Young At Art Museum partners with Coventry Health Care of Florida to create an early childhood outreach program for Broward schools
DAVIE, Fla. — Laughter rang out as excited children crawled through a magic tunnel to learn colors and shapes, created their own croquet sets, “cooked” up a mixed media vegetable soup collage, shared story time and were treated to a very special tea party at the launch of “Alice’s Wonderscapes,” an early childhood outreach program for Broward schools that promotes health and learning through movement, literacy and art.
Created by Young At Art Museum and developed through funding from Coventry Health Care of Florida, through the Coventry Better Health for Kids Program, Alice’s Wonderscapes is comprised of four programs for children in grades pre-k through second.
Down the Rabbit Hole: Here children use motor skills to crawl through a magic tunnel and learn colors and shapes.
Alice’s Outdoor Maze and Garden: Kids get fit as they skip through a maze and explore the beauty of the outdoors by creating nature rubbings.
Mad Hatter Kitchen & Tea Party: Students learn about healthy food choices by “cooking” up a healthy mixed media soup collage.
Alice’s Queen of Hearts: Discovering numbers and shapes while getting fit, children create and play with their own croquet sets.
“Early childhood health education programs are so important because if you target children while they are young, you have the opportunity to help them develop healthy habits that will last a lifetime,” said Christopher Ciano, CEO for Coventry Health Care of Florida. “Collaborating with Young At Art to bring Alice’s Wonderscapes to Broward County Public Schools is a natural extension of our kids health program, which advances children’s wellness by supporting health and nutrition education and promoting physical activity.”
Since Young At Art first opened its doors 22 years ago, the mission of the Museum has been to bring art education and creative programs to the entire community. Through its outreach programs, thousands of children have had art experiences brought directly to their classrooms.
“We are grateful to Coventry Health Care of Florida for partnering with us to bring this wonderful program to children, especially those who otherwise might not get any exposure to the arts,” said Mindy Shargo, executive director for Young At Art Museum. “Young At Art was founded to bridge the gap for shrinking budgets for arts education programs in schools. Integrating art activities with movement is a win-win for young children.”
The Alice’s Wonderscapes outreach program also ties in with WonderScapes, one of the four permanent exhibitions that will be featured in the new Young At Art Museum, scheduled to open to the public on May 5, 2012. Designed to help build early childhood development through cultural art and play for ages birth to four, WonderScapes will be a world of imagery, with murals painted by poet and illustrator DeLoss McGraw, whose version of Alice in Wonderland won the Illustrator’s Society Book of the Year Award. The artful journey through the exhibit encourages young children to cross domains – words, gestures, drawings, painting, sculpture, music, singing, dramatic play, movement and dance – all of which contribute to literacy.
For more information about Alice’s Wonderscapes or Young At Art Museum, please call 954-424-0085 or visit YoungAtArtMuseum.org.