Manual Of The Arts For Young People

Ten graphic stories about artists, educators and activists across the United States.

Ten transformative local arts projects come alive in this illustrated training manual for youth leaders and teachers. This energetic guidebook demonstrates the enormous power of art in grass-roots social change. Ten transformative local arts projects come alive in the revised second edition of this comics-illustrated training manual for teens, youth leaders, and young activists. This energetic guidebook demonstrates the enormous power of art in grassroots social change. It presents proven models of community-based arts programs, plus techniques, discussion questions, and plentiful resources.This improved second edition includes updated resources and guidelines, along with a new comic art introduction by illustrator Keith Knight.

Arts Therapies and The Mental Health of Children and Young People presents innovative research, theory and practice in the arts therapies. The different social, cultural and political contexts and developmental age groups illustrate and underscore the richness and diversity of contemporary arts therapies' creative response to the needs of children and young people in contrasting locations. The book represents an acknowledgement of the high rates of mental disorders in children and young people and addresses this subject. In presenting an array of responses from arts therapists working with children and young people in different contexts and countries, the book highlights the particular features of distinct art forms, yet also points to the potential dialogue between disciplines. Chapters show how the expressive potential and appeal of the arts, when facilitated within the therapeutic relationship, are crucial in fostering hope in the future and the capacity for trust in self and others. This book will be of great interest to arts therapists as well as academics and postgraduate students in the fields of arts therapies, social work, psychotherapy, health psychology, and education.

The purpose of this handbook is to demystify art for parents and teachers and to help them understand what the art experience is like for the child/adolescent. The book discusses visual art concepts in simple terms and presents art as a vehicle for educationally transformative experiences. The book also provides sample dialogs between adults and children for parents and teachers who wish to help children approach art projects creatively. The "I can't draw syndrome" is explained and stages of artistic development are discussed from scribbling to adolescent art. The text also offers ideas and projects to help adults support the authentic vision of the child/adolescent throughout all the stages. Major sections include: the art experience, creativity and the child, stages of artistic development, keeping creativity alive, art projects for children ages 2 to 12, and art projects for adolescents ages 12 to 17. Also provided are an appendix on art materials and safety information and a glossary. At the core of this book is the belief that children are born artists and that artistic talent emerges from the interplay of proclivity, cultural enrichment, and nurturance. This exceptional handbook will raise consciousness and foster understanding about the nature of the art experience, and it will help adults find ways to keep the creative process alive at home and in the classroom. Visit Author's Web site.

Packed with joyful and educational art experiences for kids, Play, Make, Create offers fun and engaging imaginative activities focused on the fun and reward of creating, not just producing a final project. Founded in a process-based philosophy, this unique book includes more than 40 activities set up as invitations, or thoughtfully designed prompts to explore, create, and play. Author Meri Cherry has more than 20 years of teaching experience, and her blog (mericherry.com) has set the standard for meaningful and enriching process art experiences that are both manageable for parents, and appealing and fun for kids. Play, Make, Create begins with a guide for parents, teachers, and facilitators that discusses how to set up materials in an inviting way, how to present an activity and talk to kids about art, and how to stock the right materials for ongoing creativity. Also included are best-practice tips for clean-up, answers to frequently asked questions, and more. The book offers four types of creative invitations: Invitations to Explore (easy ideas for fun and play), Invitations to Create (open-ended, craft-based activities), Invitations to Play (sensory-based activities), and Big Projects (ongoing process-art activities). Most feature basic materials and tools (paper, inexpensive paints, pencils, glue) that require little setup. Among the projects and activities you’ll find: A collage project that takes a no-rules approach to creating with cut-out drawings and pictures. Ideas for building a science station that allow kids to experiment with kitchen cabinet supplies such as soap, measuring spoons, cotton balls, and baking soda. A prompt to draw a self-portrait, using a mirror (parents can draw themselves, too). Instructions for making homemade colored playdough. The activities in Play, Make, Create promote active, meaningful, and socially interactive learning. Children are encouraged to wonder, experiment, and use critical thinking—and most of all, enjoy the process. By following their own inclinations and making their own choices, children gain self-confidence and hone their problem-solving skills. Get Play, Make, Create and give children the gift of creativity!