Junior Art Club led by Mandy Espinosa. 25/26 July 10am 9-12 years

Ο Ελληνικός Πολυχώρος, the new centre for community in Downtown Athens is pleased to be opening on the weekend of 25/26 July with our Junior Art Club special free event for children aged between 9 and 12 years old. Led by Mandy, a highly experienced children's creative play coordinator with experience bringing art projects to children all around the world.

As it's our opening weekend we are running the Junior Art Club for free and even including a drink, because art can be thirsty work!

The theme will be the seaside and your young artists will make a diorama of a ship sailing on the blue sea under a bright yellow sun. All materials are included.

You are welcome to leave your kids with us if they are comfortable with that but we do ask that you be on time to drop off and collect them please!

Creating art is vital for a child's development because it serves as a powerful catalyst for cognitive, physical, emotional and social growth. When children paint, draw, or mold materials, they are not just having fun; they are actively building critical brain pathways and lifelong capabilities.

Boosts critical thinking: Deciding what to paint or how to build a sculpture trains children to observe details and make analytical decisions.

Builds foundational mathematic concepts: Working with diverse shapes, counting items, understanding symmetry, and measuring sizes naturally reinforces early maths skills.

Strengthens memory and focus: Visual planning requires a child to hold a mental picture in their head and execute a sequence of steps to fulfill their ideas.

Refines fine motor skills: Gripping paintbrushes, coloring with crayons, and squeezing glue bottles build vital hand and wrist muscle strength.

Provides a nonverbal communication outlet: Toddlers and younger children who lack the vocabulary to articulate big feelings can safely channel anxiety, anger, or joy through colors and textures.

Fosters self-esteem: Completing a project gives children a powerful sense of pride, which translates into the confidence to take on new life challenges.

Encourages teamwork: Participating in shared group projects teaches children how to share supplies, compromise, and negotiate roles.

Deepens empathy: According to neurologists, frequent art creation strengthens the brain's default mode network, which enhances introspective thinking and a child's capacity to understand others.

Broadens cultural awareness: Exploring diverse artistic traditions and styles teaches young minds to appreciate beauty, history, and human differences globally.

Junior Art Club is hosted in English and Greek, all children are welcome. Remember, words are only a part of communicating so we are open to everyone!

Please let us be aware of any allergies that your child has, we can not guarantee that the workshop is an allergen-free space. If your child requires any special attention we would kindly ask a parent or guardian to stay with them.

Bringing your kids to Junior Art Club at Ο Ελληνικός Πολυχώρος can only be a good thing! We will give them something to drink and you can take a break, have a coffee or explore Psirri for an hour. Your children will be in excellent hands!