Children develop thinking skills through simple, creative activities. In early classrooms, activities such as painting, singing, moving to a beat, and telling short stories provide steady practice in attention, language, memory, and planning. These moments also demonstrate how a child begins a task, stays with it, and finishes it. At Strelitz International Academy, the IB Early Years Curriculum incorporates art and music throughout the day with short, repeatable routines, rather than occasional extracurricular activities.
Art and music in the early years curriculum
Creative work is built into the day as brief routines that support play and inquiry. A song can settle the group at the start of the day and make sure they’re ready to listen. A drawing can capture what a story sparked, or help drive home its core lesson. A short song and dance can encourage the kids to help clean the room before the next task. The cadence remains light, allowing practice to build without fatigue. Over time, motor control improves and focus stretches. Children also describe their ideas with more ease.
How does music help brain development in children?
Music gives children a clear pattern to practice against. Keeping a steady beat ties what the ear hears to how the body moves, which steadies timing and self-control. Rhyme and melody draw attention to the small sounds inside words, a skill that supports early reading. Call-and-response songs allow the group to slow down enough to listen, wait, and respond in turn. As patterns stretch out, children carry the sequence, correct slips, and make adjustments, building working memory and flexible thinking.
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What are the cognitive benefits of art in early childhood?
When children create, they choose materials, try to replicate what they imagine, and make adjustments as needed. Crayons, scissors, rollers, and clay invite small movements that build control. When colors mix in unexpected ways or a tower gives way, cause and effect are easy to see, and the next try comes with an adjustment. Sharing the piece at the end brings language into the process, with words for order, position, and feeling that make the idea clear to others.
Why is creative play important for young children?
Creative play ties together feeling, language, and problem-solving. In pretend scenes, children assume roles, set a goal, and follow a simple plan as the story unfolds. They read social cues, share space, and adjust when a friend adds a new idea. Props and open-ended materials make the story visible and keep it going longer, which supports self-control and clear speech.
How do art and music support learning in preschool?
Art and music connect to early math, science, and literacy. Clapping patterns link to counting and simple sequences. Mixing colors and noticing texture builds observation and prediction. Songs support rhyme and syllable awareness. Drawing after a story helps new words stick. Group projects build patience and turn-taking. Routine songs mark transitions, which steadies the day and frees attention for new tasks.
Is music good for memory in early childhood?
Songs act as memory hooks. A tune and a steady beat make steps, stories, letters, and routines easier to recall. Short chants help with lining up, cleaning up, and multi-step directions. Calm rhythms help bodies settle, so attention is free for learning. When classes write simple lyrics about a topic, facts tend to return later in talk and play.
Art and music at Strelitz International Academy
Strelitz International Academy builds these skills through daily creative work in the IB Early Years Curriculum. Short routines in art and music are done alongside play and inquiry. Teachers can document growth and make progress clear over time.
Families can schedule a visit to the classroom, observe the routines in action, and discuss goals for the year with teachers. The program pairs warm, predictable structure with room for ideas to grow, which helps children build confidence and carry new skills into reading, early math, and group work.
