KidzArt Official Blog

           Getting the new school year off to a good start can help children’s attitude and overall academic performance. By providing stimulating, learning activities, parents can help kids transition back into a learning mode more easily. Part of getting our kids ready for the new school year is to prepare their brains.  After the unstructured months of summer, it helps to exercise your kids’ imaginations and creativity to prepare them for the new school session.

            Here are some ideas:  Try breaking out the art supplies and create an art center somewhere in your home where the kids can freely draw, paint, sketch and color.  Using arts and crafts supplies, recycled materials, and other household items, ask the kids to: make a sock puppet, create a collage by gluing dried food such as cereal, pretzels, crackers, etc. on to poster board, write a story and sketch illustrations go with it, or draw a picture using their non-dominant hand.    

            By being able to explore their creativity, children can exercise skills which can strengthen their academic abilities and readiness for the new school year.

            Programs like KidzArt make art and learning fun for kids but that’s not all.  KidzArt also creates opportunities for kids to communicate, brainstorm and express themselves which can be a great way to get the school year started.  Studies show that there is a critical link to reading, writing and math excellence in children who are exposed to art. According to the US College Entrance Examination Board, children who participate in arts activities score nearly 100 points higher on SAT’s than students who don’t.                                                                                                                                                                     KidzArt teaches kids, preschoolers to teens, easy-to-learn drawing techniques in a nurturing, non-competitive environment.  The use of age appropriate, safe, professional-level art supplies, creative activities and focusing exercises can enhance learning and build skills needed to succeed in the classroom.  The classes, which include music and focusing exercises to promote a relaxing atmosphere, are also used as a calming technique to prepare students for standardized tests.

Art gives children to ability to actively create which can improve cognitive development, strengthen communication and expressive skills and boost reasoning and organization skills.  Art is just one of the many creative activities that can help children keep their brains warmed up for back-to-school excellence. 

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In November 2010, five lucky people will win a complete KidzArt/Art Innovators franchise for free! Business-savvy individuals who want to own a business with complete training and support have a chance to win and become a part of our world-wide creative franchise .There are three ways to enter and three ways to win:-Submit an online application at www.franchise-giveaway.com

-Stop by the KidzArt/Art Innovators booth #720 at the West Coast Franchise Expo located at the West Los Angeles Conference Center from November 5th to November 7th or complete an application at https://secure.events-registration.com/wcfe2010/?source=GPART

-Submit a 90 second video commercial highlighting the KidzArt/Art Innovators program to YouTube.com along with a written application at www.franchise-giveaway.com.

Check it out and enter today!

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KidzArt wants to say “thanks” to all of the wonderful teachers that we know.  First, we want to recognize the talent and dedication of all the KidzArt teachers who work tirelessly with KidzArt students of all ages around the world.  They each have a special way of helping children express their creativity and boosting their confidence through encouragement, fun and interactive exercises while teaching them to draw.

We also want to thanks all the elementary and middle school teachers throughout the world, who recognize the value of art enrichment for children and welcome KidzArt into their classrooms every day.  We honor the meaningful contribution that you make to the lives of students every single day.

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Everyone looks for that special gift for Mom or Grandma on Mother’s Day.  Now you’ve found it!  Put your child’s artwork on affordable, fun gifts that Mom will treasure for years to come.

Visit http://www.KidzArtProducts.com to see the selection of customizable products including aprons, mugs, apparel and much more. 

Order by April 19th to guarantee delivery for Mother’s Day!

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Foster Kids’ Creative Development in Celebration of Youth Art Month

March is Youth Art Month, an annual observance that emphasizes the value of art education for all children.  In celebration of Youth Art Month, it’s a great time to nurture children’s creativity through art and other activities that inspire innovation, resourcefulness and originality.

As children experiment and test new waters, they learn and grow and develop their creativity which is beneficial in all areas of their lives.  Check out the follow tips to nurture the creative side in your children:

1. Reduce the Stress Factor - Provide a quiet area where your child can go to decompress after the school day.  Have art materials and simple household items available in a workspace area away from the TV or noisy siblings where your child can relax by doing an easy art activity.

2. “Blank Book” Drawing- Each day put an interesting object next to a notebook with empty pages for your child to draw in. Make it a surprise!  For example, ask him or her to draw: shells, a small new toy, a miniature household item, an interesting flower, a feather or fossil.  Provide at least two different mediums for experimentation such as colored pencils and oil pastels.

3.  Decrease Media Overload- Turn off the computer, video games and television and engage kids in active play.  Physical play such as sports and outdoor play or mental stimulation like board or card games promote kids’ natural creativity and is a great alternative to the passive time spent with their electronics.

4.  Ask Open-Ended Questions- Pose questions to your children that start with who, what, where, when and how to encourage their creativity and critical thinking skills. 

5.  Engage the “Right Brain”- Allow children to exercise their right brain after a day of left-brain school academics.  Right brain activity is stimulated by new events or activities, drawing with different colors, shapes and sizes, playing dress-up, dancing or listening to music. 

6.  Use All the Senses- Improve your kids’ use of their imaginations by encouraging them to use all five senses. Ask children to close their eyes and listen to the sounds around them.  See which they can easily identify and which are more challenging. Encourage kids to identify new smells (both pleasant and otherwise) when you encounter them.  

7.  Allow Mistakes.  Children often fear ridicule from their peers or parents if they make a “mistake”.  Unfortunately this same fear inhibits higher order thinking: creative problem solving.  Allowing your child to experiment with art also allows them to take a risk and try something new.  This is the creative process and the skill will serve them well in all academic areas.

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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! 

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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

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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.  

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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.

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