Art Adventures for Kids
With most San Diego kids starting the school year virtually, now is a perfect time to boost up your child’s arts education. Engagement in the arts is not only an important avenue to creative expression, it also helps improve math, reading, verbal and problem-solving skills. There is a plethora of local art classes, at-home projects and online arts enrichment opportunities at your fingertips. This round-up offers something for everyone. Thank you to local art teacher Alyssa Navapanich for contributing the project ideas, fun videos and websites.
Local Art Classes Little Artists www.mylittleartists.com Currently offering in-person and online drawing and painting classes for kids ages 4-18. In-person classes are available at five locations across the county. Little Fish Comic Book Studio www.lilfish.us Learn how to write and illustrate your own comic book at Little Fish Comic Book Studio! Choose from a variety of in-studio and virtual comic art classes. The Hot Spot Pottery & Painting www.thehotspotstudio.com Create your next great masterpiece at The Hot Spot in Del Sur and Liberty Station. In-person art classes are available by reservation or drop-in at both studio locations. Private group canvas painting classes also offered via Zoom. The New Children’s Museum www.thinkplaycreate.org Join The New Children’s Museum’s Friday Toddler Time every Friday at 10 am on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Families can also access previous Toddler Time videos and activities at www.thinkplaycreate.org/ learn/toddler-classes/toddler-time.
At-Home Creative Art Projects Create drawing prompt cards. Using scraps of paper, make one stack of “object” cards (people, animals, things), one stack of places (landmarks, cities, states, local hangouts), one stack of verbs (running, swimming, eating, etc.) and one stack
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of art adjectives (colors, textures). Pull a card from each stack and create a drawing based on those cards. Examples of what you might get: “Blue llama eating pizza in Paris” or “Fuzzy turtle running in the grocery store.” What a fun way to practice vocabulary, sentence structure and art simultaneously.
Turn trash into treasure. Search the recycling bin, grab some scissors, tape and markers or crayons and start creating. Make a car for a superhero or a collage using words and pictures from food packaging and old magazines. Make snowflakes or papel picado from advertisements or newspapers.
