With a growing number of classes to plan for, I am always in search of inspiration, and the David Hockney exhibition at Tate Britain certainly came up trumps when I visited recently.  I have long been a fan of his work and knew I would enjoy it but it far surpassed my expectations.  It is …

With Easter fast approaching it seems about time to start thinking of some fun arty activities to keep the little ones entertained during the school holidays.  This is a great time of year for art and craft and the possibilities are endless.  I have noticed over the last few years that shops seem to have …

I have recently come across a method of teaching children to draw which has caught my attention.  In the past it is something that I might have shied away from on the grounds that it is quite prescriptive.  It follows a set approach and claims that it can help anyone (including adults) to draw better. …

I was recently chatting to some parents in one of my mini classes and we all agreed that children seem to fall into two distinct categories when it comes to getting messy: Those who love it and dive straight in, happily spreading paint all over their hands (and arms) and taking great delight in it; …

One of the favourite aspects of our classes for many of our Mini Explorers is the chance to use scissors.  They often disregard other activities on offer in favour of cutting small triangles out of a sheet of paper.   While I understand that this can be annoying at home and result in a lot …

Everyday in Art Explorers classes I am reminded how art is an essential tool in the development of early literacy skills.  From the smallest children who are just beginning to form words and identify colours to older children developing their expressive language skills by talking about how an art work makes them feel.  Art and …

One of the great things about the job I do is that I am constantly discovering new things.  I love mixing and experimenting and seeing what happens!  In our mini classes this week we have been using fluffy paint to make ice-cream pictures.  I know that there are many fluffy paint products on the market …

A common misconception in children’s art is that there should be a finished product at the end of it.  It is easy to fall into this way of thinking. In my mini classes I sometimes worry that parents will feel in someway short-changed if their children don’t have something they have made to take home …

At this time of year, with the weather cold and wet, outdoor activities are often a bit limited.  What better time, then, to take a trip into London and make the most of all of the wonderful art on offer?  I love taking my children to art galleries.  They never fail to find inspiration and …

For me, creativity and music are inseparable.  I love nothing more than shutting myself away with a creative project and some good tunes! Music is inspirational and it can alter the way you see the world.  In this way, it is a fantastic tool to encourage self-expression in children. Drawing to music is such a …