DEARBORN — The Arab American National Museum will host Free Craft Sundays for children ages 6 to 12 beginning Sept. 18.
The program will run for six weeks. The first session will expose participants to cultures and activities outside their normal experience through age-appropriate craft activities.
AANM educators lead all sessions; all supplies are provided.
All sessions are held from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Lower Level Classroom at the AANM, 13624 Michigan Ave. All participants must be accompanied by a parent.
Registration is required; contact Lindsay Robillard at (313) 624-0210 or [email protected]
The session schedule is:
• Sept. 18, Crayon-Resist Welcome Signs — Participants will use crayons and watercolors to create a “welcome” sign in Arabic (ahlan wa sahlan!) or their choice of nine other languages.
• Sept. 25, Ghanaian Adinkra Stamping — Participants will learn about this tradition of stamping fabric with symbols that transmit values of Ashanti culture and create their own symbols on stamps.
• Oct. 2, Kaleidoscopes — Participants will build a modern version of Scotsman Sir David Brewster’s 1816 invention that uses two mirrors to reflect light and create patterns.
• Oct. 9, Friendship Bracelets — Participants will explore the history of macramé and experience in it by making a friendship bracelet.
• Oct. 16, String Pictures — Participants will learn about the history and role of geometric patterns in Islamic decorative arts and make their own geometric design using colorful thread and backgrounds.
• Oct. 23, Animal Masks — Participants will craft a crazy-creature mask for Halloween. Animals have long been a popular subject for masks and art in general in diverse cultures.
Free Craft Sundays is sponsored in part by Blake and Brady Hishmeh.