5 Reasons Your Child Should Take an Online Class
At The Arterie, we’ve taught online classes long before the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated them. We love the flexibility that online learning gives to parents, and the opportunity it gives to kids to socialize and develop artistic skills and appreciation- even if they can’t make it into the studio for one reason or another.
As screen time increasingly becomes a parenting issue, we wanted to say our piece on why online classes might still be a good option for you- and may actually help your child find the distinction between healthy and not-so-healthy uses of their screen time.
Accessibility
In-person classes can be time, location, or cost-prohibitive to some families, and we’re huge on making our classes accessible. Being online has allowed us to offer classes to kids from all over the US. If you’re local to the physical studio, you might be surprised to learn that a lot of our online students have been from the East Coast, and we think it’s awesome when kids get to meet friends from other states and gain new perspectives!
Flexibility
We offer classes at many different time slots, and have a good variety of different subjects. Depending on your child’s interests, they can choose from Mixed Media, Drawing and Sketching, Comics and Manga, or Digital Art. We also offer pre-recorded video lessons for those who can’t make the live class commitment, or want the option to take classes at their own pace.
Structured Screen Time
Guided online classes give your child an opportunity to engage in productive, learning-centric activity rather than endlessly scrolling, or consuming unmoderated content on the internet.
Tech Literacy
The internet does provide a lot of somewhat mindless entertainment, but it’s important to remember that it is also an incredible tool that provides access to knowledge, a nearly infinite visual library, and new artistic mediums. Our digital art class does double duty as both an overview of art fundamentals, as well as an exploration of digital software and tools that cross the threshold between art and tech.
Connecting With Other Creatives
One of the best ways to fuel your child’s creativity is to help facilitate their socialization with peers who share their hobbies and interests. Kids who have “art friends” are more likely to spend time practicing art, and sharing it as a way to connect with others. Art classes are an excellent space for collaborative learning, developing social skills, and helping kids form identity in a judgement-free zone.