You Need To Sign Your Craft-Loving Kid Up For Paper Source's Adorable Art Camp This Summer

School is almost out for the year which means kids across the country are about to have a lot more time on their hands. Fortunately, the good people of Paper Source know that a little structured fun is just what everyone needs. If you've got a little artist on your hands, you won't want to miss the chance to sign them up for Paper Source's Kids' Summer Art Camp, a nationwide program that includes three week-long sessions this summer. Sessions start the week of June 18 and run through the week of July 9.

I adore Paper Source and always end up adding like five extra (irresistible) items to my basket whenever I shop there. I may go in for wrapping paper, but I leave with cute candles, journals, and pom pom decor. So when I heard they were going to be hosting art camps for kids ages 6 and up, I knew that they would be awesome. The camps give children a chance to roll up their sleeves and get lost in super creative and engaging projects.

Each week-long session offers two different time slots, 11:00am-1:00pm or 3:00-5:00pm, and costs $120 for five classes. The price includes class materials, so you don't have to worry about any extra hidden fees. What's more, by signing up you get 10 percent off all store items during the week of class, in case you want to shop while your kiddos get their craft on.

Each weeklong session features five activities, so kids get to work on a new project every day. The first session, which runs from June 18 through June 22, includes activities like slime making, positivity pennants, and watercolors. The second session, which runs the last week in June, features projects like collage card art, hot air balloon making, and marbling. The final session, running from July 9 through July 13, includes slime, sticker making and "make a masterpiece." One thing to note, however, is that there is some overlap in activities from week to week, in case you were hoping to sign your kid up for all three sessions.

Plus the camps are closely supervised so you can plan on dropping your child off for the entire two-hour class — ideal if you want to run errands, get work done, or treat yourself to a mani/pedi. The talented instructors at Paper Source will introduce camp participants to various crafting techniques and tools, all aimed at fueling the junior crafters' creativity.

“We are excited to bring Kids Art Camp to our communities, inspiring younger generations to do something creative everyday” said Jenica Myszkowski, Chief Operating Officer. “As a mom, I am delighted that children will be creatively engaged, learn new skills and become makers of their own personal keepsakes.”

My eldest daughter is a little too young for these classes but I know that she would just go nuts for the fun projects planned. She's a big fan of anything arts and crafts oriented. But even if your child doesn't tend to gravitate toward the craft table at school, exposing him or her to summer art programs can be enormously beneficial. "Open-ended, process-oriented art is nothing but an endless opportunity for making choices, coming to conclusions, second-guessing decisions, and evaluating results. Children become more comfortable with uncertainty and remain flexible thinkers, which is key for creativity and confidence," explained Jean Van't Hul, author of the book, Artful Parent, and blog of the same name.

To sign up for the summer camp, visit the Paper Source site and select which week(s) you're interested in. If your child's schedule is a little too full to be able to attend the full week, you can also consider drop-in classes. You just need to contact the individual store to see what the availability is. To all the kids out there, happy crafting!