Bette Fetter: Teaching Kids How to Put Shoes on the Right Feet
You know the challenge of teaching your kids how to put their shoes on the right feet. I have used a method with my own children and now my grandson.
art and imagination
Arts in Education Week
September brings a lot of new excitement; the start of school, the beginning of fall and now, Arts in Education Week.
The second week of September, as designated by the US House of Representatives, is a time to celebrate how “arts education, comprising a rich array of disciplines, including dance, music, theatre, media arts, literature, design, and visual arts, is a core academic subject and an essential element of a complete and balanced education for all students.”
Boost Creativity: 10 Quiet Activities for Kids
Creativity is a thought process but to hear our thoughts, we need to turn off the noise and tune into what our mind can imagine. Being comfortable 
in the quiet needs to start in childhood. Here are 10 ways to help your kids enjoy being quiet.
10 Quiet Activities for Kids
- Building with Legos – Legos and other construction toy sets provide hours of quiet focused activity. While your child is deep in thoughts assembling pieces, their mind is learning to see and imagine, three dimensionally. Prepackaged sets help kids learn to see and follow directions, while independent pieces allow for more creative assemblages. Provide a balance of both.
- Drawing and Coloring – Crayons, markers and sketchpads provide endless opportunity for time spent in quiet reflective thought. Be sure to stock up on lots of different drawing and coloring supplies for your child. A package of copy machine paper and set of washable markers, is a low cost investment with a high return.
Art and Academics: Creativity
Are you creative? Can you draw? Paint a picture? Do you hold a patent for a new invention that will change the way we live?
Creativity is often defined in relation to artistic ability but creative thought reaches far beyond the arts and has profound implications in all parts of our lives. Creativity is about thinking outside the box, bringing fresh insight to established patterns of thought, rules and relationships. Creativity is a process of personal expression and playful pursuit, but creativity is also a highly sought after commodity, in business as well as the arts. Creative ideas may produce a work of art or music, it can lead to breakthroughs in science and engineering, increased personal satisfaction and career success, even solutions to highly complex social issues.
We are all capable of creative thought, but like other skills, it requires development. Countries all around the world have made the development of creativity a priority. However, while the United States has been a world leader of innovation in the past, increased emphasis on standardization, testing and cuts in arts programs, means we are no longer developing creativity and innovation in our students. Yong Zhao, author of
Insights From Children’s Art Expert Bette Fetter: Top Blog Posts for May 2013
- Have you run out to the store and bought your child new pencils and a drawing pad for these fun “How to Draw” videos yet? We kicked off May with a new video in our Teaching Kids How to Draw Video series with learning to draw a puppy.
- I was inspired after watching the Camden Sophisticated Sisters Drill Team on Dancing with the Stars. A powerful example of the
impact the arts has made on the lives of kids. - I welcomed the springtime weather with 13 Spring Creative Activities for Kids.
- Diagnosing ADD or ADHD is highly subjective and comes with a multitude of negative connotations. But what if it’s not a negative? What if your child is a visual learner….ADD and ADHD: Has Your Child Been Labeled.
Inspire your Child: 13 Spring Creative Activities for Kids
You may not need another activity to add to an already busy spring, but in case you’re looking for some get-me-going inspiration, here are a few fun activities to share with your family…
Build an Art Spot. The key to success is to make sure your spot is well supplied; and that little artists can utilize it without the need of adult supervision. This means washable mediums; and place-mats, aprons or old clothes that make clean up a cinch. If you’re short on room, a low and easy-to-open drawer works well – loaded with paper and compartmentalized, tote-able supply bins. Want to really go all out with your space? Here are some amazing ideas to inspire you.
Draw, Draw, Draw. Young Rembrandts has 3 new “How to Draw” activities for Spring 2013. All new and all FREE. Click here to print them out today. http://www.youngrembrandts.com/download-activity
No TV Family Nights. Try “Play Night” where the kids or the whole family can dress for the event and put on a play. Here are some free playscripts to follow. You could also organize a “Kids Choice Night”; kids can pick their dinner and an activity from a parent-approved list; like bowling, a drawing session, or a backyard camp-out!
Teaching Kids to Draw Video: How to Draw a Puppy
Have you run out to the store and bought your child new pencils and a drawing pad for these fun “How to Draw” videos yet? I am encouraged by the response to these 2 minute, easy to follow, step by step videos. This week we are going to learn how to draw a puppy.
