Local Arts Activities for Early Childhood
- Orange County Library – Story Programs
- Orlando Museum of Art: Art Adventures
- Orlando Philharmonic – Symphony Storytime Series
- Orlando Repertory Theatre Youth Academy
- Orlando Science Center Kids Town
- Seminole County Library – Story Time
Arts in the First Five Years
0 – 12 Months
Your baby is born ready to learn. Introduce the arts and engage your baby’s senses with these ideas: Turn on a favorite tune and dance with your baby; show your baby different colors and patterns; when baby is old enough to hold objects, explore different textures. Reading to your baby contributes to the development of their growing brains, it also helps speech development. As you read your baby is building listening, memory, and vocabulary skills and is gaining information about the world around her.
12 – 24 Months
During this period, a child’s gross motor skills are developing at a rapid rate. They may be learning to walk and are constantly on the move. Help promote these skills by clapping along to music, playing musical instruments, or dancing.
2 – 3 Years
Taking your toddler to a museum is a great way to enhance their learning experience; plan ahead, and look at the museum’s website to see if the collection interests you and your child. Have a multi-sensory experience – pose like a sculpture or painting; play I-spy; look for hidden treasures in the art and around the museum. Bring the art experience home, while creating art your little one is developing their fine motor skills. Finger painting, squishing play-doh, using scissors, and holding paint brushes and pencils help your little one hone these skills.
- Why should you take your child to museums?
- Toddler Art is about exploring the materials
- How to take kids to an art museum
- Creating Art with Toddlers
- Painting Ideas for Kiddos
- Playtime Ideas for Toddlers, part 2
4 – 5 Years
Did you know that play acting helps your little one understand the world? Playing make believe is a great way to introduce your child to theatre. Help spark your child’s imagination! Have a costume container filled with hats, ties, old clothing, etc. so your child can pretend to be whomever/ whatever they want to be. Join in on the fun!
