About Us
A Magical Journey Through Craft and Books
Crafternauts is a unique art and craft club for children combining storytelling with creative activities. We offer fun, educational art and craft activities, inspired by a careful selection of imaginative and informative books. The aim of these classes is to develop children’s wider vocabulary, explore, create, invent and experiment with art and craft materials; finding happiness and magic in the process.
Children develop skills in painting, drawing, sculpture, paper technology, textiles and printing in a fun and mindful environment.
‘The heart of the journey is in the making and creating. Everything else is a by-product of this magical land of wonder-based art making’ – Wonder Art Workshop by Sally Haughey
Classes are specifically tailored for Pre-School, Infants, through to Junior aged children; enriching your child’s vocabulary, language and unlocking their creative skills. They will have freedom to express themselves through a magical journey of craft and books.
Books capture children’s interest and storytelling sparks their imagination. We know that children's vocabulary can be expanded tremendously through stories and reading for pleasure, and combining art and craft with vocabulary rich books helps to activate language in children.
We use the STAR Approach from the National Literacy Trust to Select, Teach, Activate and Review Tier 2 vocabulary from books. Crafternauts brings words to life and encourages high standards of language, developing the children’s love of literature and promoting creativity.
Art and Craft Benefits
Reduce Stress Levels and Anxiety
Participating in art and craft reduces stress levels by lowering the body’s stress hormone cortisol and heart rate. Children work in ‘the moment’ and this creates a mindful experience improving mood and wellbeing.
Brain Development
Engaging in art and craft develops children’s sensory skills and processing skills. Touching, using, exploring materials and tools helps children make sense of the world around them. This helps children make connections (synapses) in the brain. Children develop new synapses when participating in art and craft activities.
Children develop their body movements, use muscles in their hands and fingers to improve fine and gross motor control and hand to eye co-ordination. Activities such as drawing, painting, cutting, threading, using clay and manipulating small objects are key to success in reading and writing in the early school years.
Express Themselves
Art and craft time with your child helps them to build self-esteem. You show them its important to express themselves and be creative without the feeling of getting it wrong. Children take pride in their work and create something unique.
Unlocks problem solving skills.
Experimenting with art and craft helps to find solutions to problems and develop resilience and perseverance when they are older.
Builds Confidence
Children are more likely to have a go a make mistakes and realise its ok to take risks.
Develops Maths Skills
Working with shapes, pattern and 3d sculpture aid mathematical development
Show Respect
Art and Craft sessions help children to learn to care for materials and handle tools appropriately. They are able to work alongside others and share resources and equipment.
'Using our creativity is a way of discovering the unexplored dimensions and strengths of our personalities. Setting up life-long habits of taking part in the arts can provide children with valuable experiences, and can help give them the tools to cope with life’s challenges when they become adults. We owe it to all our children to ensure that they experience an arts-rich education – it will contribute to all aspects of their development, whilst equipping them to be more resilient throughout their lives.'- Dame Benita Refson President & Founder, Place2B, Cultural Learning Alliance, 2018
Storytelling, Vocabulary and Language
Connecting books with art and craft ignites a child's imagination and helps activate higher level language.
‘A love of books changes lives. Children who read for pleasure are likely to do better at school, as well as be more socially, culturally and emotionally prepared for life.’- Booktrust
‘Reading widely and often increases pupils’ vocabulary because they encounter words they would rarely hear or use in everyday speech. Reading also feeds pupils’ imagination and opens up a treasure house of wonder and joy for curious young minds.’ – National Curriculum in England- English Programmes of Study- 16th July 2014 to present