"Children are the world's most valuable resource and our best hope for the future." - John F. Kennedy

What Are The Creative Milestones for My Child's Age?

If you've ever wondered what your kid should be capable of at their age and whether they're hitting the right creative milestones, you're not alone.

It's a common concern, and we've had countless parents come through our doors worried about the same thing. But after only a few weeks with us, they see their little ones learning new skills and LOVING it.

How do we get them up to speed so quickly?

What's our secret?

Simple: We tailor our craft lessons to each age group’s developmental milestones. Different ages come with their own set of artistic expectations, so let's take a look:

Ages 2-3: The Messy Exploration Stage

Remember the first time your toddler discovered paint? The awe in their eyes as they mixed colors, the giggles when their fingers made squiggly lines across the paper. This age is all about exploration. In our craft club, we've designed our lessons for 2-3-year-olds to embrace this natural curiosity. It's not about creating a masterpiece to hang on the fridge; it's about the journey. The feel of cotton wool, the brightness of colors, the freedom to be messy - these are the moments that ignite a child's love for creativity.

I remember in one of my first toddler sessions there was a little one named Alex. Alex was more interested in how the ‘yogurt paint’ smelled (and tasted!) than in painting. By encouraging this sensory exploration, we saw Alex's confidence and curiosity bloom in ways that we didn’t expect. To this day, his artworks are filled with a sense of wonder and a deep understanding of each material. It's these foundational experiences at a young age that set the stage for a lifetime of curiosity.

Ages 4-6: The Skill-Building Stage

As children grow, so does their capacity to learn and refine skills. Ages 4-6 are critical years for harnessing this potential. Our lessons focus on repetition and practice, not just for the sake of skill-building but to foster a sense of achievement and progress. Threading, cutting, and clay manipulation become gateways to more complex projects.

Even with all the practice, it's not all work and no play. Balancing skill development with imaginative discussion and carefree playtime is crucial. We've seen how a structured approach, mixed with bouts of creativity, can prevent burnout and keep the joy of crafting alive.

Take Lily, for instance, who struggled with cutting shapes. We designed a class that involved creating paper puppets to use for storytelling. Lily cut out circles for the puppets’ heads, triangles for their bodies, and little squares for their shoes. Through repeated practice mixed with storytelling, she not only mastered her cutting skills but also tapped into her imagination and had fun along the way. This balance is what transforms a simple activity into a developmental milestone.

Ages 7-12: The Stage of Self-expression

The leap to ages 7-12 is where the biggest transformation happens. Kids start to see themselves as artists, developing unique preferences and capabilities, especially with different mediums.

With this development comes a pressure to be perfect and frustration when things don’t go their way or turn out the way they hoped. In our club, we shift the focus. It's not about how their artwork should look but about embracing their unique ideas and perspectives. This age group is incredibly capable, and our role is to guide, not dictate.

We encourage problem-solving and independent thinking, which are skills that go beyond the craft table.

Sarah, a 12-year-old student, often asks to redo certain steps or even scrap her project completely, whenever there is an accidental splodge or it isn't quite "perfect." We encourage her to turn her “mistake” into something special, by adding extra details, marks, or patterns around the splodge and turning a flaw into a feature. By shifting her focus from perfection to expression, Sarah's projects turn into masterpieces of personal significance, not only because they turn out beautifully but because they symbolize growth in her self-acceptance. We see her confidence in her abilities steadily growing with each passing day.

Why Join Our Craft Club?

You might wonder, with all the options out there, why choose our craft club? The answer is that our lessons are age-appropriate, topical and fun

Our club is also more than just a place to make crafts; it's a community where children learn about themselves and the world around them.

Enrolling your child in our craft club isn't just signing them up for fun activities; it's giving them a toolkit for life. They'll learn not just how to create but how to think, solve problems, and express themselves.

Plus, we take care of all the preparation, lesson planning and cleaning up the mess after class! So you don’t need to lift a finger.

Contact us to book your child into a class that fits their age group and abilities, and get ready to watch them flourish.