Let the little ones bloom {Review and Giveaway of heART Studio art classes}

Having the chance to review art classes at heART Studio was a precious opportunity not just for my girl, but for me as well. Over the course of those six months, I learnt some important parenting lessons that money can't buy and today, I wish to share them with you.

I must tell you that when we first went to heART Studio, I would get a little uneasy or even uptight when I saw that my girl couldn't sit still, couldn't pay attention, drew a circle instead of a square, painted out of line, kept mum when asked questions or took forever to choose a colour for her painting.

It didn't help that I always had a baby strapped to me while trying to take photos in class, listen to what Teacher Syafiq was saying and keep an eye on what the big sister was doing. Although I never did have to shout or interfere the class, I remember on one or two occasions, she was so distracted and disinterested that I said something along the lines of  "If you don't want to pay attention, we will not come for art classes anymore."

Sounds like a threat? Well, I can't differentiate between threat, punishment and consequence at times. But I did regret saying that.

It was gradually through time that I saw how my girl developed a keen interest and the ability to take instructions. In fact, it was evident that she was progressing fast and becoming more independent by the week.

Being the attentive and encouraging teacher he is, Teacher Syafiq never failed to say remarks like "Good job!", "Well done", "You're doing great" and even when the kids made mistakes, he gave them the motivation to continue while guiding and correcting them in the process. It's like, to him, every piece of drawing or painting from every kid was a beautiful piece of artwork. That, was one big lesson I drew from him.

I also learnt that 1) Every child is different. Some may be more artistically inclined while others need to work a little harder. Just because your kid is not the brightest star doesn't mean that she is not shining in her own ways. It never helps to compare, in fact, I think it hurts.

2) It is not inability, it is fear. Sometimes when Angel didn't start to draw after a long while, I came to realise that it was not because she didn't know how, it was because she was scared. Scared of making a mistake, scared of me being around, scared of doing it the wrong way when there shouldn't be a right or wrong in art. Instead of standing over her or secretly watching her from a corner, I decided to simply leave the classroom and let her express herself freely. At the same time, I knew that I had to try harder at being an encouraging mum.

3) There is no best or right colour. Art is about imagination, it is about unleashing creativity, it is about exploring the world from different point of views. You can have red grass, purple skies and even a turquoise sun. Just because adults have stereotypical views does not mean we have to pass these to our kids and influence them to see the world the way we see it. Instead, it is about letting them try out new ideas, mix new colours and witness the magic that happens.

4) Be a proud parent. No, I don't mean proud as in arrogant, but I mean to take pride in your child's work. To give credit where credit is due and be able to see the amount of hard work and creativity she put into it. It doesn't mean not to give her room for improvement, but it also means not to pick on nitty gritty imperfections.

I still have a long way to go and lots to learn in the journey of motherhood. But at least today, I know from the bottom of my heart that with the right watering and sunshine, together with patience, love and care from the teachers and us, my child will bloom like the dainty daisies in her painting.

Thanks to heART Studio for the enriching and learning journey you gave to both of us.

*****

The year end holidays are coming and if you are thinking of what activities to plan for your child, why not let him/her be exposed to art and learn about its wonders?

The classes will focus on canvas painting using acrylic paints where your child will learn about painting techniques, shapes, lines and colours. There are three different themes and classes to choose from and details are as follow:

1) Hot Air Balloon painting
Date : 3rd Dec 2013 (Tuesday)
Time: 1.30-4:00pm

2) Landscape Painting 
Date : 4th Dec 2013 (Wednesday)
Time: 1.30-4:00pm
 
3) Dinosaurs by Romero Britto
Date : 10th Dec 2013 (Tuesday)
Time: 4.30-7:00pm

To learn more about heART Studio's holiday program which takes place from 2nd to 13th December, visit here for more details.

Terms and Conditions
1) This giveaway is open to readers residing in Singapore only.
2) Child has to be aged 3 or 4 based on month and year of birth.
3) Three different winners will be picked.
4) Winners must respond within three days, if not, a new winner will be picked.
5) Changing of date, time or class is not allowed.

To participate, simply leave a comment in this blog post with your:

1) Name and email
2) Child's name and age
3) Class preferred (Choose only 1)
Note: I can only try my best to allocate the preferred classes to the winners but there is no guarantee.

You can also follow the steps below to gain more entries. This giveaways ends on 22nd Nov and winners will be announced here and on my Facebook page. Best of luck!
 a Rafflecopter giveaway