RiverArts KidSPOT is organized around the belief that children learn best by playing, creating, and exploring. In addition to providing activities in its classroom, KidSPOT On The Move sends this joy to the community.
Every Saturday morning, 9am-noon, KidSPOT welcomes children, ages 2-12, together with an accompanying adult to drop in for free at its classroom and stay as long as they like. Children may choose to be led in a project by the KidSPOT Coordinator or volunteer or go to areas with different creative materials that appeal to them
In 2023 KidSPOT Saturdays remained busy and energized with some 50 attendees stopping in each week. Children and adults were encouraged to create together resulting in the adults enjoying the process as much as the kids. KidSPOT strives to promote the joys and connections that develop when families create together.
This past summer KidSPOT offered “Art Adventures”, which included separate weekly programs for ages 4-6, 7-12, and 10-13. A range of media was taught including all types of painting, print-making and working in clay. In 2024 the program will be more robust by getting licensed to provide whole day camps. Registration will hopefully open sometime around March 1.
Through KidSPOT On The Move, RiverArts partners with other community organizations and events to meet families where they gather. It has the reputation of being the “people who bring the art”. This past year KidSPOT participated in such events as The Chestertown Tea Party Festival, Rock Hall Fall Fest and the Chestertown Earth Day.
Wherever possible KidSPOT On The Move provides activities that tie in with the themes of specific events. At Chestertown’s Legacy Day kids learned about the exuberant work of African American painter, Alma Thomas. Then children created colorful abstract paintings inspired by her. In collaboration with the Kent Cultural Alliance’s Celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month KidSPOT assisted musician, painter, and ceramic artist, Fredy Granillo, as he taught children and families to paint Talavera designs on cardboard tiles.
Over the past years the KidSPOT team collaborated with the Garnet Elementary School Judy Center to provide creative activities for all Pre-K and Kindergarten students. The Judy Center is dedicated to improving the quality of life for Maryland families by ensuring that children are ready for kindergarten as part of a coordinated effort among parents, providers, teachers, school districts, local and state governments, non-profits and other community partners.
This year the KidSPOT team will again meet with each pre-K and Kindergarten class at Garnet Elementary School as well as host a monthly play group for children ages 1-4 who will eventually attend Garnet. In February KidSPOT will be on the move to the new Judy Center at Rock Hall Elementary School to share some creative art experiences at their first evening playgroup.
The KidSPOT classroom is located at 315 High Street, in the breezeway. To get a real feel for what happens at KidSPOT and to see just how welcoming it is go to www.facebook.com/kidspotcenter/. If you would like to be part of the fun as a volunteer, contact Anne Highfield, Coordinator, at [email protected]. If you’d like to support this community resource with a donation, go to www.chestertownriverarts.com.
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