art and early learning
May 19, 2008
Finger paint, glitter glue, crayons and, most importantly, fun and healthy development are at the heart of the statewide Nurturing Children’s Creativity campaign, arriving this week in Snohomish County.
Through June 15, the public is invited to StockPot, Valley General Hospital, Rodland Toyota/Scion, Stevens Hospital, Snohomish County, Providence Hospital, The Everett Clinic and Volunteers of America to view featured artwork by local babies, toddlers and preschoolers in order to learn more about how everyday activities, like art, can help young children learn and grow.
“More than half of the children in our state enter kindergarten without the skills needed to succeed, and the experiences children have in their early years make a significant difference,” said Katrina Ondracek, United Way of Snohomish County’s senior manager of early learning initiatives. “Children of all ages and developmental stages are capable of creating art. It may seem hard to imagine, but we will depend on these babies and toddlers to one day lead our companies and communities. Those children encouraged to be creative today will be able to think through problems and issues in new and different ways tomorrow.”
While most of the children who created art for the statewide campaign did so in a child-care center, the campaign encourages families to create art at home with their children. In addition to having fun with a child, parents or other relatives can use this opportunity to pass on family and cultural traditions.
The Nurturing Children’s Creativity campaign is part of Born Learning™, a national public engagement effort to raise awareness about why a child’s early years are important. Nationally, Born Learning™ is a partnership of United Way of America, the Ad Council, Civitas and Families and Work Institute. Born Learning™ Washington is funded by Thrive by Five Washington, a public-private partnership including local United Ways that champion early learning, and the Washington State Department of Early Learning.
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