March is Youth Art Month in the United States, a time to promote the value of art education for all children and to encourage support for quality school art programs.  We believe that art should be an important and valued part of the lives of young people.  Art and creativity promote problem solving, encourage children to try new things, use their imaginations and overcome their inhibitions or obstacles in order to grow and learn. 

During the month of March, be an advocate for art!  Find a way to show your support, whether it’s in your home, school or the greater community.

Check out how some of our KidzArt students have explored their creative abilities! 

A Note from the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait

I attended a ribbon cutting ceremony event for KIDZART in Kuwait. The event included 6 educational groups for kids at the Avenues premier mall for the weekend. About 300 were in attendance. The KidzArt owner, Mrs. Somaya Al Walayti, told me she and her two friends were not content to let their offspring sit in front of computers or TV. They searched for a franchise that offered “edutainment ” for Kuwait children. They found that Franchise in Texas and have brought KidzArt, a fun approach to art, to Kuwait.

I was fascinated by the concept and charmed by the local Franchisee Somaya. She and her two college classmates promote an educational diversion for Kuwait’s growing under 20 population. I visited a “edutainment” event on Feb 6 and noted that there were lines of parents eager to enroll their children in KidzArt classes.

I have recommended Somaya and her partners for an Embassy honor.

Warm regards from the Arabian Gulf,

Nancy Charles-Parker
Commercial Counselor, U.S. Embassy Kuwait

Valentine’s Day Sculpey™ Pen  

This is an inexpensive and fun project for any age. You can make hearts for Valentine’s day or any other shapes!

What you will need:§  Sculpey oven bake clay about 1 oz—Various colors (One “square” per child is plenty)§  White round stick pen (try Walmart’s brand, it won’t melt)§  Needle nose pliers  What to do: 1.    Remove the ink cartridge from the pen with pliers and set it aside. 2.    Take a “ball” (about1”) of Sculpey clay and work it until it’s soft.  Pat or roll it into a thin layer the length of the pen and about 2” wide.3.    Cover the pen with the Sculpey. 4.    Gently roll the pen back and forth on your work surface. Don’t roll too much, just until the clay is flat. Over-rolling may cause the clay to pull away from the pen. 5.    Add small bits of color to the surface.  Add a shape at the top of the pen6.    Bake at 225 degrees for about 15 minutes. 7.    Replace the ink cartridge when cool. To push it in completely, press the ink tip into a layer of something soft and stand the pen up. Press the clay cover pen case down onto the ink cartridge.  

Use any wooden or paper mache box available at craft stores, paint it with bright colors of craft paint or decorate it with jewels and findings. Write the word “Gratitude” on a scrap of black paper with silver sharpies and glue to the top. Inside put a felt or velvet piece to cover the bottom of the box and a mirror. Children can write little notes of things they are grateful for and put them in the box throughout the year. They could then pass out paper to family members to get a collection of everyone’s gratitude notes!

Submitted by Amy Klein, KidzArt Colorado- serving the Greater Denver area.

Put a new spin on holiday gifting by recruiting the kids’ creativity to help make homemade gifts.  Tighter budgets along with some creativity can be the inspiration for making one-of-a-kind presents this year.  Kids love to make crafts for the holiday season and get a great sense of accomplishment in creating items can be functional and given as gifts.

 Here are a few simple homemade gift ideas that the kids will enjoy making!

Share your home-made baked goods with family and friends with this special home-made gift bag: 

Decorate white or brown paper lunch sacks using acrylic paint in either red and green or blue and white.  Each bag can be different.  Stamp or paint stars, snowflakes, trees, icicles, etc. Sprinkle painted areas with silver glitter glue, tap off excess and let dry completely.  Fill the bag with wrapped baked goods.  Punch a hole in the top of the bag and thread an 8″ green or red ribbon through the holes.  Tie in a bow and give as a gift.

2.  Holiday Scratch Art Gifts

Purchase Scratch Art Scratch-Lite paper available on line or in your local art store.  Cut out festive shapes such as stars, circles, hearts or snowmen.  A rainbow of color appears when you  scratch out a design on the shape (use a wood stick, chopstick or skewer to scratch)!  Use as gift tags or punch with a hole punch and thread varying lengths of decorative ribbon or yarn to make a necklace, bookmark, tree ornament or a mobile. 

Parents, Grand Parents, family and friends will enjoy opening special Christmas gifts this year. Many KidzArt and Art Innovator students chose their favorite art and placed it on everyday usable products for their families and friends. There will be smiles all around when these gifts are opened and your family and friends can see what wonderful art you created from attending our art classes. Please visit www.kidzartproducts.com for more information and to see samples of products that can be ordered.  Go to www.kidzart.com and click on locations to find the nearest KidzArt to you.     Merry Christmas to all!

Nickelodeon Parents’ Choice Award for 2009 goes to KidzArt of St. Louis, MO.Congratulations for having the best Art Class in St. Louis!

On Wednesday, October 28th between 6-7am, Tammy Imrie, director of KidzArt in Jacksonville, Florida will be on Channel 12’s “Good Morning Jacksonville” in a special segment featuring No-Carve Pumpkin Masterpieces!  Tammy and some of her students will be using paint, clay, glitter and glass paint to create unique pumpkins that are fun, easy and safe for all ages to make!  Visit www.kidzartnfl.com for local KidzArt class information.

If spending hours scooping out seeds and stringy pumpkin isn’t on your list of fun things to do this Halloween, decorating a pumpkin without carving is a fun option.  Forget the knives and break out the permanent markers along with some other household craft items to decorate your pumpkins.

Decorating pumpkins without carving is a great alternative for younger children who can’t use carving utensils.  Without carving, your child’s decorated pumpkin will last a lot longer and it can be displayed in your home throughout the fall season.

Here are some clever pumpkin art projects that will excite the kids, minus a big mess:

1. Stenciled Pumpkin Designs- Go online and peruse the hundreds of pumpkin template designs available.  But instead of carving, kids can use a stencil to trace a pattern on the pumpkin.  Use colored permanent markers (Sharpies® work well) to color, draw patterns, etc.                2.  Glitter Pumpkins- For kids who love shimmer and sparkle, cover your gourds and pumpkins with a coating of glitter.  Using craft glue that dries clear, “paint” the entire pumpkin with glue.  While the glue is wet, sprinkle your favorite colored glitter over the pumpkin.  Let it dry for an hour and shake off the excess sprinkles.                                                                                                                                                        3.  Pumpkin People- Kids can create ‘pumpkin people’ by using a variety of household items.  Draw eyes, nose, mouth, cheeks on the dry, clean pumpkin. Or get creative and use fruits or vegetables for ears, eyes or a mouth, glue on raffia for hair, add a hat, a bandana, glasses, ribbons or felt to give each pumpkin its own personality.                                                                                                                                 4. Black on White- For a dramatic effect, kids will get a kick out of drawing with black Sharpies on a stark white pumpkin. Try tracing and coloring in simple black silhouettes like bats, cats and spiders!                                                                                                                      Post your creative Halloween art projects!  We’d love to try ‘em out.