Getting our kids into art is a great way to encourage creativity, allow them to use their imagination while also learning actual art techniques.  For younger children, it is also a fun way that helps develop their fine motor skills and make them used to getting their hands dirty (literally).  Through the years,  I’ve discovered that not all art programs are alike, so it is also good to study what’s out there before signing up the kids specially this summer.

There are programs like Kids at Art which has been running for 16 years already and is very good in teaching kids different art techniques. Every session is dedicated to a different art form. One day, the kids will paint, then do clay sculptures the next, then paper mosaics on the third day.  The instructors are capable teachers who have good rapport with the kids as they are usually young students or graduates of the UP College of Fine Arts.  The program ends with an exhibit of the children’s work in a mall venue, which is always a nice experience for the kids (and a memorable one for the parents ).

Another program which is quite remarkable is offered by My Masterpiece, a school founded and run by Anna Escay-Cortez and her musician husband, Rayyn.  Theirs is a multi-arts program– art, music, performing arts and mac multimedia classes– all rolled into one term, so the kids get a well-rounded dose of arts in one enrollment. Anna says “ours is an after-school program that is run like a school,” so their programs actually follow a curriculum which is consistently taught through the different arts and throughout the term.  They run the school all throughout the year, not only during summer, and even have special schedules for children who study in the international schools.  This summer, the curriculum will be about the Renaissance period so this will be a wonderful opportunity for kids to learn the muti-arts while learning more about Da Vinci, Shakespeare and Galileo and other highlights of the period.

As a mom, it’s just great to have various options for our children. Whether you want straightforward art lessons for your kids to just keep them busy for summer, or if you prefer an enhanced program where they can learn not only about the multi-arts but also history, the world and more, know what’s out there and then decide which would best be a fit for your kids.

For more info on Kids at Art, log on to www.kidsatart.net.  My Masterpiece is now accepting enrollees for Summer.  Summer Workshop starts after Holy Week (April 15 – May 30, 2009).  Avail of early bird discounts: less 10% until Jan 30.  For reservations, call or text Teacher Anna, at 0915-4327439, or email mymasterpiece@mac.com.  Multi-Arts Classes are now held in Valle Verde, Pasig.    

Tags: art, art classes, kids activities, kids at art, mommy pages, my masterpiece, summer

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