Principles for Engaging in the Arts: A Guide for Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare Settings is launched
Image courtesy of Department of Children, Disability and Equality
Department of Children, Disability and Equality
11 June 2025
New guide to foster artistic creativity in young children launched by Ministers Foley and O’Donovan
Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley T.D., and Minister for Culture, Communications, and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan T.D., launched the ‘Principles for Engaging with the Arts: A Guide for Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare’ on the 11th of June 2025.
The Principles for Engaging with the Arts are designed to inspire and support meaningful arts experiences for children in early learning and care and school-age childcare settings across Ireland. The principles are closely aligned with the principles underpinning both Aistear, the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework, and the National Quality Guidelines for School Age Childcare Services. They have been developed to give greater detail and further clarity on this area of practice, to support early years educators, school-age practitioners and childminders in promoting arts experiences as part of their setting’s curriculum or programme of activities.
The principles are also intended to support artists and arts organisations in their work with babies, toddlers, young children and children attending school-age childcare, while creating a shared language and shared understanding across and between sectors.
Read more about and view the Principles for Engaging with the Arts here.