Birth to age five is a crucial period in children’s development, but many of our city’s most underserved children lack access to quality early childhood education. Inspired Child has been filling that gap for over three decades, integrating the arts to nurture children’s growth more effectively. Across multi-week residencies taught by expert teaching artists, infants build a foundation for movement through music; toddlers learn to self-regulate in science-backed movement therapy workshops; and preschoolers engage in an immersive literacy program, improving their logical and creative thinking. Additional workshops, books, and resources encourage parents to use the city as a classroom – exploring as a family its food, music, and different spaces. In addition to supporting more than 1000+ children a year, Inspired Child trains over 1500 teachers annually, ensuring its model can reach more children across the city.

Headquarters: DC-Ward 2

Where They Operate: DC-Ward 1; DC-Ward 4; DC-Ward 5; DC-Ward 6; DC-Ward 7; DC-Ward 8

Age Groups Served: Infants (0-2); Pre-K (3-4)

Ethnic Groups Served: African American; Latino/Hispanic

Population(s) Served: Low- to Moderate-Income Community Members; Men/Boys; Women/Girls; Students; Low- to Moderate-Income Community Members


  • Number of books donated per year:   1700

Awards & Recognition

Six-time winner of the Mayor's Quality Partnership Award in early childhood education
Finalist for Mayor's Art Awards in Outstanding Contribution to Arts Education Category

Press

  • No stories found

Budget (FY2023)

  • $3 million or higher
  • The current budget for Inspired Child is: $1 million to $3 million
  • $500k to $1 million
  • Less than $500k

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About Spur Local

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