Arts & Maker - DuPage Children's Museum | Hands-On Programs

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Arts & Maker

Building Creative Problem Solvers

 

Children are capable of so much!

Arts & Maker virtual programs provide a unique opportunity for children to create art, explore engineering, collaborate with their peers and pursue their interests. Working both independently at home and online with Dustin Thacker, DCM’s Arts and Maker Specialist and other DCM staff, budding artists and engineers will find joy in the process and the confidence and inspiration to keep learning, creating, and investigating.

Working through a wide-variety of open ended art and building projects, participants will practice creative problem solving, flexible thinking, a failure-positive mindset, and to top it off . . . it promises to be incredibly fun! Each program offers multiple entry points for the youngest to most advanced problem solvers – making sure everyone stays curious and dedicated to the project as it unfolds. The process is more important than the end result; imagination and ingenuity will guide the outcome.

These one hour programs are meant to be catalysts for unlimited creativity; the creation doesn’t have to stop when the session comes to an end!

 

Program Age

4 – 10 years
(younger children will need some adult assistance)

 

Supply Kit

A Supply Kit is included in the cost of the program. This kit will include a plethora of versatile art and building materials. Each program will come with a specific set of materials that is included with registration. The Supply Kit can be picked up at the Museum on a designated day/time or delivered for a $12 fee.

 

Pricing* per child/per course

Member: $30  |  Non-member: $40

*Includes Supply Kit

Explore!

Tinkering Tuesdays

4 – 5 pm

January 12  |  Experiments in Sculpture: 
Sculpt, mold, combine, create and innovate! Join us as we explore the world of 3D art, and study the fascinating world of sculptural art.

January 19  |  Flying Art: 
Time to take flight! From a custom paper airplane to cardboard boomerangs, we will discover how things soar!

January 26  |  Woodworking 101: 
Beyond the birdhouse there lies a fascinating world of things we can make out of wood. We supply the tools and materials, you supply the imagination!

February 9  |  Launch: 
Young engineers will ​create moving, spinning, flying creations that propel their prototyping powers to the outer limits!

February 23  |  Ramps & Rollers: 
Let’s get a’rolling! Making a ball run takes lots of tinkering; this is your chance to design and engineer a track that will amaze even yourself.

 

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Discover!

Wild Art Wednesdays

4 – 5 pm

January 13  |  Experiments in Color Mixing: 
Young artists can create their very own color! What will you name it?  How did you make it? Let’s explore the fascinating way colors come together.

January 20  |  Flying Art: 
Time to take flight! From flying flowers to flying spinning tops, we explore the science and beauty of flight!

January 27 |  Clay Studio:
Clay is a versatile, squishy, and just plain wonderful to work with. Let’s play with different kinds of clay, explore the tools used in the craft, and create some therapeutic art.

February 3 |  Art of Book Making:
Join us as we explore the stories, pictures, poems, and collections that make up the wide world of books.

February 17 |  Light & Shadow:
Let’s create art that shines and explores the gorgeous ways light and shadow can create wondrous scenes.

 

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Create!

Saturdays In The Studio

10 – 11 am

 January 9   DIY Family Portraits: 
What makes your family unique? Let’s create art that tells the story of the people we are closest to!

January 16  |  Cardboard City: 
What to do with all of these cardboard boxes? Let’s make a city! Join us as we explore some new tools and techniques for building with cardboard. 

January 23  Clay Studio: 
Clay is a versatile, squishy, and just plane wonderful to work with. Let’s play with different kinds of clay, explore the tools used in the craft, and create some therapeutic art. 

January 30 |  Watercolor Experiments: 
Create your very own colors and see how they work together! Using a variety of materials we will experiment with how the colors blend while creating wondrous works of art! 

February 13 |  Art for Someone: 
There is no better way to reconnect with someone than to share your art with them. Let’s make some multimedia art that shows how much we care.

February 27 |  Musical Instruments: 
Let’s make some noise! Design, engineer, and create your own fantastical musical instruments in this one-of-a-kind instrument making workshop.

 

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Time to Create!

Program Schedule

15 min. Opening Meeting:
Introduction to the project with discussion, videos, safety instructions, and ideation.

30 min. Open Studio:
Stay online and create the project with an art educator, collaborate with peers, ask questions, and get inspired or sign off for a little while and work independently.

15 min. Discussion and Inspiration:
Share the day’s creations, reflect on our work, and discuss ways to extend the learning.

 

While each program is scheduled to last one hour, screen time can be limited to 30 minutes if desired.

Every child is different

Caregiver Involvement

You know your child best.

Younger children will need more assistance than older children. These programs can be a wonderful opportunity to create together or to foster independence.

 

Your level of involvement will depend on a variety of factors including:

  • Your child’s ability to access/operate the video conferencing application Zoom.
  • Your child’s ability to complete tasks such as tearing masking tape, securing things using string/rubber bands, and using hot glue.
  • Your child’s ability to independently problem solve, stay on task, and appreciate the exploratory nature of learning by doing.

 

Generally speaking:

  • Children ages 4 – 5 years will need an adult to assist with most projects. 
  • Children ages 6 – 7 years will need a good deal of adult assistance with some projects.
  • Children ages 8+ should typically be able to independently explore each project.

 

More Information

Questions?

Contact: Dustin Thacker, Arts & Maker Specialist
dthacker@dupagechildrensmuseum.org

 

Pricing* per child/per course

Member: $30  |  Non-member: $40

*Includes Supply Kit

The Supply Kit can be picked up at the Museum on a designated day/time or delivered for a $12 fee.

 

Cancellation Policy:

  • The Museum will retain 50% of the registration fee for registrants that withdraw from Arts & Maker greater than one week (7 days) before the program.
  • The Museum will retain 100% of the registration fee for registrants that withdraw from Arts & Maker less than one week (7 days) before the program.

 

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Thank you to our program supporters: