This book describes a 2-year project, an aesthetically focused experimental kindergarten emphasizing instruction in perceptual skills to stimulate acute sensory awareness (which would theoretically help the children become more academically able), and use of the arts as an instructional vehicle. The open education model stresses classroom centers of interest designed to facilitate exploration of materials and development of concepts. Children are required to make their own choices and to respond to a wide variety of aesthetic experiences. Creativity development provides the central focus of the individualized curriculum. A description of the open environment of the classroom deals with space and furniture organization and types of instructional materials and play. Information on staffing, working with parents, the teaching approach, and the organization of the kindergarten day is included. A major portion of the book delineates the aesthetic dimension of the program and describes the major activities developed to emphasize this dimension. Specific stimulus components of the aesthetic dimension include language arts; visual arts; ceramics, finger painting, weaving and woodworking; creative dramatics; music; and utilization of the outside environment. Activity descriptions and evaluative test batteries are appended. (CM)