Mommy
& Me: Two to Three-Year-Olds
Two to three year olds are naturally curious about the
world around them which they tend to explore first with their eyes followed
by the rest of their senses. Young at Art encourages their natural inclination
with a multi-sensory experience that includes the visual stimulus of artmaking,
the sound of songs about shapes and gluing, the smell of tempera paint
and clay, the feel of materials and the taste of a snack that ties into
the art lesson of the day. The artwork children make with their grownups
is large, colorful, joyful and often, functional. Grownups have a chance
to meet each other and are often surprised at how much they enjoy making
art.
Art concepts explored: Names of shapes, color recognition and mixing,
collaging, texture, sound variations, comparisons: inside and outside,
big and small.
Skills learned: Fine motor skills are developed through squeezing
glue, cutting, stringing beads, drawing, peeling stickers, stamping, spray
painting and marble painting.
Past projects have included: Painting on geometric shapes, mobiles,
making play dough, hats, masks, jack-in-the-boxes, puppets.
Three
to Four Year Olds
Three year olds are learning to separate from their grownups
and are eager to explore new ideas on their own. Young At Art gives them
the foundations for making art and the freedom to use these newfound ideas
to express themselves. They learn that art comes in many forms: it can
be two or three-dimensional, it can hang from the ceiling or be a big
funky book. Concepts go beyond shape and color to include texture, balance
and opposites.
Art Concepts explored: Color mixing, shape variations, texture,
size, opposites, long and short, light and shadow, balance, two and three
dimensionality, parts of the body and face.
Skills developed: Mixing colors and pouring paint, squeezing glue,
sewing, stringing beads, cutting, stacking, balancing and gluing three
dimensional shapes, drawing shapes, measuring lengths, making personal
choices, listening and following directions, sharing ideas during story
time, working cooperatively, contributing ideas.
Past projects have included: Printing in a book, mono-prints on
plexiglass, mobiles, shadow puppets, giant box construction, opposite
book, shape puzzles, instruments and clay.
Four to Five Year Olds
Children this age are better able to access their ideas
visually than verbally and continue to develop fine and gross motor skills.
Making art is a perfect vehicle for them to communicate their ideas. Young
At Art supports their effort to make both abstract and representational
art while going deeper into projects by adding details to enhance their
work.
Art concepts explored: Color mixing, shape configurations, negative
space, body parts, three dimensional construction, moving images, placing
objects within a landscape, and pattern.
Skills developed: Fine motor skills: gluing, cutting, stringing
shapes, drawing and sewing. Large motor skills with giant mural painting,
creative movement games and clay work. Expressing ideas for stories, working
cooperatively following directions are key readiness skills for kindergarten.
Projects: Night mural painting, large flying creatures, wood constructions,
marionettes and individual stages, house and landscape painting, giant
pizza, dragon puppets and hobby horses.
Kindergarteners
Kindergarteners, though still imaginative, are increasingly
concrete thinkers with a rudimentary sense of logic that is ready to be
challenged. Young At Art entices kindergarteners with projects that challenge
their perceptions and tap into their vivid imaginations. Three-dimensional
projects are intentionally included to expand children’s knowledge of
materials and their properties. The children are encouraged to incorporate
into their work the world as they see it.
Art concepts explored: Construction, balance, inside outside, parts
to the whole, line variations, color mixing, and three dimensional constructions.
Skills developed: Fine motor gluing and collaging, spray-bottle
painting, cutting, sewing, drawing.
Past projects have included: Dollhouses with furniture and people,
three-dimensional constructions, vehicles, a giant road map, small houses,
trees, lakes and birds, travel books, animal marionettes and stages.
First
Graders
First
graders are developing complex thinking skills patterns turn into sequences
that transform into an understanding of words and numbers. Similarly,
they are willing to follow a series of steps in anticipation of a final
result. Young At Art carefully breaks down several complex long-term projects
into a series of enjoyable smaller projects. This approach enables first
graders to explore a theme in-depth, complete a multi-step project, and
feel proud of their creations. Sketching instruction and some observational
drawing is introduced at this level.
Art concepts explored: Two and three dimensionality,
capturing a three dimensional shape on paper, concentric shapes, color
mixing, composition, diagramming face parts, freeform shapes and spirals.
Skills developed: Sketching techniques, color mixing,
complicated cutting, taping, balance, fine and large motor skills in constructing
large and small complex projects.
Past projects have included: Free-form painting with
spirals, pencil, pastel, paint and clay, portraits, still-life drawing
and painting, concentric relief constructions, multi-shaped sculptures,
a giant dinner party with food, china, table cloth, goblets and candelabras.
Grade
2
Second
graders are developing an understanding of abstract ideas and learning
how to express those ideas in words. Young At Art motivates second graders
to express their creative ideas visually as well as verbally. In a warm-up
activity at the beginning of each class, children brainstorm ideas which
are then further developed in different media. This process makes second
graders aware of the path from idea generation through to final expression.
Classes also allow time for children to share their creative process with
each other in group discussions. Sketching instruction is included at
this level, at which children are particularly interested in expressing
what they know and see.
Art concepts explored: Balance, three dimensionality,
shape, light and shadow, positive and negative space, line variations,
under and over, and spatial relationships.
Skills developed: Mixing “values” of a color,
weaving, balance in building a three dimensional object, wrapping, sewing,
interpreting a three dimensional object on a two dimensional surface,
face mapping, creating backgrounds, contour drawing.
Past projects included: Individual advanced still-lives,
family portraits, creative weaving, wire figures, dinosaur and other animal
sculptures and relief constructions.
Grades
3-6
Children
in grades three to six have varying skill levels and interests. Young
At Art divides them by age group for social compatibility. Children are
given the opportunity to immerse themselves in a theme or concept and
then explore its many possibilities in depth using a variety of materials
and techniques. Themes can range from realistic to imaginary and in some
instances, run the course of an entire session. Each class incorporates
drawing, sometimes as a visual journal of work in progress. Young At Art
encourages these older artists to continue using their creativity, along
with refining the skills necessary to execute their ideas.
Art concepts explored: Light and shadow, monochromatic,
linear-ness, kinetic art (art that moves), three dimensionality, surrealism,
imaginary drawing, optical illusion.
Skills developed: Contour drawing, balancing materials,
wrapping, sewing, advanced color mixing, imaginary drawing, realistic
drawing, inventing- objects that work, working with plaster, constructing
complex marionettes, constructing building models.
Past projects included: Giant accordion folded castles,
robots, monochromatic mobiles, toys, wood relief constructions, multi-media
portrait books, bobble heads, totem poles, three dimensional surrealistic
paintings, complex marionettes and pop up scenery, stacked box constructions
that move, wizardry books, flip books, op art, video commercials and imaginary
museums.
Family
Sunday Workshop
These workshops are
designed for the entire family to come together and make art in a relaxed
fun way. The workshops include a painting project, a mobile construction
project and a puppet, stage and show project. Children two and up along
with adults of all ages are invited to participate.
June
mini camp for 3-5 year olds
In
this abbreviated session a summer theme is explored. The children make
multiple projects with a variety of materials that relate to the theme.
Past themes have included summer travel with vehicles, picnic food and
travel books and the outdoors, with tents, ponds and fishing rods.
July
Mommy and Me 2-3 year olds
This introduction to
Young At Art offers a sampler of art making experiences for toddlers and
their grownups. Both work side-by-side painting, gluing, cutting and stringing
as they make a giant shape puzzle, a windsock, a soft puppet and stage
for a show and a wagon that they can pull.
