The older I get, and especially since becoming a mother, I find that way I feel about gifts has changed. I’m a lot less about things, and a lot more about experiences. I prefer gifts that teach something cool, or present something new, over ones that that have to be stored somewhere and only used occasionally. And especially if we’re talking about gifts for kids, I think that experiences and learning make the biggest impact during those formative childhood years.
We’re in the middle of the holiday season, and many of us are trying to figure out what to do for the kids in our lives. Maybe you’re looking for a gift that’s different, or special. Perhaps you want to find something for a child who has had a rough time this year, or something for the child who is difficult to shop for. Instead of adding more stuff to the pile this year, what if you gave the gift of an experience, of learning, or creativity? What if you gave your child the gift of a year of creativity through online art classes?
8 Reasons to Give Your Child Online Art Classes for Christmas
1. Art provides an important creative & emotional outlet.
Art is a valuable and positive way for kids to be creative and express complicated feelings. In childhood and adolescence, kids are learning and experiencing things they don’t understand all the time. Often, they don’t really know how to talk about it. Art allows them to express what’s inside by creating something external. Often, simply being able to express a feeling through art will help a child who is struggling, and adults may even be able to discover something that the child may need to talk about through his/her art (which is one reason that art therapy is common for kids and teens). Being able to express and better understand one’s own feelings is an important part of growing up. Art definitely facilitates that, especially for kids and teens.
2. Since the art courses are virtual, they can be used for family fun, too.
When you purchase a yearly membership for online art classes through Sparketh, you actually get 2 student accounts, which gives two children in the same household an opportunity to customize their artistic learning experience. However, many families also enjoy completing some of the art classes and tutorials together for family art nights! Doing art as a family can be a great way to relax and and make good memories at home together. In this post, you’ll find a few specific ideas and courses from our selection that we think make great family art nights!
3. Online art courses are sneakily educational.
Art is educational for many reasons, but it’s so much fun that kids often don’t think of it that way. Furthermore, art is an educational elective that a lot of parents feel uncomfortable with teaching their kids. This is one reason why many homeschooling families use the courses on Sparketh as part of their academic day so that their child can receive professional art instruction at home. When you give the gift of a year of online art classes, you are helping a child learn from professionals in a fun and easy way (whenever and wherever they want to learn!)
4. Virtual art classes take up no physical space.
This one is doesn’t need much explanation. As a parent in a home with limited space, I’m all about gifts that don’t fill up a room and get lost in the many toy containers in my daughter’s bedroom. You parents living in small-ish homes know what I’m talking about.
On a similar note, this is also a big gift that doesn’t have to be shipped. You don’t have to live in fear that your child’s big Christmas surprise will be damaged in the mail or that it won’t make it on time! When you give the gift of Sparketh‘s online art classes, you can complete a few simple steps to make sure your child’s account is set up and ready for him or her to get started! One idea is to print out your membership confirmation, fold it into a Christmas card, and wrap the card up with a new sketchbook and/or another art supply your child will enjoy! (But we know you can get creative!)
5. Art classes for kids are a gift for parents, too.
The gift of art classes is as much of a gift for parents as it is for the kids. We parents love to know that the gifts we give our kids will impact them positively in some way, and art classes are definitely a positive, growth-promoting gift (for the reasons mentioned above, and many more). So whether you are thinking about gifting your own kids with art classes, or someone else’s, it’s nice to know that it’s a gift that everyone can feel good about.
6. It’s personal (in the best way).
With Sparketh courses, kids can easily customize their learning experience based on their age, skills or interests. For example, children can search for watercolor courses, or pencil drawing, or painting on canvas. They can find whole tracks of courses about how to draw different styles of animals or different types of portraits. Therefore, even if you aren’t totally sure what to get the special child in your life, that child can create a tailored learning experience with his or her online art classes, which ultimately makes it a very personal gift.
7. It’s a gift that says, “I believe in you!”
When you give a gift that helps a child learn, create and explore you’re saying that you believe in them. This belief, in and of itself, is a valuable gift. Kids don’t forget when adults place faith in their strengths or abilities, and giving the gift of art classes can be just another way to tell the child in your life, “I believe in you.”
8. A year of art could make a lifelong impact.
When you gift a child with a year of art classes, you are investing in their creativity for at least a year. However, getting the chance to explore art and grow creatively could easily continue to impact that child for the rest of his/her life. In fact, here are just 5 of the ways that art classes for kids can have a lifelong impact.
If you are looking for an amazing gift that makes this holiday season, I’d encourage you to get creative and consider trying something a little bit different by gifting a child with virtual art classes. Each Sparketh yearly membership comes with two student accounts, so you could gift the membership to multiple children, as well! Learn more about how to sign up, and recieve your first 30 days free, here.