Where They Are
All children benefit from the chance to be creative. Children are eager to explore different mediums, textures, and ways to express themselves.
What to Expect in the Gymboree Art Studio
Engage with your child/children in an arts and crafts class, providing opportunities to explore their creativity. Sculpt with a block of clay, paint a mural, create a family tree, or design your own creations with our themed craft projects.
Gymboree family arts and crafts classes support physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development in children aged 18 months to 5 years and are an excellent activity for parents or carers to share with their child. The tactile nature and fun of making art builds problem solving skills, confidence, and emotional connections. There is no right or wrong way to make art, resulting in a fun and healthy activity to do as a family.
Benefits of Gymboree Family Arts and Crafts
Physical
Through building with playdough, painting, and crafts exploration, children will have the opportunity to develop their fine and gross motor skills. Exploring art is a relaxing activity, helping children and their carers to feel calm. Working with different textures and art tools supports sensory input and improves well-being, which benefits the whole family. When a child uses scissors to cut, or fingers to finger paint, they are improving control of the small muscles of their hands. This development of fine motor skills is the first step in developing the abilities later needed for writing.
Cognitive
Arts and crafts play helps activate the brain and develops problem-solving skills, creative thinking, and creative expression. An immersive artistic environment helps toddlers to process the world and improves cognitive development. Starting art classes at a young age paves the way for further artistic learning as your child grows up. When children draw, paint, and make collages, they are learning about the world (shapes, colours, sizes). When toddlers use paint and markers, they are problem solving and experimenting. Mixing paint means children learn about cause and effect – involving critical thinking skills.
Social
Children learn social skills by sharing an art space and creating with others, whilst also learning how to express themselves through a non-verbal outlet. Whilst developing confidence and optimism helps children in social settings, they also learn how to express their feelings and ideas through creativity, which is a valuable tool for coping in the world. A fully immersive playful arts and crafts space helps children to develop skills for emotional expression, whilst laughing, sharing, and creating together. Art helps children to develop a sense of individuality and self-respect. Art play helps your child to develop self-awareness, self-love, and a healthy level of self-expression through painting, building, and crafting.
Adults
Learning art and crafts through play with your child strengthens your bond and helps you to appreciate their perspective on the world. Gymboree family arts and crafts classes are a delightful way to share art with your child, in an interactive and playful environment. Your little one will learn to paint, build, and make crafts. Art is fun and helps relieve stress, which is great for parents and carers.
You provide an essential role through active participation in our art classes. Adults can help their child build confidence through artistic play by asking open-ended questions. This helps a child to think about what process or creation might be possible. Gymboree art and crafts classes are fun and interactive, building a sense of community for the child’s caregiver, positively impacting the child, and building family connections. As a family, you will create wonderful memories of arts and crafts with your little one.