- 1.5-3
- Jul 25, 10:00 am - 11:30 am
- 35
- SCA
About The Program
Small hands, big art! Young artists have the opportunity to express themselves through sensory play, hands-on making, and mindful movement. With a focus on early literacy development and fostering connections with our local environment, our little makers will explore the wonders of color, light, shapes, animals, weather, nature and more. With a brush in one hand and a book in the other, our little makers will be moving, boogieing, creating and discovering new things about the big world around them!
Join us for a morning full of giggles, discovery, and dance! Mini-makers will read Kevin Henke and Laura Dronzek’s Summer Song, experiment with colors, and groove to summertime music. Each session includes a story, a dance, and a healthy snack.
Nicole Flinn
Nicole Flinn is a dance instructor at Hope College and leader of Strike Time Dance Company. Strike Time Dance Company works with grades K–6 throughout Michigan to introduce and highlight dance for children of all backgrounds.
Guardians did you know?
Artmaking encourages neural connections
Art is an activity that can employ all the senses—sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste—depending on the activity. Children’s brain synapses fire away as they experiment and create, squishing paint between their fingers, mixing colors and materials, or drawing from imagination or what they see in front of them.This offering will be hosted at the Outdoor Discovery Center’s campus: 4214 56th St, Holland, MI 49423. Pick up and drop off will occur in front of the Visitor Center by the main entrance
Art builds fine motor skills
Gripping a paintbrush, drawing dots and lines, mixing colors, cutting with scissors, controlling a glue stick or squeezing a glue bottle, kneading and rolling playdough, tearing paper—all of these tasks require increasing amounts of dexterity and coordination, yet they are so fun and rewarding that children want to do them over and over. As kids engage in art activities over time, their fine motor skills improve.
Creating art improves social skills
Studies have shown that children who explore and participate in creative and artistic outlets perform better at reading, writing and math; develop self-confidence and self-esteem; boost self-reliance; and increase empathy and compassion. Artmaking can also help your child communicate emotions and feelings more effectively.