6 Engaging Classes for Kids and Teens Interested in Design
Soccer practice, dance team, and music lessons―there's a wealth of activities to peak your child's interest and keep them entertained. However, when it comes to subjects like interior design or architecture, it's often harder find after-school programs or courses that cater to a young audience. You're in luck though.
As we've been spending an immeasurable amount of time at home due to the pandemic, many organizations and universities have moved to offer online classes focused on architecture, textile design, and art, making it more accessible for kids and young adults around the country to hone their creative skills.
Here, we explore six kid-approved classes and programs perfect for the emerging talent of the design community.
Renaissance Kids at Andrews University
Each summer, Andrews University invites young minds to discover the world of architecture through a hands-on activities that all kids to build their own structures and learn design techniques. While in previous years the university offered classes on campus, the institution moved to a digital subscription in 2020 which allowed young aspiring architects from around the country to meet each other and participate in challenges in design, drawing, & building. Course instructors even encourage parents and older siblings to get involved and help younger children build the model home of their dreams.
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The Art Studio NY
With a wide range of in-person, digital, and after school classes, you’re bound to find the perfect class for the budding Picasso in your life at ArtStudio NY. Small, intimate classes with professional New York City artists give young kids and teens the opportunity to experiment with mixed-medias and different subject matters from landscapes to cartoons and comics. ArtStudio NY even offers flexible, online “Pay What You Wish” workshops which allows you to customized your experience at an affordable price.
New York School of Interior Design’s Summer Pre-College
The New York School of Interior Design offers high school students (rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors) the chance to work with professional designers through their Summer Pre-College program. From understanding a floor plan to virtual visits to showrooms and design shops, students get to discover the ins and outs of interior design and use that knowledge to design a small apartment or hospitality space at the end of the term. The NYSID also offers a scholarship for the Pre-College program which asks interested students to create a the room of the dreams using their preferred medium with an accompanying one-page essay explaining the room design.
DesignX
For those living in the Silicon Valley area, DesignX hosts a number of after-school, high school and summer programs covering an array of topics within the design industry like architectural design and toy design. The textile design program examines how fabrics are created within the industry by teaching students the origins of different textiles and their motifs. DesignX has also recently expanded their curriculum to offer online courses and designs kits available for young designer-makers around the country to enjoy.
SCAD Rising Star
Known for its renowned undergraduate and graduate interior programs, the Savannah College of Art and Design brings its expertise to rising high school seniors with a challenging five-week program called, “SCAD Rising Star.” The summer intensive is aimed to prepare the young creatives to enter into the design industry through accelerated courses on the history and principles of the craft. Plus, students are invited to weekly events where they can learn from and network with artists and alumni within the industry.
StrongMind's Interior Design Elective
Digital learning solutions company, StrongMind strives to support students and teachers by offering engaging courses on unique topics such as interior design and modern art history. Presented as an elective course for high students, students explore the principles of design and modern developments affecting the industry such as accessible design and green design in the first semester. The emerging designers then move onto learning about the different career avenues within the field and get to networking with working professionals
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