ART & STEM CLASSES

Our Y provides opportunities for children to learn and explore. In our preschool arts and enrichment classes, kids learn, play and grow with other children under the careful guidance of specially trained staff.

Classes are offered every session, with rotating topics and curricula for toddlers, preschoolers and school-age children in the following areas. Please see the registration schedule for current class listings.

Preschool Art

We offer Art-Book-Cook class for ages 3-5, in which a new story comes to life each week. Kids enjoy story time, followed by working together to make a snack and a craft–each tied in to the theme. We focus on early literacy skills and the joy of learning.

Youth Art

For children ages 6-10, we offer experimental mixed media art programs allowing freedom of expression through a variety of mediums including paper mache’, acrylics, watercolors, and charcoals.

Preschool Music

Introduce your child to music and join him or her in the Me, Mommy & Music class for ages 1-3. This is a class filled with songs and creative movement.

Toddler Movement

The Y is the starting point for many youth to learn about becoming and staying active and developing healthy habits–don’t miss our Toddler One, Toddler Two, So Big, and Even Bigger classes for ages 1-3. Not only are they fun, but kids grow cognitively and physically while learning to be a friend and take time out to listen to instruction.

Kindergarten Prep

Children are given the opportunity to learn through exploration in a variety of activities like art, games, and princess stories and crafts. Focus is on educational enrichment such as shapes, sounds, letters, numbers, fine and large motor skills, as well as social skills. Our Preschool Medley gives kids a chance to try different enrichment activities weekly, like cooking, art and music.

• AGES 1-2 with parent/guardian » Sprouts
  Develop color recognition, gross motor skills, and more through varied activities including animals and their environments, sensory play, sports themes, cooking and STEM activities.
• AGES 2–3 » Caterpillars
  From color-sorting and creating sensory crafts, to dancing in time with music and cooking prep, boys and girls will dive deeper into our STEM programming and have fun exploring the diverse animal kingdom.
• AGES 3-4 » Cocoons
  Grow toward independence. This class includes mixing primary colors to create secondary colors, art projects, team play, cooking and learning about weather using hands-on STEM based projects. Also includes focus on numbers and letters.
• AGES 4-5 » Butterflies
  Time to spread your wings and fly toward school? Our Butterflies are ready to write letters and do basic math activities. Class also includes: field trip, rhythmic patterns and music lesson, baking, STEM and exploration of engineering concepts.

Pottery

Create pottery masterpieces as you learn techniques in hand building, pinch, coil, and slab techniques. Your product will be transformed as it fires and glazes in the kiln.

Youth Theatre

The Y makes sure that every child has an opportunity to envision and pursue a positive future and our popular drama program–run at the Mansfield Arts & Education Center–allows kids’ lights to shine. In our Broad-Y Academy, for ages 7-14, and our Theatre Institute, for high school students, kids become part of a cast, hone acting, singing, and stage production skills, and grow as artists. Auditions take place in January or February for our April show; in March for our June show; in September for our November show; and in November for our February show.

Youth Cooking

We offer cooking classes for ages 6-12, focusing on kitchen safety and how to make healthy, delicious snacks and meals your family. For younger children not yet in school, we also teach Jr. Chef class to grow confidence in the kitchen and foster good eating habits.

Youth STEM Club

Each week we will explore a different element of science including volcanoes, building bridges, electronics, robotics, cooking, and rocketry. If your child is unsure about what they love about science but wants to explore, this class is a perfect fit.

Fairy Tales Series (STEM)

This 7-week course brings the fairy tails of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, The Three Billy Goats Gruff, and The Three Little Pigs to life! Participants will spend two weeks on each story. Participants will create and build in order to problem solve ways for characters to find their happy ending.

Robo Challenge Series (STEM)

Have you ever wanted to make your own robot? For seven weeks, we will create and experiment with BristleBots! First we will create and assemble a micro robot. Then, over the following classes, we will create and experiment with the BristleBots; a new challenge each week. At the end of the course, participants will get to bring their BristleBot home!