DC/MD/VA ProgramsWolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts

Professional Development Workshops

Wolf Trap Professional Development Workshops train early childhood educators in the use of performing arts techniques and strategies that help young children acquire basic emergent literacy and other learning and developmental skills. Workshops are taught by expert Teaching Artists and can be arranged in any community. In addition, a series of workshops is offered at the Center for Education at Wolf Trap each spring and fall.
Current Schedule

Residencies in Preschool Classrooms

Wolf Trap offers 7-week partnerships during which an artist comes to the preschool classroom and demonstrates for the teacher how the performing arts can be used to teach curriculum topics. During these residencies, artists and early childhood educators work together to develop, refine, and evaluate new performing arts teaching strategies.

Field Trips to Wolf Trap

The Institute hosts field trips incorporating the disciplines of dance, drama, and music at the Center for Education at Wolf Trap. These field trips are specially designed to introduce 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds to live performance.

Instructional Material

Stages for Learning: Performing Arts Activities for Preschool Children is a collection of performing arts-based curriculum strategies. Published by the Institute, Stages for Learning is available to early childhood educators who complete Wolf Trap residency training.

Family Workshops

These popular interactive sessions (lasting approximately 45 minutes) bring young children and their parents together through a shared experience in the arts, and introduce parents to a variety of activities that can be employed at home, in the car, and even in line at the grocery store. The number of participants varies with each presenting artist.