Wolf Trap Institute History

The Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts, a program of the Wolf Trap Foundation, was established in 1981 under a grant from the Head Start Bureau of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The goal of the Institute is to train early childhood professionals in the use of performing arts techniques, which help young children learn basic academic concepts (e.g. colors, shapes, and numbers) as well as life skills (e.g. hand washing, sharing, and problem solving).

With the assistance of the Wolf Trap Institute, teachers and parents can help their children to improve in the following areas:

• Emergent literacy
• Self-awareness and self-confidence
• Group awareness and socialization skills
• Problem-solving skills
• Ability to concentrate and remember
• Gross and fine motor control
• Awareness of individual creativity
• Motivation and enthusiasm for learning
• Conceptual and verbal skills