Helping Keiki Get Creative This Summer

The 10 projects kids will make in five days
PHOTO COURTESY HOUSEMART BEN FRANKLIN CRAFTS

!’m always amazed by the creative projects teachers come up with to get our children excited about learning. I can’t bring myself to throw away the various pictures, collages and artwork my kids bring home from school.

They add up though, so I’ve had to start setting a standard for what to keep. Let’s just say I’m artistically challenged, so I welcome professional direction.

Lucky for parents like me there are many options to keep your kids engaged during the summer.

Here’s one affordable, fun way to keep your kids’ creative juices flowing.

HouseMart Ben Franklin Crafts has brought back its popular summer keiki crafts classes. Monday through Friday, June 15-19, children age 8 and older can learn “10 fun projects in five days” at all of its stores.

HouseMart’s Joy Shimabukuro says it was a no-brainer to continue the Summer Keiki Craft program because “so many parents and their kids have asked for it. They’ve enjoyed making something, being creative and making new friends.”

Students will experiment with different media and develop crafting skills. Some of the highlights this year include making a robot figure out of clay, a zentangle collage, shell wind chime, and origami crown.

Here’s the official project schedule:
• Monday: Origami Crown, Mixed Media Canvas
• Tuesday: Polymer Clay Robot, Lighthouse
• Wednesday: Faux Batik with Cray-Pas, Petite Piñata
• Thursday: Zentangle Collage, Shell Wind Chime
• Friday: Pony Bead Gecko, Watercolor Painting & Techniques

The best value is to enroll in the weeklong program for $60. You also can cherry pick your activity and pay by the day at $20 a pop.

All supplies are included in the cost. Classes meet for 8-to 10-year-olds from 10 a.m. to noon; and 1-3 p.m. for ages 11 and older.

Register at any HouseMart Ben Franklin Crafts store. The chain has stores in Mapunapuna, Market City, Pearl City and Enchanted Lake on Oahu, Kahului on Maui and Hilo on Hawaii island. Each will have project samples on hand, so keiki can get excited about what they’ll make.

You can register at any HouseMart Ben Franklin Crafts store. Check out ben-franklinhawaii.com for a class brochure and registration form.

You also may want to consider art camp or summer classes offered through Honolulu Museum of Art School, Spalding House in Makiki Heights, or Kroc Center in Kapolei. For more information, visit honolulumuseum.org or call 532-8741.

Connect with Tannya Joaquin on Facebook@ Tannya’s Take.