The Afternoon Arts Adventure program at the Oakville Academy for the Arts will take children ages 3* - 6 through a magical introduction to the Arts.  Young learners will have the option of joining a single Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday session or a combination of two or more classes.  This unique and specialized program will provide opportunities for young artists to work and experiment with abundant graphic arts media with a practicing visual artist, explore ballet and jazz dance fundamentals with a professional Academy Dance Instructor during a daily 30 minute class, enjoy a healthy snack, make music with our OAA Primary Music Specialist and have free playtime in our well equipped studio Preschool classroom. 

Afternoon Arts Adventure students arrive for program at 12:30 and are dismissed in the front foyer at 3:30 p.m.

Participants for this program must be 3 years of age or older by the end of June 2010 and be fully toilet-trained.  We are unable to make exceptions to this policy.

Visual Arts Component: A Core Studio Approach

During the school year, children will use the visual arts to explore ideas of interest and meaning for them.  Philosophically, the Afternoon Arts Adventure Program views art as an important language to be utilized as a vehicle for expressing feelings, ideas and emerging beliefs about the world we live in.  On a daily basis, the Preschool studio classroom will be arranged with core fine art areas through which the children will move - exploring the art media available at each station.  The core areas offered daily will be: painting, collage, drawing and sculpture.  From week to week, the art materials offered within the core areas will change.  Fore example:  The initial week's art may be tempera paint, construction paper and matte board bases, artist quality pencil crayons and potter's clay.  The following week, the core areas may include: water colour paint, fabric, scissors and glue, chalk pastels and plasticene.  Throughout all exploration, fundamental elements of colour and design will be reinforced in developmentally appropriate and captivating ways - using both familiar art materials and artist-quality materials.  As in any high-quality studio experience for young children, this program will be strongly process-based as opposed to a take-home craft approach.  Students will be encouraged to select a station that holds appeal for them and will move to a new station when they have fully explored what that particular station has to offer.  Students may not necessarily work at each station each day, particularly if they are deeply engrossed in the art media at one core area.  Children will be encouraged to gain mastery through the repetition and use of consistent media like paint, paper, mark-making implements, dough and clay over time - it is through this approach that young artists begin to build upon former skills and become deeply competent and creative!

Dance Component

Within the context of each daily session, participants will take part in a 30 minute dance class.  Each session will blend primary ballet fundamentals with age-appropriate up-tempo jazz elements.  Both dance genres will emphasize expressiveness, simple floor routines, body sense as well as rhythm and co-ordination.

Music Component

During each session, students will have the opportunity to take part in a lively music class facilitated by the Academy's Primary Music Specialist.  During these 30 minute sessions, children will explore rhythm instruments, sing in accompaniment to one of our many pianos, develop auditory discrimination skills, experience a variety of musical genres, learn new songs and move their bodies in thrilling and creative ways!

End of the Year Tea Party Recital

At the conclusion of the year, in June, the Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday Afternoon Arts Adventure classes will host a combined Tea Party Recital for family and friends in our primary on-site dance studio.  At this time, we will celebrate the culmination of much hard work and exploration by sharing a charming dance presentation, vocal performance and visual arts display.  This event offers our students the perfect opportunity to showcase their mastered skills while providing family members the opportunity to take many photographs and to celebrate the determination and efforts of our special artists!