Summer of the Arts

By Ettie Zaklos, Preschool of the Arts Founder & Director

The month of June transitioned us from the completion of a successful academic preschool year to new and exciting summer adventures. This year, our summer camp program welcomed 200 campers, ages 1 to 8 years old, for a summer theme of “Passport to Fun.”

At Summer of the Arts, we take seriously our responsibility to ensure that our campers’ physical and spiritual needs are met, to create a stronger, more vibrant, young Jewish community. This year, we used the theme of global travel to focus on six different countries around the world.

Each week’s activities, art, cooking and games were inspired by the culture of various destinations, allowing campers to get a taste of many fascinating countries around the world.

In addition to our many camp-based activities, we also hired various specialists to come lead the children in soccer, golf, tennis, art, culinary arts and so much more.

We offered weekly entertainers, water play and water slides to stay cool in the summer sun. It was truly like a dozen specialty camps rolled into one expertly packaged, Jewish-spirited setting.

As our summer camp wraps up in July, it is hard to believe that our incredible preschool has just completed its 10th year — we are now in the double digits since our founding!

We are so proud of our tremendous growth over the years and how our program has raised the bar for early childhood education in Naples. It is humbling to think that our earliest students are now entering middle school, and that they began their educational journey at Preschool of the Arts, gaining the necessary foundation for a lifelong love of learning.

At Preschool of the Arts, we believe artistic expression is a constant process that begins with our youngest learners and explorers and is deepened and refined as they form relationships and connections with their world. Each step is part of a larger story or narrative that defines the individual and collective members of our community. Our unique custom-tailored, child-centered curriculum allows children to emerge as independent thinkers with the ability to stretch their minds.

POTA’s Big Pre-K Graduation

Every day, we strive to cultivate each of our students’ intellectual, emotional, social and moral potential. The exceptional individualized care that we invest in every single child, from when they walk in the door as a toddler until the day they walk out as a capable and school-ready student, is truly one of a kind.

Our preschool environment is one that fosters questions, provokes curiosity and stimulates intellectual growth. Our Garden of the Arts, culinary arts and science programs all encourage natural curiosities, while our music program and brand-new indoor and outdoor Studios of the Arts enhance our fine arts curriculum. Each child’s journey has endless possibilities and applications well beyond the walls, spaces and environments that define Preschool of the Arts.

As we continue to grow and expand into our next decade, we are excited about the possibilities ahead. Enrollment is now open (and nearly full!) for Preschool of the Arts 2021-2022. We are honored by the overwhelming response. We are all excited at the prospect of another fulfilling and growth-filled year at Preschool of the Arts. On to bigger and better!

To find out more about our program or to schedule a school tour, call 239-263-2620 or email naplespreschool ofthearts@gmail.com.