Art For Creative Kids – Abrakadoodle®

When HBO Family began production on a sequel to their award-winning documentary “A Family is a Family is a Family: A Rosie O’Donnell Celebration,” they reached out to Abrakadoodle for creative support. HBO’s latest documentary, “HBO Families, Love & Divorce” will focus on the subjects of love, divorce and stepfamilies. Along with thoughtful interviews with young children, HBO is planning on featuring original songs, poems, as well as children’s artwork and advice.

According to Christine Turner, HBO Associate Producer, “We are very excited about collaborating with Abrakadoodle on this project. Children’s artwork will be an important component in this documentary and we know your kids will have a lot to offer.”

Several Abrakadoodle students were selected for on-camera interviews with HBO, and students at participating locations nationwide took part in specially designed art lessons during which they created art and written messages. Focused on family, these art creations were sent to HBO for possible inclusion in the documentary.

Previous HBO Family specials include the award-winning Goodnight Moon & Other Sleepytime Tales, The Music in Me, and Classical Baby. These specials have featured kids talking from the heart about subjects like dreams, music, poetry and love. With this new children’s program, HBO Family’s goal is to provide an inspiring tool for other kids who are going through parental separation, divorce, and the creation of new families.

Stay tuned to Abrakadoodle for more information about this upcoming HBO documentary!

Abrakadoodle’s artist-in-residence Leonor Brazao brings the richness of her heritage and life experiences in Portugal and Brazil to our global art education program. Abrakadoodle’s multi-cultural art education programs exceed national standards for visual arts education and offer students the opportunity to learn from the styles and techniques of a vast array of classic and contemporary artists. An internationally-recognized artist, Leonor also brings experience as a lead teacher for Abrakadoodle, as well as global work experience as an art director. Leonor has recently been twice recognized for her creative talents.

Her art is included in the first-ever 2010 International Fine Art Collection! 2010 Fine Art is connected to the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ and will showcase the very best of African visual art as well as works from around the world inspired by the first FIFA World Cup™ on African soil.

Another one of Leonor’s original creations is featured in a new book, “Planet Earth Planet Art,” which highlights the creative works and writings of 95 artists from around the world. Proceeds of this book benefit Friends of the Earth International. We salute our colorful, wise and wonderful Artist-in-Residence! To learn more about Leonor, visit her website .

Abrakadoodle Co-founders Mary Rogers, MA.Ed and Rosemarie Hartnett, CFE presented a hands-on creativity workshop for more than 100 attendees at the Foundations thirteenth annual Beyond School Hours Conference held February 17-20 in Florida. During their session, Jumpstarting Creativity in Your Afterschool Programs, the Abrakadoodle duo guided teachers, administrators and others in creative exercises that enabled them to experience creativity the way kids do. They taught conferees eight techniques to get the creative wheels turning and engaged them in group, team and individual activities. Everyone enjoyed building structures, finding inventive solutions, making abstracts, designing sculptures and more! The group agreed that creativity felt good and was important!

Not only are children’s early years a time of learning, but they are also a time of exploration, developing imagination and a sense of self. A wonderful way to explore, create and express oneself is through the visual arts. Children love new experiences and to depict images and ideas based upon their experiences. Abrakadoodle is one of the only national creative art programs that provide instruction starting with children as young as 20 months old in classes that offer a wonderful first learning experience. Whether children are in a creative class, exploring literature, nature or any of a host of interactive activities, art is a tremendous tool for communicating. Examining a leaf can lead children to want to know about trees and to convey thoughts and feelings about nature.

The art (right) is a creative collage created by Rylee, age 1.5 of Rutherford, New Jersey, which incorporates shapes, leaves and color. This art was submitted as part of Abrakadoodle’s Kids’ Imagination Project (KIP), an ongoing campaign to promote children’s creativity through original postcard art creations.

From creative classes to artful experiences at home, children benefit from numerous, ongoing opportunities to express their imaginations as they discover the world around them.

Follow Abrakadoodle on  for news, blog updates and other items of interest!
Check out Abrakadoodle’s Fan Page to see more children’s art!

Abrakadoodle’s Kids’ Imagination Project has challenged children to create art around the open-ended theme: “Imagine.”

Kids really enjoy expressing their thoughts, ideas, wishes, hobbies and interests through the visual arts. Whether they are inspired by a favorite character, book, television program, nature, friends and family, mystical places and creatures or their pet, children benefit by depicting images that reflect what’s important to them.  The art (left) was created by Dareion, age 12 of Baltimore, Maryland. Ask your children open-ended questions, such as, “Tell me about your art?” “What’s happening in that picture?” “Why did you choose that color?” “How would you caption your art?”

 Imagination is a sensory experience, as evidenced by the art (right) produced by Kayla, age 12 of Arvada, Colorado, who writes, “I really wanted to feel the silky feathers of a baby duck, and so I drew some.”

 Follow Abrakadoodle on  for news, blog updates and other items of interest! 

Check out Abrakadoodle’s  Fan Page to see more children’s art!

Abrakadoodle is devoted to helping children tap their imaginations in our art classes, camps and parties. There are so many ways in which you can help your children connect with creativity now and throughout the year.

Set up an art activity area in your house and stock it with lots of safe, fun supplies, such as paper, crayons, markers, paints, brushes, sponges, stamps, scissors (age-appropriate), non-toxic glue, recycled paper towel tubes, and other household objects that can be used in creative play. Encourage your children to head out into the great outdoors to appreciate the sky, plants, grasses, trees, animals, insects and more! Have them collect leaf samples or observe little critters that make their homes in nature. Turn off the TV and turn on some music. Talk about your children’s dreams, hopes, aspirations and fantasies. Promote playful movement in terms of dance and song. Use socks without mates to make puppets or sock dolls. The ideas are endless!

The Kids’ Imagination Project is another way for your children to express their creativity. Visit our KIP web page to download a postcard and learn how you can submit children’s art for our campaign! We regularly feature children’s art on our blog, and select student art is posted in albums on Abrakadoodle’s  Fan Page!

The art (top, left) by Benjamin, age 2 of Englewood, NJ features a colorful collage with a leaf. The art (bottom, right) by Thomas, age 4, of Sheboygan, WI is a colorful piece entitled, “Dinosaurs and hills and a tree.”

PS: Remember to follow Abrakadoodle on   for news, blog updates and other items of interest!

Creativity is so important! We want to hear your stories about how you have seen your children or students use their imaginations in the visual arts. Share your stories by replying to this post!

Abrakadoodle, a global leader in creative children’s art education, has been hosting an ongoing campaign to promote and celebrate children’s imaginations: The Kids’ Imagination Project. Visit our KIP web page to download a postcard and learn how you can submit children’s art for our campaign! We regularly feature children’s art on our blog, and all student art is posted in albums on Abrakadoodle’s  Fan Page!

The art (top, left) by Athena, age 9 of Simi Valley, California is a shining example of how children can express their own ideas. The art (bottom, right) by Nishka, age 8 of Grand Rapids, Michigan is a striking piece, she titled, “Mountain Valley.”

Reply now and let us know how you see creativity in your child, children or students!

PS: Remember to follow Abrakadoodle on   for news, blog updates and other items of interest!

The Kids’ Imagination Project, Abrakadoodle’s global campaign to promote creativity, is demonstrating the power of children’s imaginations. The art (left) by Nate, age 9 of Grand Rapids, Michigan is aptly titled, “Nothing wrong with being different.” This sentiment expresses a truth about the visual arts – not only is there nothing wrong with being different, but it is good for children to embrace their uniqueness and originality!

In addition to the joy and sense of accomplishment children feel when they create their own art; another amazing benefit of an arts connection for kids is developing an appreciation for art creations by other artists (of all ages) and tolerance for the ideas expressed by others. The Kids’ Imagination Project is connecting kids around the globe. The art “Mermaid” (right) by Francisco, age 9 of Lisbon, Portugal, is a sketch of how he imagines this mythical creature. “Imagine” is the theme for this inaugural KIP campaign.

Any child can participate in Abrakadoodle’s Kids’ Imagination Project (children can send in more than one piece of art, too)! To learn more about KIP or to download a postcard, go to www.abrakadoodle.com/kip.htm. 

Follow us on to hear about new blog posts featuring children’s creative postcard art!

View our photo albums on Abrakadoodle’s    fan page.

Make it an artful holiday!

Abrakadoodle is so pleased by the wonderful, original artworks that have been arriving for its Kids’ Imagination Project, a global campaign that encourages children worldwide to produce and share postcard art. This year’s theme is “Imagine.” Any child can participate in Abrakadoodle’s Kids’ Imagination Project (children can send in more than one piece of art, too)! To learn more about KIP or to download a postcard, visit our KIP page on the web.

Encourage your child to create art this holiday season! Working on art is a wonderful way to express creativity, feelings and reduce stress, too. Don’t forget to include safe art supplies as a special holiday surprise. Check out www.AbrakadoodleArt.com for a selection of artist challenge books and kits that include colored pencils and markers, as well as children’s art aprons, portfolios and Abrakadoodle’s own colorful FrameDoodles to celebrate your child’s art creations.

We are frequently featuring new children’s postcard art from creations submitted to Abrakadoodle’s world headquarters. This week’s art features original creations by (top, left) Monique, age 6 of Miami. Off to London town where we encounter within the Royal Collection 3 Faberge Eggs. Drawing inspiration from the Royal’s treasures we uncovered the art of jewelry making and experimented with model magic while discovering the streets of London. Artwork (center, right) was submitted by Andrea, age 11 of Portugal. Andrea is a student at an art school located in Cascais, near to Lisbon.

Follow us on to hear about new blog posts featuring children’s creative postcard art!

View our photo albums on Abrakadoodle’s    fan page.

Art for kids should focus on experimentation and imaginative self-expression, so that children can derive the greatest benefit and enjoyment. The alternative, which we call a product focus, limits the opportunities for learning. While children and parents alike are naturally delighted to see the inventive and often stunning outcomes of artistic endeavors, some of the best learning may come from creating something unexpected. In the process of mixing colors, a child may produce a color that more resembles mud than a spectacular new shade but the learning is valuable.

Process art truly engages children’s creativity as they explore design, shapes, color, balance, form, techniques, depth perception and so much more. They learn that there are many solutions to challenges they face and that uniqueness is good. Very importantly, children who practice process art know that there is no right or wrong way to create art and that they can always create something fresh and new.

Encourage your children to create art freely. Remember not focus on the end product but instead on the process: “How did you do that?” “What happened when you mixed those colors?” “Tell me about this creation?” “Did it turn out like you expected – why or why not?”

Creativity is a cornerstone of process art, and activities like Abrakadoodle’s Kids’ Imagination Project (KIP) offer children the opportunity to show what is inside their imagination. As Mary Rogers, Co-Founder of Abrakadoodle recently said, “Creativity is considered something of an abstraction, and so we designed KIP to reveal some of the creative ideas and images that reside in children’s imaginations through their own art works and will share this wonderful postcard art for the world to appreciate.”

KIP is a global campaign that encourages children worldwide to produce and submit postcard art. This year’s theme is “Imagine.”

We are frequently featuring new children’s postcard art from creations submitted to Abrakadoodle’s world headquarters. This week’s art features original creations by (top, left) Claire, age 7 of Maple Grove, Minnesota. Art (mid-page, left) by Aiden, age 3.5 of Santa Monica, California entitled, “Ladders & Happy Faces.” Post card art (bottom, right) by Lux, age 5 of Miami, Florida.

Any child can participate in Abrakadoodle’s Kids’ Imagination Project! To learn more about KIP or to download a postcard, visit our web site. 

Follow us on to hear about new blog posts featuring children’s creative postcard art!

View our photo albums on Abrakadoodle’s    fan page.