About April Break: Bringing the Outdoors, In (Virtual Class for Grades K-5)
Explore and discover the endless possibilities of different art mediums through creative play. Better understand the unique abilities materials have while celebrating new ways to manipulate and create with them.
With each day focusing on a different material, April Break at the deCordova provides an invitation to imagine, experiment, and create with unusual and tactile art-making materials. This creative and play based class will be taught by one of our experienced instructors.
Each session will include time for conversations, asking questions and the sharing of new ideas and observations. We’ll take time to experiment and play, while creating collaboratively and individually. We will take movement breaks together and build in a time for a snack.
This interactive workshop is limited to 12 students. Participants will receive the zoom information one day prior to the class.
Wednesday – Bringing the Outdoors In: Focus on Natural Materials
Explore natural materials and see how the outdoor world inspires your creativity. You will design and build characters, objects, and spaces that celebrate all the wonders of nature and your own unique ideas. As we collaborate with one another, we’ll observe and re-imagine what lives and grows outdoors.
Supplies:
Before the class begins, have your child collect some leaves, twigs, stones, or pinecones that they would be excited to use in their creations.
If your child is unable to collect materials from the outdoors, have them bring items from your home that remind them of or are made from objects found outdoors. Be sure all items can be manipulated. Recycled cardboard, popsicle sticks, ribbon, or wire are great examples.
Setting up:
A studio is a designated space where an artist creates. It holds the artist’s special tools and materials, and helps the artist feel inspired and safe. Remember, every home, family, and artist is different. So all Studios will look different.
A few things to keep in mind as you set up a studio for your class.
- Boundaries can be helpful. Be mindful of furniture, others’ belongings and special areas.
- Think about your body in relation to the space around you. Do you have room to spread out?
- Consider the surfaces you will work on. Consider a table, clipboard, or floor.
- Light and color can make a difference. Are you near a window, lamp or string lights?
- How can you make your studio feel like YOURS? Do you have anything special you like to look at or have nearby?
Supplies:
Take time to organize and gather your materials before your class begins. To make clean-up easier, think about containers for your supplies, tools and scraps of materials.
Here is a list of supplies that you may want to prepare for your class:
- Mark making materials: markers, pastels, chalk, crayons, pens, pencils, paints
- Adhesives: glue, glue stick, various kinds of tape
- Surfaces: printer paper, cardboard, poster board, aluminum foil, fabric
- Recycled materials, magazines, buttons, paperclips, ping pong balls, bubble wrap, old or broken toys, newspaper
- Don’t forget a water cup for paint, brushes and a pair of scissors
As we will explore a different specific material daily, a few supplies are suggested for each particular class: while these are recommended, invite your child to collect ahead of time for anything else that feels relevant/important/inspires them to the days exploration.
- Collected Natural Materials
Sign up for other days and spend your break with deCordova:
Tues – Fri, February 16 – 19, 9am – 11am
- Tuesday – Tubes and Tunnels
- Wednesday – Bringing the Outdoors, In
- Thursday – Build with Recycled Materials
- Friday – Shine On
