KidzArt Official Blog

From Guest Blogger: Terry Groehler from Art Innovators in West Los Angeles:

Painting/Collage Project Overview:

Students of Malibu’s Webster Elementary School painted a watercolor wash background on watercolor paper. They drew the jaguar with Sharpies and Prisma markers on drawing paper with options of Prisma water color pencils, Art Stix and the Portfolio Series water based crayons. Then they cut out the jaguar and pasted it on torn heavy black construction paper which was pre-glued to the dried background wash. The foliage was made from torn specialty paper and pasted on. Students were very focused with the drawing part; this took two days to complete allowing time for background wash and glue to dry.  The students loved exploring different mediums with this fun painting/collage project.

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Your kids or students will surely get in the Halloween mood with this easy ghost necklace craft!

Materials:

White Construction Paper

Heavy Yarn (white)

Hole Punch

Black Marker

Scissors

Tape

Directions:

1. Print out your favorite ghost patterns.

2. Trace each pattern on white construction paper.

2. Cut each ghost out and punch two holes 1/4″ from the top of the ghost’s head, 1/2″ apart.

3. With a black marker draw eyes and mouth on each ghost.

4. Cut 30” of heavy yarn. Thread yarn through holes punched at the top of each ghost (wrap a small piece of tape around the end of the yarn to make it easier to thread through the holes). Center all three ghosts in the middle of the yarn. Tie necklace off at the ends.

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As the parent or teacher of young children, it’s important to recognize how children learn and the steps they go through in their development. The following information, taken from the US Department of Education web site, offers ideas and activities which will enable him/her to learn, grow and have fun- while building fine motor skills! Check out these great ideas for “constructive play” and share yours too!

Toddlers can use their hands and fingers to play with toys and to do many things for themselves.
• Keep toys on low, open shelves so that toddlers can choose what they want to play with and put things away when done. Put things that are used together near each other. For example, put crayons on the same shelf as the paper.
• Encourage toddlers to help take care of their toys and to keep the child care setting tidy. Have several clean-up times each day. Provide toddler-size cleaning tools, such as small brooms and dust- pans.
• Follow a schedule that gives toddlers plenty of time to take part in routines such as eating, handwashing, and getting ready to go outdoors. Make it easy for toddlers to do things without your help:
 Place cubbies and coat hooks at toddlers’ height and show them how to hang up their coats.
 Provide cups and eating utensils small enough to fit in toddlers’ hands.
 Mark each toothbrush with a special symbol–a star, an X, a dot–so children can know which toothbrush is theirs.
 Place tissues and paper towels where toddlers can reach them.
• Provide an assortment of table toys and materials that encourage toddlers to use their hands and fingers, such as pegs to place in pegboards and blocks to stack and then knock down. These items must be large enough so that toddlers won’t choke on them.
• Offer new materials as toddlers’ skills improve. Older toddlers can build eye-hand coordination while doing puzzles with more pieces and while fitting small blocks together. They may be ready to use a sifter in the sand box and small boats at a water play table.
Toddlers can use a variety of drawing and writing tools.
• Provide many things to draw and write with and on. Store crayons, washable markers, and chalk where toddlers can get them without help from an adult. Large paper is best for toddlers’ drawing and writing because toddlers need space to make wide movements with their arms. For variety, toddlers can draw and write on chalkboards and on the sidewalk.
• Set up easels, washable paint in a few colors, and brushes with short handles and wide bristles for toddlers to use every day.
• Encourage toddlers to use their fingers to make wavy lines and circles with fingerpaint on trays or a plastic tablecloth.
Toddlers are beginning to notice letters and writing.
• Introduce letters in a casual way. Provide some alphabet blocks, puzzles, stamps, and magnets for toddlers to play with.
• Let toddlers see you writing. Sit down with a toddler while making a shopping list, talk about the sign you are making, and explain what’s in the note you are sending home to families. Toddlers are likely to copy your writing in the same way they copy other adult activities.

Source: http://www2.ed.gov/Family/RSRforCaregvr/toddlers.html

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Three-dimensional art is both fun and educational for kids of all ages- even preschoolers! It offers the opportunity to teach kids about dimension, perspective and depth perception.

Creating a diorama (using a shoebox) is often the first lesson in three-dimensional art but kids can get creative with other inexpensive materials found at home and simple instructions. Try making three-dimensional paper mobiles using paper and ribbon that are folded, scored, crumpled or twisted. Or a large sheet of foil can be manipulated into three-dimensional shapes or animals. Decorate them with paint or markers.

Here are other materials to consider for your three-dimensional creations: buttons, boxes, cans, egg cartons, paper cups, tape, twist-ties, paperclips, rocks or leftover hardware.

This student from KidzArt in Korea glued and painted pieces of Foamcore to create a 3D bathtub!

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Have you heard of Lights On Afterschool? It’s a nationwide celebration of individual events designed to put the spotlight on the need for and value of quality afterschool programs. The 2011 Lights On Afterschool observance is Thursday, October 20th when communities around the US will be celebrating the afterschool programs that keep our kids safe, inspire them to learn and help working families. 
 

Did you know that:

• More than 15 million school-age children (26 percent) are on their own after school? Among them are more than 1 million are in grades K through 5. (Afterschool Alliance, 2009)

• More than 27 million parents of school-age children are employed, including 23 million who work full time? (U.S. Department of Labor, 2010)

• Only 8.4 million K-12 children (15 percent) participate in afterschool programs. An additional 18.5 million would participate if a quality program were available in their community? (Afterschool Alliance, 2009)

• The hours between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. are the peak hours for juvenile crime and experimentation with drugs, alcohol, cigarettes and sex? (Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, 2002)

Studies show that children in afterschool programs do better in school, stay in school longer and have greater expectations for the future. Quality afterschool programs like KidzArt/Art Innovators are successful because they provide children “added value” academic, social and emotional learning opportunities beyond the formal school day. 
 
 
Visit the AfterSchool Alliance web site to find out more about Lights On Afterschool events in your area or call your local KidzArt to join in their celebration!

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In his bestselling book, A Whole New Mind, author and right brain thinking advocate Daniel Pink suggests that artists, inventors and individuals with creative thinking skills possess a mindset that will thrive in our changing world.He analyzes “a new age” where creative thinking skills have become vital to professional success.
Incorporating learning techniques that foster this creativity and develop the right side of the brain are an important part of a child’s educational development, especially in the pre-school years.
To better understand, take a look at what different parts of the brain are responsible for doing. While memorization, repetition and testing are left brain functions, visualization, photographic memory capabilities and creativity happen in the right hemisphere. Everything that’s logical, analytical and rational comes from the left brain. Emotions, intuition and our “mind’s eye” are right brain functions.
Does conventional education do enough to develop the right brain? Fostering new ideas, thinking “out of the box” and continuing to develop children’s resourcefulness, imagination and originality are critical elements of developing a balanced brain.
Here are a few tips to enhance learning and engage a child’s right and left brain:
·        Play games that are simple, straightforward and focused. Avoid over-stimulation by using chaotic, confusing images or animations. Less is more: with fewer distractions, more learning can take place.
·        Learning games for kids should not be competitive. Competition can block right brain function and stimulation.
·        To enhance learning, incorporate soothing music such as classical or sounds of nature.
KidzArt’s international program is designed to enhance right brain functions. We create a nurturing, non-competitive environment where children take part in activities that enhance learning. Our students are exposed to a variety of artistic styles, cultural interpretations, and mediums incorporated with elements of brainstorming and critical thinking.
What ways do you inspire and develop your children or students to become innovative thinkers?   

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Some people assume that creativity is a talent that you’re born with. Others believe that it’s a skill that can be developed and enhanced. Providing resources children need to grow their imaginations and creativity are an essential part of their brain development. And research tells us that the early you start the better: most children from 3 to 5 years old reveal a superior level of creative behavior. Recent research has found that at the age of 10 years few are still at this level and that number decreases into the teen years.

Here are a few tips ways to cultivate your child’s inventiveness and imagination, at any age:

1) Make art supplies, dress up clothes, disposable cameras and other spare craft materials readily available. 

2) Give your children freedom to explore their ideas and thoughts without judgment.

3) Support your children’s participation in the arts (drawing, music, theater, etc.) which has both academic and social benefits.

4) Encourage reading for pleasure! The benefits are endless.

What other ways do you promote your children’s creativity?

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Pretending is an essential part of intellectual development. Around age three, a child’s brain takes a cognitive leap. Preschoolers become more capable of abstract thought, and they can create amazing make-believe worlds says Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, PhD., coauthor of Einstein Never Used Flashcards. “Their language skills are also growing richer, so they can better express what they are thinking”.  Imaginative play helps to boost creative and even promotes logical thinking, she adds.  For instance, cowboys and cowgirls building an indoor fort can tackle problems (“We don’t all fit in here!”) and come up with solutions. (If we spread the chairs out some more, our fort will be bigger.”) This is good training for one’s brain for later in life. “Playing make-believe with friends teaches how to negotiate and work together, “ says Dr. Hirsh-Pasek.

KidzArt uses this practice in our art curriculum. We encourage our students to imagine and be creative. Take a chance or risk by trying something new. They amaze themselves with the results and that makes their confidence soar.

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           Getting the new school year off to a good start can help children’s attitude and overall academic performance. By providing stimulating, learning activities, parents can help kids transition back into a learning mode more easily. Part of getting our kids ready for the new school year is to prepare their brains.  After the unstructured months of summer, it helps to exercise your kids’ imaginations and creativity to prepare them for the new school session.

            Here are some ideas:  Try breaking out the art supplies and create an art center somewhere in your home where the kids can freely draw, paint, sketch and color.  Using arts and crafts supplies, recycled materials, and other household items, ask the kids to: make a sock puppet, create a collage by gluing dried food such as cereal, pretzels, crackers, etc. on to poster board, write a story and sketch illustrations go with it, or draw a picture using their non-dominant hand.    

            By being able to explore their creativity, children can exercise skills which can strengthen their academic abilities and readiness for the new school year.

            Programs like KidzArt make art and learning fun for kids but that’s not all.  KidzArt also creates opportunities for kids to communicate, brainstorm and express themselves which can be a great way to get the school year started.  Studies show that there is a critical link to reading, writing and math excellence in children who are exposed to art. According to the US College Entrance Examination Board, children who participate in arts activities score nearly 100 points higher on SAT’s than students who don’t.                                                                                                                                                                     KidzArt teaches kids, preschoolers to teens, easy-to-learn drawing techniques in a nurturing, non-competitive environment.  The use of age appropriate, safe, professional-level art supplies, creative activities and focusing exercises can enhance learning and build skills needed to succeed in the classroom.  The classes, which include music and focusing exercises to promote a relaxing atmosphere, are also used as a calming technique to prepare students for standardized tests.

Art gives children to ability to actively create which can improve cognitive development, strengthen communication and expressive skills and boost reasoning and organization skills.  Art is just one of the many creative activities that can help children keep their brains warmed up for back-to-school excellence. 

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Foster Kids’ Creative Development in Celebration of Youth Art Month

March is Youth Art Month, an annual observance that emphasizes the value of art education for all children.  In celebration of Youth Art Month, it’s a great time to nurture children’s creativity through art and other activities that inspire innovation, resourcefulness and originality.

As children experiment and test new waters, they learn and grow and develop their creativity which is beneficial in all areas of their lives.  Check out the follow tips to nurture the creative side in your children:

1. Reduce the Stress Factor – Provide a quiet area where your child can go to decompress after the school day.  Have art materials and simple household items available in a workspace area away from the TV or noisy siblings where your child can relax by doing an easy art activity.

2. “Blank Book” Drawing- Each day put an interesting object next to a notebook with empty pages for your child to draw in. Make it a surprise!  For example, ask him or her to draw: shells, a small new toy, a miniature household item, an interesting flower, a feather or fossil.  Provide at least two different mediums for experimentation such as colored pencils and oil pastels.

3.  Decrease Media Overload- Turn off the computer, video games and television and engage kids in active play.  Physical play such as sports and outdoor play or mental stimulation like board or card games promote kids’ natural creativity and is a great alternative to the passive time spent with their electronics.

4.  Ask Open-Ended Questions- Pose questions to your children that start with who, what, where, when and how to encourage their creativity and critical thinking skills. 

5.  Engage the “Right Brain”- Allow children to exercise their right brain after a day of left-brain school academics.  Right brain activity is stimulated by new events or activities, drawing with different colors, shapes and sizes, playing dress-up, dancing or listening to music. 

6.  Use All the Senses- Improve your kids’ use of their imaginations by encouraging them to use all five senses. Ask children to close their eyes and listen to the sounds around them.  See which they can easily identify and which are more challenging. Encourage kids to identify new smells (both pleasant and otherwise) when you encounter them.  

7.  Allow Mistakes.  Children often fear ridicule from their peers or parents if they make a “mistake”.  Unfortunately this same fear inhibits higher order thinking: creative problem solving.  Allowing your child to experiment with art also allows them to take a risk and try something new.  This is the creative process and the skill will serve them well in all academic areas.

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