Creative Arts for Kids will be a new program commencing at Coffs Harbour Neighbourhood centre in term 4. Coffs Harbour Neighbourhood Centre provides a huge range of resources, programs and support for everyone in our community, but we recognise the particular importance of being able play a role in strengthening foundations of development of children and young people said Di Woods, from Coffs Harbour Neighbourhood Centre.
Creative arts and craft activities help young people to develop key skills such as communication, creativity, connections and ability to focus on tasks. Facilitating these activities at no cost for all families to have the opportunity to participate fosters positive mental health and wellbeing. There are numerous benefits in giving children the freedom, encouragement and support to use creative ways to express themselves. Children can have experiences that are stressful to them and sometimes not want to or be able to express their thoughts or feelings in words. This allows children and youth another skill to do that, now and into the future. Children take in a lot of things going on around them, providing time and space for art and craft, allows children to feel safe and have some control of their environment.
Creativity is a learnt skill, it fosters decision making, problem solving and inspires critical thinking encouraging and developing that in a fun way with others helps to embed these skills.
The program has been specifically designed around developmental stages of children and young people 7-14 years and allows them to explore different aspects of the world around them that they may not always have thought about or experienced. We will focus on aspects of communication but also connection. Through allowing exploration of how we interact with our environment and the diversity of people and relationships within our own lives and
community, we can support children to consider how others may also see of feel. It underpins core aspects of communication as they develop and strengthens empathy and understanding.
Children who join the program will participate each Thursday 3:30-5pm, allowing them to connect and develop friendships. The program is FREE and afternoon tea will be provided. The program will commence October 13 th and run throughout term 4. It is available for 7- 14 year olds. To book your child or young person into the program visit www.chnc.com.au/events/ or contact Coffs Harbour Neighbourhood Centre.
The program has been funded by NSW Government.
