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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Are there such a thing as "Art Clubs" for primary age kids?

25 replies

WimpleOfTheBallet · 04/02/2011 21:49

I keep googling in an effort to find a local art club for DD who is 6.6 and there aren't any here! I thought it would be a great thing for DD as she loves art and isn't tha into sports. She does some dnce and drama at school....why aren't there any?

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Tillyscoutsmum · 04/02/2011 21:51

Our local children's centre runs one. Worth checking there ?

BristolJim · 04/02/2011 21:54

I wondered the same thing about DD's primary school with respect to a chess club. There wasn't one, so I asked the head if I could run one myself.

A quick CRB check, some Amazoning for cheap chess sets and hasty printing of home-made progress charts and hey presto! An after school chess club.

Original poster

WimpleOfTheBallet · 04/02/2011 21:54

I've never heard of a children's centre Tillyscout...maybe we don't hve one? I'll google.

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Goblinchild · 04/02/2011 21:56

Agreed, we have a lot of after school clubs including an art club. Set one up at school.

mamasmissionimpossible · 04/02/2011 22:00

My ds's school has just set up an art club, for a couple of hours a week. I go along with him in the morning. We are really enjoying it. Unfortunately, it is only for a term. I'm going to ask if they will continue it for longer.

PoppetUK · 04/02/2011 22:05

My reception child loves drawing and art. It's his thing and he has quite an eye. Called around and hit a brick wall in our area. I am not very arty so I'm not sure what to do with it. :(

Goblinchild · 04/02/2011 22:08

You don't need to be arty at all, I'm not. Google KS1 art activities, buy a book or two and give them the stuff and some support.
It will work.

Original poster

WimpleOfTheBallet · 04/02/2011 22:08

I don't think her school would let me...it's a private one and they have some activity or other every night...none of them art!

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Original poster

WimpleOfTheBallet · 04/02/2011 22:10

Agree with Goblin poppet.....my Mum wasn't arty but I was so she had a poicy of always leting me have new at materials when possible...paint, paper, crayon whatever...mine paints boxes when we ru out of paper! As long as you provide the materials and say "oooh" now and then that's more than good enough!

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BristolJim · 04/02/2011 22:11

If in the unlikely event that the school won't let you, stuff 'em. Have a weekly art club meeting at your house for friends.

Original poster

WimpleOfTheBallet · 04/02/2011 22:13

Oh God that wouldn't work Bristol! I have a mad energetic 2 year old...this is meant to give DD some space from her and also to boost her confidence with meeting new kids etc. She's shy...plus I'm not having Dds school friendshere weekly with paint!

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BristolJim · 04/02/2011 22:19

Sounds like fun to me, but to each their own! I think it would be ace to invite a load of her friends round once a week to splash some paint around and then eat some fish fingers...!

FreudianSlippery · 04/02/2011 22:21

You could hire a room somewhere?

rexrabbit · 04/02/2011 22:25

When my kids were that age I met a great woman whose kids were mostly that bit older but who had set up an afterschool thing at her house were their friends came over to do a different arty activity each week. we made paper, did leaf collages, etc etc and then she fed us all with soup and various stuff we contributed. It was so great, really generous and bonding and I really looked forward to it, as much for me as for them. Don't know if you have the space, or energy but if you could have a go at setting up something similar it might be really rewarding

Carrotsandcelery · 04/02/2011 22:36

Are there any art galleries in your area? It doesn't have to be big council run ones, some of the little independant ones run art classes to help make ends meet.

Our village is tiny and there was one here for a while. My dn goes to one in her village which is not much bigger.

Alternatively is there a willing adult with vague arty skills who would be willing to run one in a side room in the town hall or church hall? They would have to be CRB checked but they wouldn't have to have amazing art skills.

Parents could do a rota to help supervise and clean up.

Ideas are easy to come by on the internet, as are materials. If payment for the class came in terms then the organiser could order materials on the net in advance.

It is the sort of club I would LOVE to run with a small group of interested individuals.

Original poster

WimpleOfTheBallet · 04/02/2011 23:40

I really don't have the time or space for groups in my home...I work almost full time and I said earlier thi is to try to expand her circle...not allow them to crap up my aleady battered house!

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Goblinchild · 04/02/2011 23:54

Get looking on local notice boards then, if you ever step inside a supermarket or pass a community notice board.
One of our local secondaries ran a Saturday club for 7-11 year olds for a year or two that my daughter went to and loved. They did art skills and had a fantastic time.

FreudianSlippery · 05/02/2011 07:30

The art supply shop in my hometown ran art classes, perhaps your local one might? Or at least know of one.

Where I live now there is an Art Society for the town - for adults, but I'm sure they'd know of any Children's activities in the area.

As an aside - would one day love to set up a Children's Club if I ever have the guts/money - would you guys say that this is a gap in the market? :)

SylvanianFamily · 05/02/2011 07:34

My school runs one sporadically from Y1 'by invitation only'.

JemimaMop · 05/02/2011 07:36

We set up an art and craft club in my DC's school using different parents/grandparents/friends etc's skills. They do anything and everything from painting to knitting to making things from wood.

Original poster

WimpleOfTheBallet · 05/02/2011 10:49

Yes Freudian...I would say there is a gap for it! I would love to do it too if there were spare time for me to do it in!

I suppose Icould ask the head at school Jemima....and if I could spare one evening a week, they might supply the materials...I do want her to meet new kids though.

She as lovely friend at school but it's very small...she only meets one type of kid iyswim

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Carrotsandcelery · 05/02/2011 16:08

There is a gap for it in many areas I would say. You would obviously need to research what was available near you first. The one we went to was a money making venture and it became a bit too pricey for our budget. A council run one or a volunteer run one would be fantastic though.

FreudianSlippery · 05/02/2011 16:27

My friend and I were considering doing a science club actually, at our SureStart centre, but art is definitely another possibility! :)

Original poster

WimpleOfTheBallet · 05/02/2011 18:45

I should ask the nearest surestart shouldn't I Freudian? Hopefully they'll say "Ah a lovely Mum called Freudian has already organised one! You can come along next week."

I'll say "Oh goody!"

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FreudianSlippery · 05/02/2011 19:22

Well, having had a recent surestart meeting about funding etc, it looks like even that may be a pipe dream - even with loads of volunteers to actually run the club, there still must be staff there, and there is no money. Boo. :(

One day though...

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