about the importance of early literacy instruction and working directly with children to build early literacy skills. Melissa currently teaches literacy classes to children ages 2-5 at a local preschool, and also works as an educational consultant.
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Small Hands Big Art is a children's art studio with locations in Kingsley Center (Fort Mill, SC) and Waverly (Charlotte, NC). Small Hands Big Art studios are big, bright, safe and inviting spaces where kids from toddlers to teens (and adults too!) make brave creative choices, big messes & beautiful masterpieces! Their unique curriculum provides kids with a much-needed stress-free creative experience, and the results are nothing short of eye candy! Weekly classes keep kids sane & centered during the school year, while their Schools Out Camps and festive Holiday programs dazzle & delight when a special one-off creative experience is needed! They host some pretty epic Birthday Parties too!
Reference: Albers, P. (1997). Art as Literacy. Language Arts, 74(5).
