Spring break will be here before you know it, which means your kiddos will be out of school for a week. Need some ideas on keeping them busy? How about encouraging them to be crafty? No matter what age, we’ve got some crafty ideas that will keep their creative wheels turning and produce pieces of art that could be eligible for our pre-Fair Arts & Crafts contests. A crafty spring break could turn your kiddos into State Fair of Texas ribbon winners!
Fine Art – Watercolor, ink, pencil, and more; the Fine Art department has categories for all types of art utensils. Put your kid’s drawing skills to the test! From Big Tex to your family pet, and landscape designs to self-portrait, this contest has divisions for artists ranging from 17 years old all the way down to six and younger.
Designer Craftsman – Paper crafts, recycled items, painted rocks and birdhouses – these are just a few of the simple yet fun child’s divisions in the designer craftsman category. Teaching your kids to recycle? Have your youngsters grab some items from the bin and let their imagination run wild! Grab some different colored paper and/or old magazines and let them cut and paste to make a pretty picture! With so many different options, your child can express themselves in whatever way they’d like!
Scale Models – The scale model category offers so many different ways for creativity to shine! The junior and child divisions both have quite a few fun categories, such as shoe-box parade floats! That’s right, we said shoe-box. Grab some art supplies and a shoe-box to see what your kids can come up with! In addition, this contest has a Lego category, something kids play with all the time! Let their imagination soar and save it for this contest!
Photography – While the goal is to get your child brainstorming and creating artwork without being glued to a digital device, photography is becoming more and more popular with the younger generation. Take a walk and see what all your child notices through their lens. You just might be very surprised at the moment your youngin’ captures.
Be on the Look Out for the Handbook!
Once the Creative Arts Handbook is released in March, you’ll have access to the complete list of rules and regulations for the contests, but here are a few things to keep in mind until then:
- You can register online or mail in your entry form and fee. Registration will open in April.
- Items must be mailed in before the end of summer (stay tuned for exact dates).
- OR entries can be dropped off at the Creative Arts Building in Fair Park on August 7, 8, or 9.
- Pre-Fair Arts & Crafts winner will be on display for all fairgoers to see throughout the 24-day run of the Fair (September 25 through October 18).
For the kiddos who’d rather cook up their creativity, Saturday, October 17 is dedicated to cooking contests for young aspiring chefs. From a dessert “Youth Cooking” contest to a savory “Dinner’s on Me” contest, it is a day packed full of young talent! You can find information on the Youth Cooking Contest, along with information on all the other Arts & Crafts contests, in the Creative Arts Handbook.
This blog was featured in our February 2020 Creative Arts newsletter. For more information on Creative Arts Contests or blogs on how to enter, visit our Creative Arts 101 page or sign-up for our Creative Texans Newsletter.
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