Do you remember the joy of drawing or painting as a child at school? Sadly, the importance of art is often not sufficiently understood in educational settings and creative endeavours are marginalised in favour of more academic subjects. Engaging in artistic pursuits is, however, a critical activity for children’s holistic development. Art enhances cognitive skills by fostering creativity, problem-solving, and critical thinking. It supports social-emotional growth and advances fine motor skill development and hand-eye coordination.
For several years, the Children’s Art Walk has sought to encourage and support the creativity of hundreds of children across our valley, from Bereaville to Greyton, manifesting in the annual exhibition held during the Greyton Art Walk weekend in November. But did you know that this is not just a one-off event, but a year-long programme of activity, facilitated by volunteers?
A theme is selected to inspire children’s imagination. Teachers and volunteers from schools and after-school programmes are invited to participate in a series of workshops to introduce them to new skills and media and motivate work with their learners. They are also enriched with on-site support and donations of materials, sourced by project leader, Ruth Versfeld.
This year’s programme was expanded to offer three workshops, designed to contribute to teachers’ continuing professional development by bolstering their artistic confidence and knowledge. Led by local artists, Dina and Isabella Kuijers, different ways of approaching the 2025 theme of “Things with Wings” were explored, from pencil drawing to use of pastels and inks. LR Schmidt Primary School in Genadendal provided a welcoming space for the workshops.
