Art Education

Abrakadoodle Honored with “Go Green” Award

Art for kids is a wonderful way to introduce recycling activities! Abrakadoodle remarkable art education was recognized for its innovative “Green” company philosophy and art programs with a 2009 award presented by S&S® Worldwide. Abrakadoodle has developed recycling alliances with fellow franchise suppliers Fast Frames, Signs by Tomorrow. More recently Sign-A-Rama joined the Abrakadoodle’s Green Franchise Initiative by recycling unused or discarded sign materials that are used in Abrakadoodle programs to build sculptures, create fine art or provide unique painting canvases! Abrakadoodle has also introduced Eco-Papers (100-percent recycled paper frames with eco friendly dyes) in its art programs for children. Abrakadoodle is proud to paint a green path to a brighter future.

Green Kids in a Colorful World™ was designed by Abrakadoodle in 2007 to teach children about how they can help make the planet healthier while creating 2-D and 3-D masterpieces using recycled materials including plastic bottles, tubes, packaging materials and more. Students create whimsical Santon statues inspired by peasants from the Provence region of France. They sculpt masterpieces in the style of Tiffany, paint CD’s with colorful geometric designs like Piet Mondrian.

Inspired by the Cool Globes project, http://www.coolglobes.com/, Abrakadoodle program designers in 2008 created a workshop to help raise awareness about global warming while fostering art skills and creativity. The in-school field trip and workshop includes an interactive presentation that helps children learn how they can help live and create more eco-friendly. Children then make their own cool globes, applying what they have learned. Students increase their knowledge about best practices for helping the environment, and they develop a “green” vocabulary, as well as express their individual creativity about being green.

In continuing Abrakadoodle’s commitment to being green, Abrakadoodle creates and introduces new and innovative programs for children including a variety of art classes, camps and special events that emphasize creativity using recycled materials and teaches students about big and small ways in which they can care for our planet. With music, movement, phenomenal themes and cool art activities, kids will be inspired to save the planet while building visual arts skills, creativity and confidence. Abrakadoodle’s remarkable education programs help kids learn to create a more colorful, sustainable world.

Art Education

Is My Child Creative?

An important element of children’s art education is creativity. Award-winning author and art expert MaryAnn Kohl offers a special watch list for parents.

Observation, the ability to really see, is a valuable part of the visual arts and the art of parenting. How does your child respond to and interact with creative art materials, toys, games and objects in his/her environment? Keep an eye out for the following signs of a creative child and know that you can always build upon these desirable skills by fostering originality and providing your child with creative open-ended activities, such as art classes!

You know your child is developing important creative abilities if your child is …

• Filled with a spirit of wonder and magic
• Open to inner feelings and emotions
• Curious, exploratory and adventurous
• Imaginative with the power to form mental images of what is not actually present
• Intuitive in terms of problem solving without logic
• Independent in his or her thinking – able to find answers on his/her own and question authority
• Able to immerse in meaningful activities
• Motivated to create in new ways instead of accepting things the way they are or have always been
• Drawn to create new, original patterns, which is characteristic of divergent thinking
• Playful when it comes to ideas and innovating with concepts
  
  Creativity is coming center stage and is recognized as an incredibly valuable tool, in addition to a source of personal satisfaction and happiness. To compete in a global economy, children need to be equipped with both the ability to demonstrate creativity, along with a solid educational background. Art classes and activities can help children tap their imaginations and build confidence, too.
  
  Stay tuned for more posts regarding creativity and process art.
  
  Thanks to MaryAnn Kohl (http://www.brightring.com/) for sharing her artful insights!