• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
GO TO EXPAT LIVING SINGAPORE
GET OUR NEWSLETTER

Expat Living Hong Kong HomepageExpat Living Hong Kong

Moving to Hong Kong and not sure where to start? Expat Living is the essential lifestyle guide to living in Hong Kong.

Menu
  • Living In Hong Kong
      • Living Here
      • Where To Live
      • Schools
      • For Guys
        • online shopping websites21 fashion websites shipping to HK
        • Expat Living Readers' Choice Awards 2021 - WinnersREADERS’ CHOICE AWARDS 2021 WINNERS
        • What it’s like living in Hung Hom
        • Luxury homes for lease in Hong Kong
      • View all
    Close
  • Things To Do
      • Things To Do
      • What’s On/Calendar
      • Competitions & Offers
        • What to watch – or listen to…
        • 9 family-friendly hikes in Hong Kong
        • Great podcasts we are listening to!
        • Key Chinese events and festivals in Hong Kong - Chinese New YearTraditional Festivals & Events in HK
      • View all
    Close
  • Kids
      • Activities & Things To Do
      • Education & Enrichment
      • Health & Wellness
      • Mums & Babies
      • Podcasts
      • Kids Offers
        • jobs of the futurePreparing children for the jobs of the future
        • Language courses for all the family
        • Where to get stylish kid-friendly mats
        • Does your child need a little extra help?
      • View all
    Close
  • Homes
      • Home Décor
      • Readers Homes
        • Heveya mattress - eco-friendly bedroom furniture, sustainable productsGoing “green” in the bedroom
        • Luxury homes for lease in Hong Kong
        • Beautiful ginger jar lamps for your home
        • Where to get stylish kid-friendly mats
      • View all
    Close
  • Travel
      • Short Breaks
      • Further Afield
      • Travel News & Offers
        • Beach escapes - Gili Lankanfushi – MaldivesPlan ahead: 8 great beach escapes
        • Top skiing destinations - Whistler, CanadaStunning ski stays in Europe and beyond
        • Mongolia - kidsA family adventure in Mongolia
        • Where to stay and what to do in Thailand - MerdekaQuick getaways: Where to go in Thailand
      • View all
    Close
  • Wine & Dine
      • Recipes & Groceries
      • Bars & Restaurants
        • Carrot and lentil soup recipeRecipe: Carrot and Lentil Soup
        • Vegetarian recipe: Vietnamese rice roll with quorn mince and bolognese sauce5 meat-free meal ideas to try
        • Chocolate Tiffin - RecipeNo-bake Chocolate Tiffin Recipe
        • Fiamma Italian restaurant - tortelliniTaste Test: Peak Italian Cuisine at Fiamma
      • View all
    Close
  • Style & Beauty
      • Fashion
      • Hair & Beauty
        • online shopping websites21 fashion websites shipping to HK
        • Buying diamonds - The Diamond Registry can offer competitive pricing as a major international diamond distributor.Looking for a good deal on diamonds?
        • Where to go for pampering
        • Paraben-free skincare for men!
      • View all
    Close
  • Health & Fitness
      • Medical & Dental
      • Fitness
      • Wellness
        • Home workout5 workout moves you can do at home
        • Central & Stanley Wellness - functional medicine treatmentFunctional medicine and how it helps
        • KAMA CBD OilWhat is CBD and can it help your health?
        • ATP - weight loss - fitness trainingBody makeover: an inspiring journey
      • View all
    Close
  • Shop
      • Magazine
      • Advertise With Us
        • December – February 2021
        • DEC-FEB 2020 – $36 (USUAL PRICE $48)
        • City Guide 2020-2021
        • City Guide 2020-2021 – $28
      • View all
    Close
Home » Living In Hong Kong » Schools » Easy art and drama activities for home that will help your kids at school

Easy art and drama activities for home that will help your kids at school

26 September, 2017 by Expat Living 4 Min Read

https://expatliving.hk/art-drama-activities-to-help-kids-at-school/

While we all want our kids to do well at school, we shouldn’t overlook the surprising benefits of fostering creativity in children at the expense of a focus on more traditional learning. Aside from being enormous fun, participation in the arts can spill over into a child’s academic achievement at school.

The teaching staff at Stamford American School say the arts can help develop traits such as creativity, self-expression and confidence. A belief in these benefits of the arts will ensure there is a strong focus on this in the curriculum when the school opens its doors in Ho Man Tin in September.

Stamford American School has a comprehensive arts program
The arts has many benefits for children

The skills your child learns from creative pursuits are linked to academic achievement, Stamford has found. Building imagination is tied directly to children’s ability to investigate, analyse and create. The school cites a report by Americans for the Arts which that says that young people who participate regularly in the arts (three hours a day on three days each week through one full year) are four times more likely to be recognised for academic achievement, to participate in a math and science fair or to win an award for writing an essay or poem than children who do not participate.

The arts are also seen to develop the skill of focus. This skill, which is required to learn to play a song on an instrument or memorise lyrics or lines, can be applied in other settings, such as school with great benefit. For younger children, simple things such as drawing, painting or playing an instrument are important to developing fine motor skills. Playing an instrument also improves hand muscles and back posture. Developing confidence in children is also a result of participating in the arts. Getting up on stage and singing gives kids a chance to step outside their comfort zone. As they improve and see their own progress, their self-confidence will continue to grow.

Fostering a love of the arts has many benefits
Keep the kids busy at home with some creative activities

To see the benefits of the arts and creativity, try these art and drama activities at home which have been suggested by Stamford’s teaching team:

#1 Bow-tie Pasta Butterflies and Flowers

Put your old pasta to good use with this craft idea. Get your kids to colour and decorate the noodles with paint or fun chalk markers to turn them into pretty butterflies and flowers. Give them other noodles to see what spring-themed items your children can create with penne, spaghetti or fusilli noodles.

#2 Colour-changing flowers

Art meets science in this crafty experiment! Place stalks of white flowers in separate vases or test tubes filled with water that’s been dyed using different food colouring. After several days, your child will be mesmerised by how the petals of the flowers absorb the colours and turn into a rainbow of flowers.

#3 Chinese Whispers

Also known as “Telephone”, this activity requires the family or a group of friends to sit in a circle. Ask your child to start a sound and pass it on to the person on the left, who then passes it on to the next person and so on. This teaches your child to listen carefully as well as to enunciate clearly so that the sound is not distorted.

#4 Stuffed Toy Voice Projection

Place stuffed toys in front of your child at different distances (e.g., one about 50cm away, another a metre away and a third one placed across the room). Ask your child to look directly at each toy, one at a time, saying their own name and the name of their favourite colour, animal and story book. This game will teach them to project their voices louder as they speak to their toys that are farther away, and softer when speaking to a stuffed toy that is close to them.

Stamford American School says the arts can increase a child's focus
Participation in the arts increases a child’s ability to focus in other subjects at school

The Stamford approach

The school will offer a broad, innovative, and balanced visual and performing arts program, which incorporates the framework and assessments of the Massachusetts Arts Curriculum, a national benchmark for arts education in the US. Weekly drama, music and art classes begin from age five and continue through to Grade 10 and will teach theoretical knowledge, as well as presentation and execution skills.

For students considering further study or a career in the arts, the school will offer three International Baccalaureate diploma pathways in theatre, music and visual arts. These rigorous courses will prepare your child to excel in fields such as writing, designing, directing or performing.

Students of all ages will also be able to participate in weekly performances, exciting art exhibitions, musical ensembles, as well as three full-scale theatre productions a year.

Stamford American School will open in September 2017 at 25 Man Fuk Road, Ho Man Tin, Kowloon, Hong Kong. In the meantime, Stamford’s Admissions Team would be happy to meet with families at their Admissions Office located at Two Exchange Square, Level 40, Suites 4005-4007, 8 Connaught Place, Central, Hong Kong.

2500 8688 | sais.edu.hk | admissions@sais.edu.hk

Check out our Living in Hong Kong section for more information on schools and education

Categories: Education & Enrichment Living In Hong Kong Schools Tags: Arts Education Stamford American School

You May Also Like

Expat Living Readers' Choice Awards 2021 - Winners

READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS 2021 WINNERS

Home loans for Aussie expats 

Expat life in Hong Kong - advantages and disadvantages

Pros and cons of living in HK

Primary Sidebar

Editor's Picks

Kellett School

Best International Schools In Hong Kong, Preschool to Secondary

Furniture in Hong Kong: Guide To The Best Furniture Stores

sightseeing in Hong Kong

Top 30 Hong Kong Attractions & Best Places To Visit

Where to live in Hong Kong

Guide to Living in Hong Kong and where to live

Landing pads: places to stay in Hong Kong

Brunch in Hong Kong

Best Sunday Brunch Places in Hong Kong

What's On

Puccini's Turandot Opera

The MET’S “Nightly Met Opera Streams”

Students at Hong Kong Academy

Hong Kong Academy – Applications Open for 2021/22

CDNIS - Admissions

CDNIS Admissions Timetable: Apply Now for January and August 2021

Events & Weekend Activities - The Grounds is the city's first responsible entertainment destination

The Grounds: HK’s first ‘COVID-19 responsible’ entertainment destination

Elsa in scene from Frozen

FWD Presents: The Frozen Exhibition Hong Kong

You Rise art exhibition by JM Robert

“You Rise” Solo Exhibition by JM Robert

Expat Living Hong Kong 🇭🇰

expatlivinghk

Open
🎉 We're so pleased to announce the winners of our Readers' Choice Awards! Congrats to all the companies who were voted among the best in Hong Kong, and to the voters who won the amazing prizes. See the full results online now at 👉 expatliving.hk/readerschoice

.
#expatlivinghk #hkbusiness #hongkongbusiness #elhkreaderschoice #hkexpats
Open
Pieces for your dining room mood board!🪑We are feeling these tones 🤎
Open
Thanks Julianna for this delicious 
Easy Blueberry Oreo Cheesecake to start the weekend!
Serves 4, or 2 if you're hungry😉

Preparation time: 15 mins Ingredients:
• 6 digestive biscuits
• 50g butter 
• 250g cream cheese (1 brick) 
• 6 Oreo biscuits
• 125g blueberries (1 box)
• 100g milk or whipped cream 
• 5 tablespoons sugar

Instructions:
For crust:
1. Crush digestive biscuits in a big bowl and add melted butter.
2. Press together at the base of the cake mould.
3. Set aside to cool.

For filling: 
1. Beat cream cheese, sugar and milk or whipped cream on medium speed in a bowl until it is smooth and creamy. 
2. Add crushed Oreos and beat until they mix evenly. 
3. Pour the filling over the cooled crust.
4. Freeze for two hours and top with blueberries!🫐
Open
If you’re looking for a place to live in Hong Kong - particularly if you’re moving here and want an easy landing pad - a serviced apartment can be a godsend! @hongkongparkview is like a mini town with everything you need from a Clubhouse with full facilities to a toy shop, clothes and food shop! 🏞🛍
Open
Read our Winter issue on any device for free 👉 expatliving.hk/digital/ig.
Inside: Two inspiring home reno stories, great dining room furniture ideas, insider's guide to Hung Hom Bay and plenty of other great reads, including easy dessert recipes!
Open
How cool is this - Hong Kong-based @ovolohotels is the first hotel group to go entirely vegetarian across its restaurants, bars and food services for a year! 🌱This move is the latest in the group’s series of eco-friendly initiatives, and doesn’t this look delicious!👏🏻
Open
If we’ve learnt anything this last year it’s how much a magical view can do for your mind🌿These are just some of the properties showcased by @knightfrank 🙌🏼 Head to knightfrank.com.hk to see what’s currently available! 🏞
Open
Wishing everyone a safe and Happy New Year from the team at @expatlivinghk ❤️

📷 @lailasophiashah
Open
There’s been a buzz lately around CBD (Cannabidiol, derived from the flowers and leaves of the hemp plant) and its purported health benefits. 
Did you know it’s available in Hong Kong? 🌿

@kamacbdhk is a new HK-based company offering CBD products that can help a number of ailments, check out our article and their page for more information!🌺
Open
🎄 Merry Christmas everyone! It's been an extraordinary year and we're so grateful for your support. We wish you all a safe and happy holiday season 🌟🥂
Open
This 1950s colonial-style walk up in Kowloon Tong has been styled so well by tenant Jerome, it is fascinating to hear about the place and it’s history! For the full story and Jerome’s recommendations see our DEC-FEB issue✨📖
Open
Whether you’ve hiked up Old Peak Road or taken the tram, make sure you’re hungry, as you’ll want to consume most of the menu from @fiammahk 🍴🍅
Open
5 steps for a stylish Christmas, courtesy of Hong Kong-based home furnishing retailer @indigo_living 🎄
 
#1 Decide on a Theme:
Every momentous Christmas feast begins with a stunning table-scape. Whether you’re going for the classic red and green pairing or a contemporary setting, pick a theme that you can go all out with! 
 
#2 Organise Your Linen:
Generally speaking, a crisp white linen table-runner will do. But if you’re looking to up the ante this year, go for one with subtle prints on it. 
 
#3 Choose a Centrepiece:
 A beautiful Christmas centrepiece is the fastest way to add cheer to your party. It’s also a great excuse to show off your creative flair to friends and family. 
 
#4 Invest in a Good Set of Tableware:
When it comes to tableware, most people play it safe with crystal glasses and porcelain plates. Why not take it up a notch by throwing a set of gold cutlery into the mix? It’s an instant pop of luxury that exudes warmth to traditional red and green themes. 🍴
 
#5 End with a Bang:
What’s a Christmas dinner without some good old-fashioned crackers? Sure to put a smile on anyone’s faces, they’ll also ensure your party goes out with a bang! 💫
Open
What a view 🙌🏼

📷 @lailasophiashah
Open
Less than five days left to vote for your favourite businesses! You could win fun family staycays and dining vouchers, so make sure to vote today by visiting 👉 expatliving.hk/readerschoice

.
#expatlivinghk #hkbusiness #hongkongbusiness #elhkreaderschoice #hkexpats
Open
Jazz up your dining area with these pretty picks!⚡️

Companies tagged in the photos for more details🪑
Open
Get ready for Christmas, CNY and beyond with these fab treatment packages now available at @amooma.spa ✨

#1 BUBBLE & SPARKLE
A package for two, including an aroma steam shower, deep sleep tourmaline crystal massage, sparkling champagne facial and a glass of champagne 🥂

#2 HO! HO! HO! IT’S ME-TIME!
Designed for one person, this me-time includes a ling organic forbidden rice scrub, ling nourishing body wrap, AMOONA signature blend and knesko gemological face mask 🧖🏼‍♀️
Open
How good do these look 😍 New recipe from @charissa_and_co_wellness. You can try a free sample by scanning the bar code on our online articles 💜

Recipe: Flourless Pecan Cranberry Brownie

Ingredients

Brownie base:

2 servings of Nuzest Clean Lean Chocolate Protein
1.5 cup of pumpkin puree
1 cup of hazelnut butter or almond *
1/2 cup of raw dark cacao powder
1/2 cup of chopped pecans
1/3 cup of dehydrated cranberries
2 teaspoons of Manuka honey ** Optional
White chocolate drizzle:

1/3 cup of melted cacao butter
2 tablespoons of cashew nut butter
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1-2 teaspoons of Erythritol
Dark chocolate drizzle:

1/3 cup of melted cacao butter
2 tablespoons of cashew nut butter
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 tablespoon of coconut oil
3 tablespoons of raw dark cacao powder
1 teaspoon of Erythritol
Instructions

Brownie base:

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
Grease a square baking tray with coconut oil and line tray with parchment paper.
In a large blender, mix all the brownie ingredients together until smooth.
Pour the brownie mix into the pan and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
Once cooked, allow the brownies to cool on a rack.
Chocolate drizzle:

You will need two separate mixing bowls for the white and dark chocolate drizzle.
Melt the cacao butter at low temperature and mix with the rest of the ingredients.
Pour the chocolate drizzle over the cooled brownies.
Pop them in the fridge to set or enjoy them as warm brownies.**
Optional: Sprinkle some fresh pomegranate and dried cranberry seeds onto the brownies (after cooling in the fridge for 20 minutes).
Open
TGIF 🌿🌿

📷 @lailasophiashah
Open
In our new winter issue we take a look at Dutch expat Nicole Hessing’s impressive home renovation in Clearwater Bay 🏡 Check out the article for all her tips and local recommendations 👉 expatliving.hk/digital/ig
  • COMPETITIONS & OFFERS
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Subscribe

© 2021 Expat Living Hong Kong, All Rights Reserved.