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Best Places For Kids' Summer Art Activities

Clear off those refrigerators parents. The Twin Cities offers many resources and artistic outlets that will spark your children's creativity, enrich their natural talents and let them have some messy fun. Not only will your kids become inspired to make great works of art, but that family gallery, a.k.a. refrigerator, will reap the benefits.

Kidcreate Studio
7918 Mitchell Road
Eden Prairie, MN 55344
(952) 974-3438
www.kidcreatestudio.com

Young ones earn fundamental art concepts and techniques with paint, clay and more at Kidcreate Studio. Class options for children 18 months to 12 years of age include summer camps, workshops, weekly sessions or drop-in classes. Kidcreate classes are also available throughout the metro area during the summer via local community education departments. Unique topics and projects include Angry Birds clay sculptures, jewelry-making for American Girl dolls, ballerina-themed canvas creations inspired by Edgar Degas and feathered replicas of Big Bird. Class prices vary, call directly for more details.

Walker Art Center Generic
(credit: CBS)

Arty Pants: Your Tuesday Playdate
Walker Art Center 
1750 Hennepin Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55403
(612) 375-7600
www.walkerart.org

On the second and fourth Tuesday of each month, kids ages three to five are invited to participate in unexpected art adventures and create inspired pieces of work at the Walker Art Center. Upcoming projects include large-scale painting with brooms and other items found around the house. These events require adult supervision and are included in the $12 Walker gallery admission for adults (kids under 18 are always free).

The Art Academy
515 S. Albert St.
St. Paul, MN 55116
(651) 699-1573
www.theartacademy.net

Do you have a child between the ages of 5 and 18 looking for technical instruction to increase their drawing and painting aptitude? With a great student-to-teacher ratio and a 19-year track record, kids will gain the skills to take their artwork to the next level at The Art Academy. Topics include understanding mass and color theory through watercolor painting, drawing superheroes and illustrating a children's book. Weekly classes, private lessons and summer camps are offered, so contact the Academy directly for pricing and schedules.

F & P - Guide to Paint Your Own Pottery 11.11.11 - think-pottery-girl
Photo Credit: Thinkstock

Color Me Mine
3324 Promenade Ave.
Eagan, MN 55121
(651) 454-4099
www.colormemine.com

Let kids express themselves and take home fun ceramic art at Color Me Mine. First, pick out a ceramic piece, like a plate, soap dish or piggy bank. Then kids can go to town with paint brushes, hand prints or sponges. The studio fires up the artwork and a few days later, your proud artist can bring home their final creation. This is a great way for kids to make gifts for grandparents, teachers and others.  Prices vary per selected piece to decorate.

ArtiCulture
2613 E. Franklin Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55406
(612) 729-5151
www.articulture.org

At ArtiCulture, kids as young as 12 months can engage their creativity while using their fine motor skills and learning basic art concepts. As the children become school-age and teens, the classes stimulate their growth and development with more advanced topics, such as building 3-D sculptures out of recycled materials, drawing comic books, creating fabric mythical creatures or learning the fundamentals of fashion design. Contact ArtiCulture directly for class and price options.

Related: Creative Outlets: Paint Your Own Pottery Studios

Cortney Mohnk is a freelance writer covering all things Minnesota. Her work can be found on Examiner.com.

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