A Summer for the Kids

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    If the kids want to try something new this summer, there are three local hotspots – Brazee Street Studios, Blue Manatee Children’s Bookstore and The Carnegie – for family friendly fun that’ll keep your kids learning while out of school for the summer.

     

    Brazee Street Studios
    You’ll find a variety of classes available for young artists between the ages of 3 and 18 at Brazee Street Studios. According to Creative Director Leah Busch, students will learn about different kinds of glass materials and techniques to make one-of-a-kind glass pieces. Courses range from making bowls and picture frames to self-portraits and robots.

     

    “For teen artists, we have more advanced classes such as Introduction to Glass Bead Making, where the students have a chance to work with a flame and create beads of different shapes and sizes,” explains Busch.

     

    One kids create the pieces, they’re fired int he kiln by Brazee Street School of Glass instructors and are available for pick-up at a later date.

     

    Brazee Street Studios also offers a Family Open House each Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 pm. at the Brazee Street School of Glass. Children and their parents are invited in to make a piece of glass art together. Busch says the theme changes each month, but for July, it’s Mini Sun-Catchers.

     

    If your children do take one of the classes offered by Brazee Street Studios, they may find their items on display in the gallery. Currently, you’ll find artwork in gallery One One from the 4th Annual School of Glass Kids Exhibition: Brazee Street School of Fish.

     

    “Anyone who came to an open house in June created a fish to be added to the school,” explains Busch. “We also went to schools around Cincinnati including Colerain High School, Montessori, Finneytown High School, Madisonville Education and Assistance Center at John P. Parker School and many others for students to be able to make their own fish for the exhibition.”

     

    The price to attend a class varies by the class and project being completed and students must be registered prior to the glass. You can do this by going online to www.brazeestreetstudios.com and filling out the registration forms on the class description pages. Busch says that students can also get registered by calling 513-321-0206.

     

    To learn more about Brazee Street Studios, upcoming events and their kids classes, visit their website to check them out on Facebook where they regularly share information on classes as well as photos of what the kids are creating.

     

    Blue Manatee Children’s Bookstore
    Not too many things are more relaxing than a cold drink and story time in the summer. This summer, take the kids to Blue Manatee Children’s Bookstore and Decafe for a ton of story times and activities for children.

     

    Blue Manatee Children’s Bookstore Barista Amy Dean says story times are a great way to hang out with friends, learn about good books, songs and more.

     

    “We also have the popular manaTots, a special story time for younger children up to age 4,” she adds.

     

    There are monthly events at Blue Manatee that include French, German and Spanish story time where children will learn simple vocabulary through stories. There’s also Nature Story Time with Imago as well as other activities such as little yogis with Hollie Nesbitt from Omya Studio, Make a Mess at the Manatee craft time and Homeschool Poetry Group, which gives children from homeschool families a chance to come in and read their favorite or original poems.

     

    In addition to these story times, there are also special events held at the bookstore each month.

     

    “We’re having a Teddy Bear Picnic on July 10, My Teacher is a Monster creative writing workshop on July 15 and Camping with Dino story time on July 25,” says Dean.

     

    Throughout July, you can head to Blue Manatee with the children so they can pick up a passport to participate in the bookstore’s “Where’s Waldo Cincinnati” contest. Once they have a passport, they can visit businesses throughout the city to find Waldo and be entered to win prizes.

     

    Story times at Blue Manatee are free and open to children of different age ranges. Monthly and special events have varied prices and availability.

     

    To learn more about story times and upcoming events at Blue Manatee Children’s bookstore and decafe, visit www.bluemanateebooks.com for a full calendar. You can also like them on Facebook where they share information as well.

     

    The Carnegie
    Children between the ages of 7 and 12 should check out The Carnegie’s award-winning Scripps Howard Artstop Series. These workshops include arts experiences such as visual arts, music, dance, drama, creative writing and more. Katie Brass, Executive Director at The Carnegie, says the 8-week classes are taught by local etching artist and are held from 4 to 5:30 p.m. in the Eva G. Farris Education Center. If you can’t get in now, then be sure to keep an eye out for the fall schedule Brass says will be posted soon.

     

    Also at The Carnegie each summer is Camp Carnegie. This summer camp includes live performances, hand-on art making, character and costume design, dramatic exercises, writing, brainstorming, team building, problem solving and more fun than you can imagine. Brass says that although the summer camps are full, you can be added to a waiting list in case a spot opens up.

     

    Brass says that thanks to their generous sponsors, costs are kept low for all of The Carnegie’s education programs. “Scripps Howard Artstop classes cost $20 to attend and Camp Carnegie costs $40.”

     

    To learn more about the classes offered by The Carnegie, visit www.thecarnegie.com. You can also read more about upcoming shows and exhibitions on the website as well or check out their Facebook page for frequent updates.

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