KidsArts! offers after school activities from 2:30-6pm Monday through
Friday during the School year for children in grades K2-5. BPS transportation is available.
We are now enrolling for Winter 2012 semester.
For costs, registration materials, and enrollment policies, please follow the links to the relevant pages. We look forward to hearing from you!
Students explore the arts and develop their creative side in a safe, fun environment at a competitive price. We offer a range of classes each day ranging from more traditional arts and crafts to multimedia and experimental art forms…inspired by cultures from across the globe! We also provide snack, opportunities for outdoor play, homework help, and a variety of cooperative indoor games and activities.
Choose two days, several or all five… your kids will love having fun, making friends, and flexing their creative muscles!
Daily Schedule
- Students are met at the school bus stop, or welcomed at the door if dropped off privately, by KidsArts! staff between 2:45 and 3:45pm.
- A healthy snack is served upon arrival .
- Free time offers children the opportunity to choose from a variety of less structured activities such as active games, reading, drawing and arts & crafts.
- A voluntary “homework contract” between parents, children, and KidsArts! also allows children to use this time to work on their homework assignments with the supervision and help of a teacher.
- From 4:20-5:20pm, children then receive fun but structured instruction in visual, musical, performance, or craft arts, plus activities like kickball, swimming, cooking, chess, yoga and more. Children choose from a variety of classes.
- After class, kids clean up and enjoy more supervised free time, or additional homework help, until they are picked up between 5:20 and 6:00.
Class and Performance/Exhibition Schedule
- Classes run in 6-8 week sessions (depending on the school calendar) and students choose a different class for each day they are enrolled, based on age and interests.
- At the end of each session, we invite families and friends to arrive early and see what we’ve been up to. Our visual arts classes get a chance to exhibit the work they have made over the session, performance classes get to be in the limelight with their dances, plays or spoken words.
- Students learn to be comfortable speaking in front of their peers and also how to be a respectful and appreciative audience.
Sample Classes (Fall 2011, Session II)
MONDAYS
Drawing and Painting the Autumn! (with Angela) Students will learn to paint and draw on fabric, various types of paper, and other materials. They will explore acrylics, watercolor, charcoal, and pastels. At the end of the class, each student will have beautiful portraits that capture the spirit of our environment. Appropriate for children of all ages.
Magical Potions and Talismans (with Maia) In this class we will learn about and create our own magical potions and talismans! We’ll have tons of fun tapping into supernatural powers using our creations and imaginations! Appropriate for children of all ages.
TUESDAYS
Adventures in Origami (with Tom) We’ll learn not only basic origami, but also 3D paper scuplture and giant-sized origami sculpture. This will be a super fun class for kids of all ages.
Plaster Sculptures and Designs (with Angela) Students will make sculptures and other art forms that are intended to introduce themes from China, India, and Mesoamerica. This class is suited to kids of all ages.
WEDNESDAYS
Extreme Shuffling Dance (with Eli) In this class, students will learn the newest dance craze, “Extreme Shuffling”. It’s an experimental twist on an old-timey classic. Get ready for high-energy fun. Best suited for 2nd grade and up.
Arts and Crafts of the Season (with Angela) Kids will learn to paint and draw on fabric, they’ll make tablecloths, window treatments, and other home decorations. They’ll learn how to make their own cool garments as well! Best for kids of all ages.
THURSDAYS
Frosty Feasts: The Sequal to Community Gardening (with Stan) This class is a continuation of the gardening series, with an expansion into unknown territories of cooking. Children will learn basic winter gardening tips and tricks, while preparing winter-inspired dishes. There will be a focus on the effects of winter, not only in a local sense but also a global one, as we discover where our winter foods come from. Suitable for kids of all ages.
Word Up!: Playing with Language (with Tom) We’ll do a different fun activity every class, from constructing our own poems with found words to inventing our own languages. We’ll learn to loosen our lexicon and use language to create new realities. Best for kids who are comfortable with reading and writing.
FRIDAYS
Human Chess (with Tom) Learn the game of chess through life-sized role-playing! This class will involve analysis, strategy, construction, and costume-making! Fun for kids of all ages.
Collaborative Stories (with Maia) In this class we will use and create our own mad libs. We will also collaboratively write stories and poems. Best for kids who are comfortable with reading and writing.
