Have any of you art teachers/bloggers ever tried running your own arts/crafts summer camp from your house? Was it a success? A disaster? Do you have any tips? Any "need-to-know's"?
I am considering running a summer camp this summer, and need to decide pretty quickly if I'm going to bite the bullet and go through with it. I'd love some advice!
I've run some minicamps at Hobby Lobby before. They allowed me to use their craft room for free as long as I used products from their store. I did 3 hr camps themed on different things. I'd have a variety of project within those three hours. I also kept the age ranges tight..so I wasn't dealing with 13 yr olds and 5 yr olds trying to do the same thing. It worked out well.
ReplyDeleteVery good advice about the ages! I am considering doing a whole day camp just because I feel like that's more convenient for parents, but it seems like a looong time to occupy kids! I wish we had something like the hobby lobby here - sounds like such an awesome deal you had going on!
DeleteI've run them out of my house and it was a LOT of work. I only had 6-8 kids at a time for 2-3 hours. They brought their own snacks. I asked each parent to sign a contract saying their kids were responsible for not breaking my house or hurting anyone else and that I was not liable for any injuries. It gets tricky in your own home finding space for everyone to SAFELY make a mess. I did do it for one summer and haven't done it again since! Having a second adult as an extra pair of hands/eyes helps -- I hired my neighbor's high school senior daughter as my assistant.
ReplyDeleteThat's all really good to know, thanks for sharing! I would have a maximum of six at a time, which seems manageable, but I was planning on doing it for the whole day! eek..
DeleteI'm in the process of trying to put together an after-school arts program and probably a summer program too. I don't have room in my own house though and don't have stores like Hobby Lobby around here, but my local Jewish Temple, where I am a member, volunteered to let me use space that is not currently used for anything. I know you are in Canada, so things might be different, but to protect myself I have registered as a business, and will have any parents signing a liability waiver. My plan is for students in grades 3 -5, though I may have to rethink that because I have some interested 7th graders too.
ReplyDeleteGood luck!
That's really neat you can do it at the Temple! Like you mentioned, I'm in Canada, and here, nothing ever seems to be as easy as it is in the States. I wouldn't know where to start looking for camp locations! Luckily our new house has a huge yard with backdoor entrance to the basement so I could do the whole camp outside and in our finished basement. Should hopefully work! Let me know if you get something running for the summer. I haven't registered as a business but I'll be getting a rider statement on my house insurance that covers me for home daycare operations for up to six kids, which I guess is the max I can have!
DeleteA friend of mine is very successful with hers. Check out:http://evansarthouse.com/
ReplyDeleteBeth
Thanks - I'll check her site out!
DeleteI'm not sure on all the legal/liability stuff since you're doing it from home, but last summer I ran an arts camp program through community rec. I taught 2 groups: ages 6-8 and 9-12, with a max of 10 kids per group. I had the kids around two long folding tables placed back to back, which was just enough work space for all of them. I would say that having an extra set of hands for the younger kids is very helpful! Also, depending on what art you do, have space for things to dry is key. My art camps were all day 9-4, so we did a lot of outdoor art activities too. It was a lot of work but also a lot of fun and I plan on doing it again this year.
ReplyDeleteI did art camps at home for two years, and I've now opened my own studio and I've offered them in my studio for two years. I guess I can offer some advice. You have mentioned doing all day camps, and I think that is a lot to bite off. If you do this I would recommend adding in quite a few activities which involve getting the kids outside, giving them a chance to get their wiggles out, and I would have them make crafts that they can then PLAY with, like Sculpey animals that they can play with in the grass. Another example, one year we made kites and then took them out to a vacant lot where they could fly them.
ReplyDeleteFor your own safety as well as theirs, definitely have a second adult with you at all times. If not for safety, then at least as a witness. I know this sounds crass, but you do not want anyone to accuse you of anything, and an additional adult will eliminate any questions.
You should also have back up plans if you need to hold classes inside due to inclement weather. Kids will get bored with different projects and you can't make everyone happy all the time. If you have a second adult you can have alternate projects from which to choose.
Be very creative with your themes. Choose a vague topic, like The Nifty 60s, then you will have a whole slew of projects to offer.
Good luck. It has always been so rewarding for me, but a ton of work. Feel free to check out my website myartzdesirestudio.com. Let me know if i can be of assistance.
Great advice! Thanks so much for responding. Love the idea of a theme.
DeleteHi Aly
ReplyDeleteI ran my own art camp out of my home for 3 summers. I agree with MaryLea - It was fun but a lot of work. I had up to 8 kids. Camp was 3 hours/day for 5 days. Some weeks I had AM and PM sessions. I covered my bases - I got an umbrella policy for the house and camp insurance. I also had a teenage helper some weeks (that was great!). I offered snack. After shopping, prep, camp and clean up I was exhausted.
Pros: so much fun to teach small group, and for long stretches. Fun to try new projects and to do outdoor projects.
Cons: exhaustion, anxiety that someone was going to get hurt, earned less $$ than I thought (BECAUSE I DECLARED ALL THE INCOME ON MY TAXES).
I wrote all this up on my blog( k6art.com )and included links to enrollment forms, waivers and insurance if anyone in interested.
Awesome advice - thanks for letting me know! I checked out your blog and found your series on camp stuff, I've decided I'm going to take this on! Next step - getting REGISTRANTS!
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