The Power of Play and its impact on early childhood learning

As Director of the award winning training network in the cultural and education sectors, Ruth Churchill Dower established Earlyarts in 2002 and scaled it up to have a national footprint in 2009. Ruth had so many calls to take her creative training further afield that, in 2013 we decided to officially become an international training company, helping early years and primary leaders to achieve the highest standards in teaching and learning by building a team of inspiring, passionate and highly skilled teachers.

Our vision over the next ten years is to enable hundreds of educators to embed creative approaches to teaching and learning, that help young children achieve outstanding results across the whole curriculum and fulfil their incredible potential.

Ruth is a prolific writer and media commentator, bringing insight and debate to key issues in creative early education through her training, writing, speaking and consultancy.

In 2009, Ruth won the Ogunte Women’s Social Leadership Awards for her work in building Earlyarts to make real change happen in young children’s lives. Ruth also works closely with Baroness Estelle Morris of Yardley (former UK Secretary of State for Education – 2001, and Minister for the Arts – 2002) on leadership development, and with renowned educational guru, Sir Ken Robinson, both of whom are the patrons of Earlyarts.

Ruth lives in Yorkshire, UK, with her two children and spends any free time in the hills and mountains paragliding, climbing, biking, puddle-splashing and generally having as much fun with her children as possible before tea.