When you think of art classes, traditional options like painting or pottery might come to mind. But creativity comes in many forms—some so unexpected, they might even inspire the most hesitant kids to dive in. If you’re looking for unusual art classes and experiences for kids in SWFL, we’ve got you covered with a vibrant mix of hands-on, out-of-the-box options. From glassblowing and comic book creation to digital design and neon splatter rooms, these experiences spark imagination and make art exciting for every child.
Art is Fluid
There is no right or wrong way to move paint around at Hawaii Fluid Art in Naples. There is no trying to get the eyes or body or landscape correct as you draw. Instead, a cup of paint layered in colors is poured on a canvas and moved around to create a kaleidoscope of swirls and designs.
“The founder wanted the public to come whether they were creative or not,” said store manager and art teacher Vicky Lewis. ”I actually prefer working with beginners — and they are just waiting for the surprise to happen.”
Children pick the colors and then layer them in the cup. The paint is poured in the middle of the canvas, and then the canvas is lifted and tilted to create unique patterns with the colors.
“All the paints are mixed with a fluid compound, and that creates this flow,” Lewis explained. “There are some guidelines, but there are no rules. Art cannot have rules.”
Abigail Erickson, 11, has visited Hawaii Fluid Art several times with her mother, Jennifer Erickson.
“I have never been in a place like this, and it is really fun,” Abigail said. “I love it.”
Sara Denmark recently brought her daughter to the studio.
“It just looked really cool,” Denmark said. “It is something indoors, and it keeps her busy during summer.
She loves painting. It is so hands-on.”
Blown Away
Think kids can’t handle glass blowing? Think again. Glenn Novotny, owner of Adventures in Glass Blowing in Bonita Springs, says it is a great activity for children ages eight and up.
“For the younger ones, we try to keep it simpler. They make marbles or pendants,” he explained.
Children are given some clear glass on a stick. Then color is added, and with Novotny’s help, the glass is put in the fire and then shaped.
“Fire is fascinating for everybody,” Novotny said. “They watch as the glass melts and transforms into different shapes. Glass has no memory, so you can take a broken piece, melt it, and turn it into something else. You can turn an elephant into a crocodile. We are kind of a hidden gem.”
Many of his customers are kids visiting their grandparents in Southwest Florida. Others are locals like Chuckie Rebertus, 7, who made a glass red heart pendant.
“It was really fun. It is so satisfying to watch the glass melt,” Chuckie said.
The Art of Gaming
Some children can’t fathom trading video games for an art class. So Arts Bonita came up with a solution – digital art and filmmaking classes.
“One of the most important things in designing is to get kids out of the consumption role and into the creative realm,” said John Ardigo, senior education director at Arts Bonita. “Our hope is that kids get exposed to that and they keep building on it into more specific disciplines like animation.”
The strategy worked with his own child.
“I told my 10-year-old that she should come to the camp at the art center, and she said, ‘I am not into art.’ I told her there was digital art, and now she comes every week,” he said.
There is another benefit to this type of art, according to Ardigo.
“The great thing about digital arts is there is a lot of collaboration,” he explained. “There is a lot of community that is being built and that is key to me.”
Roberto Delgado, 9, is taking digital art classes.
“It’s fun. You can make your own game,” he said as he created a car racing game.
Aloyna Ushe, Arts Bonita executive director, is excited to see children enjoying this type of art.
“It kills me to see kids on their phones. This is a way to take technology and have them use their imaginations to do something creative,” she said.
Comic Creation
For kids who enjoy visual storytelling, stepping into the world of comics offers a unique and imaginative path.
Rich Faber, an award-winning illustrator whose comic illustrations have appeared on the Cartoon Network and in many prestigious publications, teaches a class for teenagers at the Naples Art Institute. The course, “Design Your Own Worlds and Establish the Lore Behind Them,” takes comic creation to a whole new level.
“I found that kids really like to not just come up with characters, but the visualization of what their realms are,” Faber said. “A lot of them are into manga and anime. Most of them already have ideas of characters and content. So, this is flushing out what they want to do with those characters in those realms. I am helping them open the tap.”
Faber also welcomes those who are new to comics.
“We are very open to new kids coming in,” Faber stressed. “I like to foster an atmosphere of camaraderie.”
An Artful Mess
Two businesses in SWFL let children create art while expending some of their boundless energy.
Stacy Sawyer, owner of Pineapple Picasso in Cape Coral, was a teacher for 30 years and says she knows exactly what children want to do. They are given a poncho, shoe coverings, and goggles, and then set free to squirt each other with neon paint.
“Make a mess, make a memory,” Sawyer said. “We are giving you the freedom to splatter the walls, floors, and each other. Kids love to get messy, and it is a way to get messy without getting in trouble.”
Children are also given a canvas to squirt so they have a keepsake to take home. Many participants wear a white t-shirt over the poncho to also create a fashion statement.
At Just One of Those Dayz in Fort Myers, patrons are given neon paint to throw at a canvas, the walls, and each other in the laser and black-lighted room, according to owner Angela Ziegler.
“About 95 percent of them paint each other, which is the funny part,” she said. “It is even more funny if they can get their parents or grandparents in there.”
Participants also get a canvas to create a piece of art to take home.
“Everyone loves it,” Ziegler said.
Places to Find Unusual Art Experiences and Classes in SWFL
Adventures in Glass Blowing
www.adventuresinglassblowing.com
239-789-0708
11368 Sunray Dr., Bonita Springs
Arts Bonita
www.artsbonita.org
239-495-8989
26100 Old 41 Rd., Bonita Springs
Hawaii Fluid Art
www.hawaiifluidart.com/naples-fl
239-776-0037
2343 Vanderbilt Beach Rd., #622, Naples
Just One of Those Dayz
www.justoneofthosedayz.com
239-224-8971
1944 Winkler Ave., Fort Myers
Naples Art Institute
www.naplesart.org
239-262-6517
585 Park St., Naples
Pineapple Picasso
www.pineapplepicasso.com
239-257-1161
2612 Santa Barbara Blvd., #2, Cape Coral