Whip out those markers and crayons and let your kids unleash the Picasso within!
It’s Arts Month in Hong Kong so there’s no better time to encourage the little artist in your life. Fostering creativity in kids is important, as early exposure supports confidence, self-expression, imagination, and the ability to think outside the box. It also allows you some much-needed downtime while they have their hands and minds busy. And who knows, maybe you have the next Leonardo da Vinci or Frida Kahlo on your hands!
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Create at Home
Overflowing drawers of stationery may be a common sight in many households, but this is the easiest way to start supporting the creative dreams of your little ones. Making art supplies readily accessible allows children to pick up the drawing pad and express themselves freely. You could also invest in some colouring books for times when all they want to do is colour between the lines.
To keep the mess minimal, stock up on supplies such as felt tips, crayons, coloured pencils and various types of paper. Tape, scissors, scrap materials, fabric, googly eyes, glue and Play-Doh are also good materials for crafting and promote three-dimensional learning and problem-solving. However, you may want to save the glitter and paints for more supervised fun!
If your little ones are stuck for drawing ideas or don’t know where to start, check out the Art for Kids Hub YouTube channel. These videos feature a dad following simple drawing instructions, along with one of his four children. This family-run affair is suitable for all skill sets and shows viewers how to draw a wide variety of subjects.
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Craft Ideas
Gone are the days of searching through arts and crafts books at the library to find a suitable project. With the internet at our fingertips, you can always find quick solutions to scratch your child’s creative itch. Websites such as Pinterest and YouTube host a variety of great ideas, ranging in difficulty, so why not browse together to find something you both want to make?
To start off with, check out The Artful Parent and Easy Kids Crafts. The Artful Parent has a blog and a YouTube channel, which gives you clear instructions and great ideas on how to do craft with your youngsters. Keep in mind that the blog is updated more often than the videos, so you’ll find a wider variety of content there.
Easy Kids Crafts has a strong focus on craft and paper cutting techniques, so you can expect to start receiving a lot of cute cards from your children on holidays and birthdays! Special occasions have a way of encouraging even the most hesitant little ones.
Take Art Outside
For a fun outing, pack a picnic lunch, sketchbooks and pencils, and check out some of the city’s various exhibitions or parks. Take a seat and let your kids imagination run free, as they observe and draw what they see in the galleries or while out in nature. This encourages interpretation and understanding, and exposes children to different cultures, styles and subjects from around the world. Art isn’t just confined to the canvas, so you can also expand your child’s horizons through theatre, dance and music.
With Arts Month here, there are plenty of new exhibitions, spaces and events to explore. Every year Art Basel Hong Kong hosts its UBS Junior Art Hub, which conducts tours designed for the young mind and provides a dedicated space for kids to create their own works of art. Art Central’s PROJECTS will have multiple large-scale kinetic and sculptural installations that families and children of all ages will enjoy, such as Hong Kong artist Angela Yuen’s spinning piece constructed using plastic toys and shapes, or Indonesian artist Heri Dono’s hanging angels installation.
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Enrol in a Class
Need to run errands or not feeling so creative yourself? Enrol your kids in a class. This city has endless options spread across various locations, with places like Kids’ Gallery, Anastassia’s Art House and Banana Art Club offering classes, camps and even parties (that’s the next birthday party sorted!).
Whether you choose do it yourself or make the most of this city’s vast array of cultural offerings, art is an important part of a child’s life. So get out there, get creative, get messy and make some art!