FINDING JOY WITH YOUNG CHILDREN AT HOME DURING THE PANDEMIC: AN EXPRESSIVE ARTS APPROACH

Saturday, November 7, 2020

9:00 to 10:30 AM Hawaii Standard Time

Location: Online via Zoom

Cost: $15 per household

Hanahau‘oli School promotes critical and creative thinking, and emphasizes the important role of the arts as an expression of self and culture. Core to the school’s progressive education mission, the arts are valued as powerful tools for engaging children in learning, personal development, and making sense of their changing world. Children are naturally creative and drawn to the arts and art-making in all its forms: visual art, music, creative movement, and dramatic play. In addition to the inherent joy children experience with the arts, creative expression also offers them different ways of communicating their thoughts, feelings and personal experiences to those around them.

In response to the restrictions currently placed on families by the COVID-19 pandemic, parents and caregivers have been called on to provide more in-home activities that engage their child(ren) in active and joyful play. This is no easy task! Now might be the right time for your family to return to the arts and art-making together.

In this public talk, Hanahau‘oli School counselor, John Kim will provide parents and caregivers of young children ages 3-10 with an overview of concepts from child and family-focussed expressive arts therapy. Through lecture, demonstration, and group discussion, participants at this talk will become familiar with the specific power of individual art forms and how this can increase attunement between parents/caregivers and children. Participants will also have the opportunity to experience firsthand brief arts-based processes that can be used as a reference in creating their own conjoint play experiences for their child(ren) and bring more joy into their home environment.