It’s getting close to the end of term and those of us with children in school or pre-school are starting to think about presents for teachers.  At my children’s school parents mostly club together and contribute towards vouchers.  Speaking as somebody who was a teacher, this is fab.  It’s lovely to be able to use …

Recently, a child at one of our after school clubs said to me that he really enjoyed coming to the club because ‘it’s not like school’.  When I asked him what he meant he went on to explain that when they have art lessons at school they are usually hurried and there is not time …

It’s that time of year when lots of people are thinking about heading off on their holidays. With young children, the prospect of a long journey can seem daunting.  Everyone would rather their child didn’t spend the entire time watching films on a tablet but it is so tempting when you are concerned about disturbing …

‘Rainbow Lion’ by Roseanna, Age 6 I have recently become a convert to using marker pens with children.  I must admit, I had previously tended to avoid felt tips etc as I felt that the result was somehow less authentic than using ‘proper’ art materials such as paint or pastels.  I am not ashamed to …

I have just returned from a visit to the Wotever Scrap Store in Welwyn Garden City.  It is such a fabulous treasure trove that I felt I ought to share it here, although I must admit it is tempting to keep it to myself.  I use this place regularly for my art classes and it never …

It looks like summer may finally be here and the weather looks good for the next few days.  The perfect opportunity for little ones to get creative outside (leaving your house intact!).  I love the idea of painting with coloured ice-cubes and have done this activity quite a few times in Art Explorers Mini Classes. …

  Initial bird drawing by Eady, age 6 Rainbow Bird by Eady, age 6 I mentioned a few weeks ago that I had become interested in the Mona Brookes method of teaching drawing and that I was going to give it a go in some of my Art Explorers After School Clubs.  Well, I am …

As anybody who works with children knows, all children learn differently and need different kinds of support at different times to help them on their learning journey. The key is to identify when support is required and when to stand back and let them figure it out on their own.  I know many parents of …

It is inevitable that in the course of producing their wonderful art work, children will make mistakes.  For some children, this isn’t a big deal, they just carry on regardless and accept that imperfections are part and parcel of making art.  For other children, the fear of making  a mistake can be virtually paralysing, making …

It’s been pretty chilly here recently and with the bank holiday on the horizon, I think it’s fair to say that we are all praying for some warmer weather.  Thankfully, it does look like things will be looking up at the weekend which is great, as it means the children can get outdoors and get …