PARK SLOPE — School's out, and reading, writing and math are history. Let your kids (and babies and toddlers) explore their creative sides at these neighborhood classes, both this summer and all year round.
Here's a look at some recently opened spots for art classes and tried-and-true local favorites. Did we miss one your kids like? Let us know.
► 9th and Art
Location: 219 Ninth St. (between Third and Fourth avenues), Gowanus
Ages: 7 and up
Price: $25 per one-hour class
This tiny studio hosts cozy workshops on painting, collage, sculpture and more, including a class that guides students in creating a portfolio of art based on Brooklyn landmarks.
► Art to Heart Family Art Class
Location: 168 Seventh St. (between Second and Third avenues), Gowanus
Ages: 4 and up (and one parent must attend the class)
Price: $25 and up, depending on how many children from each family, for a 1.5-hour class
Artist and dad Miguel Ayuso leads these Saturday morning art-making sessions at the nonprofit Trestle Gallery & Brooklyn Art Space. They’re designed for parents to participate alongside their child. Activities include drawing, toy-making, puppet-making and storytelling.
► Barking Cat Studio
Location: 219 Greenwood Ave. (between East Second and East Third streets), Windsor Terrace
Ages: 12 months to 12 years
Price: $22 to $47 per class, depending on age group. Classes are 45 to 90 minutes.
Toddlers can learn mosaics, batik and printmaking and older kids can take an after-school arts immersion program at this studio run by designer Karen Merbaum. Barking Cat also hosts art parties at its studio, at your house, and even inside Prospect Park, where party guests can create pinwheels or wind chimes.
► Brooklyn Design Lab
Location: 413A Seventh Ave. (between 13th and 14th streets), Park Slpe
Ages: 18 months through sixth graders
Price: Ranges from $25 for a 45-minute toddler class to $55 per three-hour class for older kids
Toddlers can learn to paint with bubble wrap and make hanging sculptures while fifth graders tackle drawing characters such as monsters, heroes and "everyday people," at Brooklyn Design Lab. Instruction has a design focus and kids learn topics such as Lego architecture.
► Cow Bell Kids Workshop
Location: 489 Third Ave. (between 10th and 11th streets), Gowanus
Ages: 8 to 12
Price: $30 per 1.5-hour class, plus $20 materials fee
Artist and designer Neil Powell runs his own art studio and gallery space and also teaches workshops for small groups of kids. The program includes papier-mache sculpture, book making, found object sculpture and mixed media collage.
► Giocare Play Spot Drop In Art
Location: 655 Sixth Ave. (between Prospect Avenue and 18th Street) South Slope
Ages: 18 months - 4
Price: $10 per 90-minute class; parents attend
Giocare, Italian for "play," lets toddlers get messy with paint and glue at 90-minute drop-in art sessions twice a week. The sessions are at Giocare's newer "Play Spot" location across the street from Slope Playground, where you can go for some outdoor time afterward.
► Pinot's Palette
Location: 382 Fifth Ave. (between Fifth and Sixth streets), Park Slope
Ages: 5 and up
Price: $25 per two-hour session
Better known as a "paint and sip" venue where adults can enjoy a glass of beer or wine while an artist guides them through painting a picture, Pinot's Palette also has alcohol-free painting classes for kids (and of course birthday parties). Times vary, check the store's calendar for sessions. The ones labeled "Little Brushes" are for kids.
► Private Picassos
Location: 237 Fifth Ave. (between Carroll and President streets), Park Slope
Ages: 18 months and up
Price: $25 per 45-minute class if you sign up for the whole semester, or $28 for drop-in classes
Private Picassos offers a range of weekly classes for babies and up, as well as a full-day (9 a.m to 3 p.m.) summer camp. Kids can also do drop-in art projects such as wire sculptures and faux stained glass. Private Picassos will also come to your home and give private, individual lessons for a single child ($95/hour) or for small groups.
► Taro’s Origami
Location: 95 Seventh Ave. (between Union and President streets), Park Slope
Ages: 3 and up for drop-in classes, 5 and up for regularly scheduled classes
Price: $25 per 45-minute class or as low as $17.50 per class if bought as a group
Learn the Japanese art of intricate paper folding at this neighborhood institution, which holds regular classes and hosts birthday parties. There's also a drop-in corner where kids 3 and up can test drive origami any time they want using books or tablet software to guide them.
► Textile Arts Center
Location: 505 Carroll St. (between Third and Fourth avenues), Gowanus
Ages: 5 - 15
Price: Summer camp ranges from $425 - $500 per week; after-school program for 11-14-year-olds is $450 for eight weeks. Scholarships are available.
Learn weaving, sewing and other cloth-based art forms at the Textile Arts Center. There are summer camps, mini camps, after-school programs for teens, and one-time parent-child workshops where you and your little one can learn skills such as how to make a denim rag rug.
► Third Avenue Clay
Location: 418 Third Ave. (between Sixth and Seventh streets), Gowanus
Ages: 6 and up
Price: $30 per two-hour class (sold as a 15-class package)
This clay studio, founded in 1974, offers ceramics instruction for kids 6 and up by artist Adrienne Yurick. There aren't classes this summer, but Yurick will be teaching in the fall.
► Ume Ume Music & Arts
Location: 319 Fourth Ave. (between Second and Third street), Park Slope/Gowanus
Ages: 18 months to 4 years
Price: $20 per family for a 35-minute class
Ume Ume offers multi-week enrichment classes for babies and toddlers, as well as one-time drop-in classes a few times a week. In the "It's Art Time" class, future Rembrandts "study the works of well-known artists to encourage the exploration of materials, techniques, and styles."
► Zipi’s Art Studio for Kids
Location: 255 18th St. (between Fifth and Sixth avenues) South Slope
Ages: 4 to 8
Price: $25 per one-hour class if bought as a set of 10
Brooklyn artist Zipi Green starts her classes with a story about a specific artist and their methods as a jumping off point for students’ explorations in painting, sculpture and other mediums. Some classes are taught in Green's native Hebrew and each semester ends with an exhibit. There are no classes over the summer, but Green teaches in the fall, winter and spring.
For suggestions on drop-in art classes for toddlers, check this Mommy Poppins round-up. The websites SkipKid and Little Little list drop-in classes for kids by neighborhood.