The goal of this literature review, then, was to synthesize contemporary research, published from 2000 through 2015, on the links between arts participation and early childhood social-emotional development. Arts-related empirical research focusing on the early childhood period is an emerging field, and one that inspired the NEA in 2004 to publish an evidence-based guide for parents about the value of arts participation early in life. Like that earlier report (Imagine! Introducing Your Child to the Arts), this one focuses on typically developing populations. The research herein is based on 18 empirical articles that were identified as relevant, that tested for statistically significant relationships between the arts and social-emotional development, and that meet the inclusion criteria for this review. The articles came from various peer-review research journals in the fields of psychology and education. (author abstract)