Based on the view that art should be a vital component of young childrens experiences, this book examines the High/Scope approach to the visual arts for young children in early care and education settings and highlights an in-depth studio approach to developing art. The book is organized in two parts. Chapters in Part 1 present the High/Scope approach to visual arts. Chapter 1 explains the High/Scope position on the importance of visual arts in early childhood education. Chapter 2 provides an overview of High/Scope art, including guiding principles for incorporating visual arts in early childhood programs and relevant High/Scope key experiences. Chapter 3 covers childhood art development from the perspective of making and appreciating art. Chapter 4 details how adults can foster development by providing appropriate space and materials, planning art-based experiences, and engaging in supportive interactions with children. The chapters in Part 2 highlight an in-depth studio approach to developing art in young children. Chapter 5 describes the in-depth approach, building on children's natural interests, extending their abilities, and enhancing their awareness of how these media are used. The remaining chapters apply the approach to working with individual media: drawing and painting (Chapter 6), found and recycled materials (Chapter 7), paper (Chapter 8), and plastic arts such as dough and clay (Chapter 9). Each of these chapters describes the history of the medium, its visual and technical characteristics, and how young children investigate and use the materials. The bulk of each chapter follows children as they progress through the stages of the approach: introduction, enrichment, production, and reflection. (Contains 119 references.) (KB)