Creativity at the Imagination Station

Vista Voyagers love getting creative, in fact we have a few Michelangelos among us! The Playful Critter Voyagers, ages 5 – 8, enjoyed quality family time together as they sculpted their favorite animal or painted a new toy. Tiny fingers carefully rolled multiple balls to create the head and body of a fluffy dog, while others squinted in concentration as they painted the engines of a rocket ship. The teenagers crafted plaques which enabled their own personalities to shine through. Some students transformed the sticky clay into name plates while others utilized tactile stencils to paint complex patterns or engrave an owl so detailed you could practically hear him calling “hoo hoo”! 

Expanded Core Curriculum skills Developed:

Imagination Station photo
  1. Recreation and leisure skills: Often art taught in schools is not accessible to our students as the focus is on paintings or minuscule details which are impossible to see. This day the activities centered on what the fingers could manipulate, feeling the groves and bumps of the clay, with vision utilized as a secondary source of feedback.  
  2. Career education exposure: Students were taught by a veteran art instructor who has a visual impairment. Meeting adults with visual impairments in the workforce is vital to normalizing their understanding of career options and opportunities as the majority of adults they meet do not have a disability. A special thank you to Angel for leading our students in the event! 
  3. Self-determination development: Voyagers were given guided design instructions which enabled the students to choose their own expression of art. Structured opportunities for choice without the pressure of time or peers is a very important piece of childhood development. 
  4. Social interactions: A student is often the only child in their school with a visual impairment, this can generate feelings of isolation and being ostracized. Gatherings with other children who share the same disability and relatable experiences eases loneliness and provides an outlet for social frustrations.  
  5. Compensatory skills: Fine motor skills were fostered in this Voyager activity. Clay being a very solid yet mold-able substance required finger strength to separate, detailed manipulation to form, and attentive care with fine tipped paint brushes to color.