Scarborough’s newest preschool is starting out small, but is already making plans for expansion.

The FiddlestArts program began in town in September, and is run by the Fiddlehead Center for the Arts in New Gloucester. This is the first time the organization has expanded its programming off of its Pineland campus.

Eight children ages 2-and-a-half to 4-and-a-half attend the preschool at St. Nicholas Church and there is room for several more, said Fiddlehead Center co-founder Mary Jo Marquis.

The FiddlestArts program is based on Reggio Emilia, an educational approach that was developed by an Italian town with the same name after World War II. The program emphasizes the arts and communication and features music, movement and a variety of art mediums.

“It’s a bit different approach to education you would find in a typical American preschool,” said Marquis. “There’s a lot more flexibility in terms of teaching and listening to the children.”

Unlike other classroom settings, teachers do not drive the programming. Instead it is driven by what the children would like to learn about.

Teacher Carolyn Sirkin, who previously taught under the Reggio Emilia philosophy in New York City, said while students do learn things like reading and math during the day, the program focuses on providing children with better social interaction skills.

The day starts with some “free play” where children do any number of activities under loose supervision. Then there is “circle time,” which is used as an organizational period and reading time. Children then go outside for some physical activity. The remainder of the day is used for a larger art project based on something that had been discussed in class.

For example, the class recently did art projects based on dragonflies, which the students saw outside and found interesting.

“The Reggio Emilia program really gives the child a voice so they have some control over their environment,” Sirkin said.

There also are special guests that come into the class. They have an instrument-based program called Kinder Music where children are taught about a variety of instruments and what they sounds they make.

On Wednesday morning, Fiddlehead Center’s ceramic studio manager Lindsey Tomlinson-Peck taught the students about pottery and demonstrated how a pottery wheel works. Afterward, students were allowed to create their own clay pieces.

FiddlestArts started in 2004 in at the Fiddlehead location in New Gloucester and was popular enough with parents to lead the organization to look for other places to expand.

Scarborough was settled on because it was identified as a place where parents would be interested in joining and it is an expanding community.

“I think it’s right for something we have to offer,” Marquis said.

Marquis also said there are preliminary plans on expanding to include an after-school program like it offers at its New Gloucester location, but first must locate a large facility. Marquis also is planning on offering individual instrument classes.

For more information visit www.fiddleheadcenter.org or call 688-2244.

Abby Aleshire, of Scarborough, plays with a pottery wheel under the supervision of Lindsey Tomlinson-Peck, the manager of the ceramic studio at Fiddlehead Center for the Arts.