Classes range from everything from sculpture to painting with kids in control of what they’d like to do. Licensed counselor and art therapist Sue Wallingford says that arts and crafts offer more to children than simply a fun pastime.
“Especially in the early years, children don’t have the words to express how they feel,” she said. “But art involves their senses, bodies and minds. It builds their repertoire of feelings, and they can take these really chaotic feelings and make form out of it.”
Many children learn valuable lessons in self-expression during their time at art camps. Lloyd Burch, co-owner of POSH paint and wine studio, saw this firsthand.
“The reactions of the parents to the kids’ paintings, that’s the real benefit,” he said. “The parents are praising the kids, the kids are feeling good. And if you feel good about yourself, you’re going to heal yourself. That’s one of the biggest things we saw. The art creates better relationships.”
Talk to your children today about their interest in attending an art class on a subject that excites them today. Children can choose from a variety of different classes, such as acrylic painting, watercolor, mural painting, and more. Kids will gain valuable artistic knowledge that they can apply in their education experience — such as the math and science of color mixing — while learning how to express themselves with a brush and canvas.
Read the entire Boulder Weekly article at http://www.boulderweekly.com/article-10757-arts-crafts-building.html.