Open Art

True art is a process, not a product. Our Open-Art activities stress a child-centered approach in an environment that nurtures children's creativity. We don't produce art for staff or parents; rather, to encourage and help a child develop his creativity. To learn, children must not only be actively involved with art materials but also do things over and over. Learning to manipulate staplers, scissors, and hole punchers is a difficult process; it is only through manipulative repetition that learning occurs. We provide a very wide variety of developmentally appropriate art materials that are openly available to the children.

We do not encourage “crafts” before Kindergarten age. The distinction between art and craft is determined by how much participation by an adult is needed once the materials are presented. If all or most of the work is being done by the adult, it is not the child's art or active learning. We do not use or make things for children to copy, such as coloring books; we use the real thing, or photographs and books, to serve as models. Every child’s artwork is unique and special.

Multi-Cultural Education

We believe that multi-cultural and non-gender specific experiences, materials, and equipment bring a rich and diverse experience into all aspects of the early childhood curriculum. We help children to discover common aspects to all cultures such as foods, music, families, shelter, clothing, occupations, and traditions. We seek to dispel stereotypical assumptions including cultural, social, gender, age, and physical challenges.