healing arts programs
After School Activities
Throughout the school year, Umoja offers After-School Activities for children (at the Pennants Basic School) aged two to six to support their wellness and development. All students are welcome to drop in and participate in the After-School Activities. These activities aim to…
~Improve student engagement~
~Enhance cognitive skills and creativity~
- Boost self-esteem~
~Develop social and emotional learning capabilities~
~Preserve and celebrate cultural heritage~
After-School Activities include play-based and imaginative learning, handicrafts, and nature exploration such as:
✨Traditional Jamaican Games: Traditional games such as Red Light Green Light, Brown Girl in a Ring, etc. are taught to and played with the children.
Skills Developed: spatial awareness, social skills, teamwork, cooperation, integrity
✨Making Cultural Bracelets and Necklaces: Children create bracelets and necklaces using beads, threads, and other materials, inspired by African and Tainos cultures. They explore specific cultural designs, patterns, and traditions, such as bracelets, beaded jewelry from indigenous cultures, and the significance of colors and shapes in cultural practices.
Skills Developed: Fine motor skills, creativity, problem-solving, cognitive development
✨Building with Blocks: Children use building blocks (e.g., Lego or wooden blocks) to create structures such as houses and cities, experimenting with shapes, balance, and spatial relationships.
Skills Developed: Fine motor skills, critical thinking, spatial awareness, teamwork.
✨Outdoor Exploration and Nature Play: Children explore the schoolyard, pretending to be explorers, noticing and identifying plants, leaves, rocks, bugs, sounds and interacting with them.
Skills Developed: Observation, curiosity, fine motor skills, environmental awareness.
✨Storytelling and Puppet Shows: Children create their own stories using items from the environment or finger puppets, engaging in storytelling that involves dialogue and creative plots.
Skills Developed: Language development, communication, creativity, emotional expression.
✨Art and Craft Activities: Children use materials such as paint, clay, paper, toilet paper roles, glitters, fabric, etc to create art projects, expressing personal stories or fantasies through visuals.
Skills Developed: Creativity, fine motor skills, self-expression, planning.
✨Interactive Storytime: Children engage in a story by acting out parts, using props, or making sound effects to bring the story to life.
Skills Developed: Language, imagination, social skills, listening comprehension.
✨ Pretend Play: Children create pretend scenarios with roles such as mommy, daddy, baby, grandparents, and farmers. They act out tasks like cooking, cleaning, taking care of the baby, and tending to a farm.
Skills Developed: Language, social interaction, social roles, problem-solving, creativity as they negotiate roles and scenarios.
Umoja Healing Arts Summer Camp
Umoja will provide free and heavily-subsidized summer camp designed to offer children transformative educational and cultural experiences during school holidays.
The camp will focus on three key areas:
1. Nature
- Engage children in outdoor learning and environmental exploration
- Promote physical fitness and environmental awareness
- Develop practical skills in nature appreciation and ecological understanding
2. Art
- Stimulate creativity through diverse artistic activities
- Provide access to art supplies and professional instruction
- Support cognitive and emotional development through creative expression
3. African Culture
- Celebrate and teach African cultural heritage
- Foster cultural pride and historical understanding
- Provide immersive experiences in traditional crafts, music, and storytelling
Crafty Saturday: Creative Expression and Youth Support Program
Umoja's Crafty Saturday initiative provides a vital community resource for local children, offering a structured, safe, and supportive environment for creative exploration and personal development through art and nature.
Program Components:
Dedicated creative workshop space
Free access to art supplies and creative materials
Supervised activities led by responsible adult mentors
Holistic approach to child development through creative expression
Key Program Objectives:
Provide a safe, nurturing environment for children
Offer opportunities for social connection and peer interaction
Support emotional well-being through creative outlets
Facilitate personal growth and self-expression
WHAT WE ARE DOING
Art and Craft: Children use materials such as paint, clay, paper, toilet paper rolls, glitters, fabric, etc. to create art projects, expressing personal or imaginative stories through visuals.
Skills Developed: Creativity, fine motor skills, self-expression, planning.
Musical and/or Dance Art: Children create their own songs or rhythms using instruments, or they might engage in movement-based activities to express a real or imaginative scenario.
Skills Developed: Rhythm, coordination, creativity, social interaction.
Theatre and Dramatic Art: Children might set up real or pretend scenarios and act it out. They learn social roles, problem-solving, and creativity as they negotiate roles and scenarios.
Skills Developed: Language, social interaction, problem-solving, creativity.