By Taylor J. Hale
Staff Writer

STEVENS POINT – Children across Portage County are exploring their creative side at the Central Wisconsin Children’s Museum (CWCM) Art Incorporated program. The youth art classes, geared for children ages two to six, provide a myriad of original projects for young learners to craft with their parent or guardian.

“The children that participate in our Art Incorporated classes get to do a variety of art projects from making holiday cards to creating marionette puppy puppets,” said Kortney Markowiak, CWCM customer service representative. “They not only create cool projects, but they get to develop social skills such as learning routines, how to listen when a teacher is talking and how to share with others.”

The classes began in April 2017 when CWCM members and visitors began requesting structured art classes to prepare kids for preschool. Museum faculty members were excited about the community’s idea and developed the weekly Art Incorporated program, concentrated on developing young minds through the fine arts.

“Fine arts are important for children because they inspire creativity and self-expression,” Markowiak said. “Fine arts also help children develop important skills such as communication, manners and fine motor skills.”

Markowiak feels that the “Toddler and Me” lessons can also strengthen family connections by providing a space for guardians and children to create together.

“Toddler and Me style classes are important for children and their caretakers because it builds bonds, helps with developing social skills and gives them the opportunity to sit and work together on something while sharing a common goal,” she said.

Art Incorporated helps children build a foundational understanding of the humanities while preparing them for their future academic paths.

Classes are held every Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. and 10:15 a.m. For more information, visit http://www.cwchildrensmuseum.org.

Contact Taylor J. Hale at [email protected] with Portage County news and information.