Smarty Arty – Monthly Art Delivery

I am always on the lookout for new activities to do with the boys.

I like doing craft activities with them but I hate trying to think of what to do and getting all the materials, I always end up with more than I need and the activities are never as good as I think they are going to be… and if an activity has an educational component then that makes it even better. Enter Smarty Arty.

Smarty Arty is an Australian business that was started by Bec who has a background in childcare and is a mother to 3 boys. She now leads a team of 4 Mums who together design and create an extensive range of interesting and educational art activities for young children. Their Monthly Art Delivery (M.A.D) offers 4 different activities delivered monthly including all the items you need for each activity as well as documentation sheets showing what learning your child is exposed to while undertaking the activities.

We received our Smarty Arty pack just before the school holidays so I decided to hold onto it until the school holidays commenced. Our pack contained activities based around the theme of ‘Tribes’ and contained 4 different activities suitable for children at a variety of ages and stages. The activities were all relevant to the theme and different enough to not feel repetitive. I liked that each activity wasn’t just drawing or colouring in and that each activity would produce something that we could then use to immerse ourselves into tribal play. (I’m a big believer in play based learning)

Before we started any of the activities we had a discussion about tribes and what being a member of a tribe might mean. We also talked about the different ‘tribes’ that we all belong to. Once we established what tribes we are in – family, school, and sport teams – we talked a little more about what tribes mean in other countries and in different times.

I actually found it really interesting and I know that Master M was fascinated with finding out about as many different types of tribes as he possibly could.

After talking about tribes and how each tribe used to identify themselves we set about doing some of the activities. That’s when we found the hardest part about doing the Smarty Arty activities. Figuring out which activity to do first!

Each activity was individually packaged so the resources for each activity are easy to identify. The instructions included are easy to read and really easy to follow. Which as I am a little ‘craft challenged’ (there have been a lot of Pintrest fails in this house) is fantastic. The activities themselves are also well thought out, relevant and consist of quality craft materials. My kids being 5 and 7 were able to complete all of the tasks with guidance. I can see that each of the activities are suitable for different levels which means generally children will have some activities that challenge them and others that they can complete with limited assistance.

The accompanying documentation is fantastic. It contains extension ideas, links to the EYLF, Observation Sheets, and an overall summary of the activities in the pack.

These are primarily for early childhood educators and fulfil the requirements they have for observation and assessment of children in their care. I liked this as it really helps to show how the activities relate to learning.

Most importantly my boys enjoyed doing each activity. They really got involved in the craft and loved learning about tribes and how tribes relate even in their lives now. The Indian Headdresses, Tribal Shields and Tribal Necklaces we made have been used almost daily for their play activities since we made them. So much so I wasn’t even allowed to photograph them as it would mean taking them off or not being a warrior for more than 2 seconds.

Smarty Arty packs are a fantastic way to add some art and creation at home. They are great for Mums looking for a perfect way to entertain and build your child’s skills and learning in a fun way before they hit school. With my boys already in school, not only that they have been a fantastic holiday activity for us, I would love to get a pack of Smarty Arty activities at the beginning of each school holiday so that we can explore different things and continue to extend ourselves during the school holidays. Learning doesn’t stop just because they aren’t in the classroom.

If you have the time I recommend that you drop by Bec’s blog on the website, she has a lot of the same views on early childhood education that I have.

Smarty Arty’s Monthly Art Delivery is a subscription service which sends 4 different art packs to your home each month and starts at only $15 a month for a single child. Larger packs are available to suit any size family, playgroup or childcare. As well as the Monthly Art Delivery Smarty Arty has a range of over 100 different art packs that start from only $3 for a 2 pack.

If you would like to sign up for their Monthly Art Delivery you can do it here. http://shop.smartyarty.com.au/shop/monthly-art-pack-delivery-879

 

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