Children are putting paintbrush to palette this summer at the Akron Art Museum's Colorful Creations, a do-it-yourself art project for kindergartners through sixth-graders. The twice-daily classes start in the museum's upstairs gallery, where little ones follow a half-hour guided tour of the institution's summer exhibition In a Romantic Mood. The show features 60 works by late 19th- and early 20th-century American impressionists, including Childe Hassam, Mary Cassatt, and Thomas Wilmer Dewing.
For the next half hour, the kids re-create their own versions of the works they've seen, using watercolors, oils, pastels, tissue paper, and stained glass. "The [kids] look at the paintings, play imaginary games, walk through luscious landscapes, then come downstairs and do a project," says Sabine Kretzschmar, the museum's associate educator. "It gives them a chance to capture their own impressions of the exhibit with various media." Colorful Creations takes place at 9:30 and 11 a.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, through August 22, at the Akron Art Museum (70 East Market Street in Akron). The program is free, but registration is required. Call 330-376-9186 for more information. -- Cris Glaser
Planet Patrol
Gawking at Uranus and more.
SUN 7/6
If your curious kids want to know why the sky is blue or what it's like to live on Mars, they'll find the answers at Exploring Our Solar System and Beyond, part of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park's Junior Rangers series. Park Ranger Paul Motts helps 7- to 12-year-olds discover their place in the universe and gain a new perspective on the solar system. "We get a feel for how other planets are similar or different than earth," he says. The event features planet-spotting through a telescope, as well as planetary crafts. It takes place 8 to 10 p.m. Sunday at Cuyahoga Valley National Park (3675 Oak Hill Road in Peninsula). Admission is $4 and $5; to register, call 800-642-3297. -- Diane Sofranec
