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 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.

Make texture rubbings:

Place an item (coin, leaf, piece of string, button) under a piece of paper and rub a crayon or colored pencil over it gently; fill in the remaining areas with other colors if you wish.

Paint with coffee or tea:

Using leftover coffee grounds or a leftover tea bag, steep in warm water until the color is dark. Use a cotton swab or a piece of sponge clipped to a clothespin as a paintbrush and create a masterpiece. Teach kids art vocabulary, then use the new terms to inspire creativity.

Primary colors: red, yellow, blue

Secondary colors: green, purple, orange

Cool colors: blue, green, purple

Warm colors: orange, red, yellow

Neutral colors: brown, white, gray, black

San Diego Family has tons of fun, engaging art and craft projects at www.sandiegofamily.com/for-the-kids/ crafts-for-kids. You can also put Art with Alyssa in the search bar for a list of awesome projects from our local teacher and contributor.

Online Art Enrichment

Discover 40+ paper airplane designs, including printable folding instructions and video tutorials at Fold’NFly: www.foldnfly.com Learn how to draw during “Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems,” author of the Elephant & Piggie book series for early readers. Tip from Mo Willems: Put butcher paper down on the table and have a family dinner doodle! Tune in at www.youtube.com/ watch?v=9tVfVvmJP7E.

Art with Mati and Dada.

Learning meets creativity and imagination when Mati and Dada are transported into the lives of famous artists in these animated videos. www.youtube.com/ channel/UCR2NlUr0yPuqRxZN_7ItHog

Art for Kids Hub is a collection of family-centric videos featuring step-by-step drawing instructions. www.youtube.com/channel/ UC5XMF3Inoi8R9nSI8ChOsdQ

Explore dozens of popular and unique careers in the arts, such as toy designer, voice over artist, architect, production designer, photographer, culinary artist and so much more at www.theartcareerproject.com/careers.

Find a dozen easy origami projects at Origami for Kids: www.origami-fun.com/origami-for-kids.html.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York has great art project videos on their #metkids page: www.metmuseum. org/art/online-features/metkids/videos/ channel/MetKids-Create.