Creative Beginnings

Edmond Fine Arts is bringing a new, engaging educational resource to the Edmond Community. Last month, the nonprofit debuted Creative Beginnings: Stories and Art for Families, a free program that blends literacy, art, and play for children ages 3-6 and their caregivers.

The idea began with Lainee Copeland, an Edmond Fine Arts instructor who saw how powerful it could be to bring parents and children together through creative activities. “The Creative Beginnings program is all about learning and connecting through play and creativity,” Copeland said. “I hope it introduces many families to the amazing programs that Edmond Fine Arts has for children and adults.”

Development Consultant and Edmond City Council Member Maggie Murdock Nichols helped bring Copeland’s vision to life. “When I heard about this idea, I immediately started thinking about how we could fund it and make it accessible to all families.”

That opportunity came through a grant from the Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness, with sponsorship support from Tinker Federal Credit Union. The timing, Nichols said, couldn’t have been better. “We’d already been dreaming up this program. Research shows that kids are coming into school not knowing how to play or use their imagination. This program helps bridge that gap for kids and caretakers.”

Creative Beginnings is modeled in part after EFA’s successful Playful Dramatics program, which launched in Edmond Public Schools in 2023. That initiative introduced imaginative storytelling into Pre-K classrooms, complete with costumes, instruments, and acting out books. Teachers noticed a ripple effect in creativity, confidence, and social-emotional growth. Nichols has seen it firsthand. “My own Pre-K child’s artwork completely changed after that program,” she said. “Her creativity just blossomed.”

Creative Beginnings will continue offering several sessions on the second Saturday of November and December—all at no cost for families. “The program will continue past this grant period, with TFCU as the ongoing sponsor,” EFA representatives explained. “The OPSR grant is the reason it’s free for the coming months, and we can’t express enough appreciation to community partners for making art and learning more accessible to our community.”

Each session will follow a similar spirit of exploration. Families will enjoy a themed storytime, art project, and play-based activities. Every child will take home the featured book, their artwork, and a resource kit filled with crayons. The kit also includes a prop or instrument to enhance play at home, a craft to complete with their caregiver, and information connecting them to local partners such as Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, the Metropolitan Library System, and UCO’s Child Study Center.

“We want to put real tools for creativity in kids’ hands,” Nichols said, “When they can express themselves through art and imagination, you can actually measure that development. It’s incredible to watch.”

The program also gives parents a chance to engage in the learning process. “The craft projects require hands-on help from a caregiver,” Nichols said. “It’s all about connection and helping parents feel confident playing, creating, and learning alongside their kids.”

For EFA, that family connection is at the heart of everything. “Our organization was created more than 40 years ago by Edmond moms who wanted access to the arts,” Nichols said. “Creative Beginnings continues that mission: removing barriers, celebrating imagination, and giving families a space to create together.”

Families can register for the free program at edmondfinearts.com/creative-beginnings.