Kidcreate Studio was featured once again on TV! Makeeka Harris, our Franchise Owner in Fayetteville, North Carolina, brought our art franchise onto North Carolina’s WRAL station to showcase a fun and crafty project while also explaining what we do. In this feature, Makeeka takes host Ken Smith through the details of our arts franchise before guiding him through a fun fall-themed clay mosaic!
Our Arts and Crafts Franchise Background
Before jumping into the clay mosaic, Makeeka helps explain to Ken some background on Kidcreate Studio, highlighting our target age group and what the kids can participate in. “The age groups we target are 18 months to 12 years old,” Makeeka states. “We do all types of stuff for all types of kids— even birthday parties!” Ken asks Makeeka how receptive parents are to Kidcreate classes and camps, and she expresses how parents are often even more appreciative of the opportunity for their kids to explore their creativity. “Parents love us!” Makeeka exclaims. “They love to see that there’s a fun and exciting art activity right around the corner from where they live.” With art programming opportunities for children decreasing, parents are constantly on the lookout for programs that allow their children to tap into their artistic side while also having fun, and our art franchise perfectly provides the opportunities they seek.
Joking that kids are like “sponges”, Ken brings up the assumption that the whole idea of Kidcreate Studio classes are to keep the brains of the children constantly working and active. Makeeka agrees wholeheartedly, stating, “That’s right! Creativity is the best way to get those wheels turning in their heads.”
DIY Class Mosaic
After giving a brief rundown about Kidcreate Studio, Makeeka shifts her focus to explaining how to create your very own fall-themed clay mosaic, which is a super easy project for parents to also get involved with their kids. Before starting, Makeeka emphasizes the accessibility of the supplies in this project, which applies across the board for all Kidcreate Studio art projects. She explains that for this project, she was only using colorful beads and “air dried clay that you can get from any arts and crafts store.” As she begins the project, she also highlights the creative freedom that the children possess in their art projects. “It starts just a slab of clay,” Makeeka expresses. “And you can get this in grey clay, white clay, any color clay! We’re using brown today to symbolize fall.”
As she starts describing how to create a leaf-shaped mosaic by using a leaf-shaped template, Ken and Makeeka both emphasize how perfection is never necessary in this space, and fun is the most important goal. “Kids don’t have to be perfect, they don’t have to be artists,” Ken states. Makeeka follows up by agreeing, “That’s right. They don’t have to be artists. This is all about fun and expressing creativity.” By providing a space where children can explore their own creative intuitions while having fun, we hope to create a passion and creative drive within the children to help them utilize these skills as they grow through their journey of life.
And as easy as that, Makeeka finishes the mosaic, explaining that you “simply take off the leaf template and just add beads to wherever you want to create that mosaic look.”
Learning through our Art Franchise
Before ending the segment, Makeeka and Ken wrap up by detailing how kids are still constantly learning, even if they are out of school. When asked if Kidcreate Studio basically provides an extension to the school day, Makeeka confirms, stating “parents love when their kids are still learning while they’re having fun.” Because our curriculum is heavily integrated, the children will often not notice that they’re learning because they’re too busy having fun. Before you know it, these kids will have picked up various facts on famous artists, learned about different artistic techniques, and complete all these through a creative and encouraging environment filled with fun. Makeeka finishes up by describing the flexible structure of all Kidcreate programs. “Our times at the studio vary,” she explains. “We have camps that go up to six hours, but we typically have workshops that are three hours or less.” Whatever parents are looking to best supplement their child’s learning, our arts and crafts franchise possesses the programs to help further their development and growth.
Overall, what does Makeeka think best summarizes Kidcreate Studio?
“Imaginations go wild, and you get a cool project while you’re at it”
To watch the original news feature, click here! If you want to help bring art opportunities and creativity to children in your community like Makeeka does, join Kidcreate Studio as a Franchise Owner! Visit our franchise page to explore what we do, who we look for, and how you can be the newest member of our art franchise family!