The standard "That's interesting..." reply when your child shows you a drawing is just the beginning of encouraging your artistic offspring.
Atlanta is rich with options for helping your children explore their creative sides, from classes to exhibits to shops.
And they're all the kind of thing you can do to carve out some parent-kid time even with school back in session.
Here are seven artsy opportunities for your little Picasso around Atlanta:
See what Southern crafters can do at Made: Handcrafted Market
11 a.m.-6 p.m. September 10
Free admission
The Hudgens Center for the Arts, 6400 Sugarloaf Pkwy, Building 300, Duluth. 770-623-6002
Help any school age child see how cool handcrafting is and maybe even redefine his idea of what's art. Hosted in conjunction with the Hudgens Center for the Arts' exhibit "Made: Handcrafted in the South," the Indie Craft Experience event features more than 75 craft vendors. Seek out the free craft make-and-takes throughout the day. Set the tone ahead of time by visiting the museum's site to get information about the artisans featured in the exhibit.
Check out the Children's Art Zone at the Hudgens
Admission: adults $5; 62 and over, students and children $3; 2 and under free
Kids who visit the museum can sashay over to the Art Zone for "make and take" art projects. Or consider visiting the outdoor sculpture garden in pleasant weather.
Hit the craft table during Family Fun Days at Chattahoochee Nature Center
General admission $10 adults; $7 seniors (ages 65-plus) and students ages 13-18; $6 children ages 3-12, ages 2 and under free
9135 Willeo Road, Roswell. 770-992-2055 x238
Once a month or so, the Nature Center hosts a family day. The special events are themed and active, but also artistic, always including craft options. Water Day is on Sunday, August 7, for example. It includes both water-themed crafts and a live bubble show with Bo the Bubbleologist that visual artists will surely want to recreate at home.
You may want to consider a family membership, starting at $90, so you can attend all the craft-infused family days and also walk the park with sketchbooks in hand.
Drop your teen at the High Museum's drop-in studio
High Museum of Art, 1280 Peachtree St. NE. 404-733-4400
The gallery opens its studio to high-school-age artists one evening a month, except this August. The teens can find inspiration in the galleries and experiment with materials like charcoal, paint, metal, fabric and duct tape in the High's studio.
Or, as the museum's online description reads: "Meet people. Make art. Chill out."
Each month brings a new project. Teens can bring sewing projects they need help with if they wish. Members from the High's Teen Team are on hand to assist, along with Shannon Mulkey, founder of Atlanta's Indie Craft Experience.
Enroll at Spruill Center for the Arts
Spruill Education Center, 5339 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody. 770-394-3447
Young kids can really benefit from someone who's not a parent occasionally being the one to show them the ins and out of making art. This keeps them from comparing themselves unfavorably to a really talented parent, or from outstripping a parent with extremely limited experience.
The non-profit Spruill, established in 1975, has classes for kids in all age groups: preschool, 5-8, 9-12 and 13-19. An example would be the color class for those ages 5-8 that meets once a week for eight sessions (fee $165). Should you want to learn alongside your kid, the Spruill also offers parent and child painting and ceramics classes.
Go with the Let Your Creativity Flow exhibit at the Children's Museum of Atlanta
Admission for adults and children over age 2: $14.95; free for children 2 and under
275 Centennial Olympic Park Dr. NW, Atlanta. 404-659-5437
The Let Your Creativity Flow exhibit is geared to children ages 6 months to 9 years. It encourages them to discover colors and sound while exploring artists from around the world. The paint wall and sand tables are most appealing. For the performance artist, the exhibit also includes costumes to try out on the CMA stage.
Take a quickie class at Michael's
Not all art influences have to be museum quality. Michael's, which has numerous locations in metro Atlanta, is a great source of introductory art and craft projects. They hold some of these sessions at convenient times on weekday evenings and weekends. Most projects, like making a bookmark, cost just a few bucks, which is cool if you're not sure your kid is going to like this art thing.
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