Leaps of Imagination

Animals capture kids’ imaginations. Looking back on Leaps’ spring teaching and anticipating our fall classes, we know that kids need time to think through the possibilities, try out their ideas and put the pieces together. It’s a process worth exploring!

"Every work of art is the child of its age and in many cases, the mother of our emotions." ~ Wassily Kandinsky July 18, 2024 Dear Friends of Leaps of Imagination, Rising to the challenge, regardless of the heat (indoors or out,) nine and ten year olds painted up a storm this week. Wednesday was a day of decorating "costumes" for their Maine animal puppets in progress....

Summer Leaps at Rockland’s South School “Every work of art is the child of its age and in many cases, the mother of our emotions.” ~ Wassily Kandinsky July 18, 2024 Dear Friends of Leaps of Imagination, Rising to the challeng…

"Collective wisdom is always better than individual wisdom." ~ Maria Ressa, journalist, Rappler founder, and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate June 27, 2024 Dear Friends of Leaps of Imagination, I was listening to the radio recently when I heard Maria Ressa's voice. Referencing an international gathering of climate ministers from around the world, a BBC commentator asked her if the leaders were any closer to an agreement....

Leaps of Imagination’s Summer 2024 Newsletter “Collective wisdom is always better than individual wisdom.” ~ Maria Ressa, journalist, Rappler founder, and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate June 27, 2024 Dear Friends of Leaps of Imaginatio…

It’s a wrap. Second and third graders’ Leaps’ exhibit in the Vinalhaven School library got us all smiling! Animal collagraphs wowed young artists and impressed our team. Thank you to P.I.E. for its financial support and to the entire community for welcome our artists back to Vinalhaven!

What a blast kids had in their school woods on their last day of Leaps for the season. Collaboration always makes learning/creating more fun. Thank you Vinalhaven School, for welcoming our team once again! We are always thrilled to work with your devoted teachers and of course, the children!

Fourth and fifth graders at Vinalhaven School find common ground in their landscape art, housed in a Venn diagram format. Making decisions together, they determined what sort of shared art they’d make in the middle. Finally, they signed their work with a handmade chop.

What an experience! Second and third graders wowed our artists with their animal collagraphs, which are now on display in the school library for the community to enjoy. Coupled with pairs’ stories, these artworks tell the tales of animals making friends with others, far different from themselves.

"And only then, when I have learned enough, I will go to watch the animals, and let something of their composure slowly guide into my limbs, will see my own existence deep in their eyes..." ~ Rainer Maria Rilke, poet June 4, 2024 Dear Families and Friends, Looking into the eyes of their animal photograph was kids' starting point for their spring '24 Leaps' experience....

Animals Inspire Second + Third Graders “And only then, when I have learned enough, I will go to watch the animals, and let something of their composure slowly guide into my limbs, will see my own existence deep in their eyes& #8230…

"We are the children of our landscape; it dictates behavior and even thought in the measure to which we are responsive to it." ~ Lawrence Durrell June 4, 2024 Dear Families and Friends, Fourth and fifth graders paired up this week to transfer their landscape drawings to watercolor paper. Contained in two overlapping circles, kids' artwork flowed from one space to another representing our theme of intersections....

Fourth + Fifth Graders Circle Up in the Local Landscape “We are the children of our landscape; it dictates behavior and even thought in the measure to which we are responsive to it.” ~ Lawrence Durrell June 4, 2024 Dear Families and Friends,…

“No amount of skillful invention can replace the essential element of imagination.” - Edward Hopper May 29, 2024 Dear Families and Friends, "This is the best time I've ever had in my life," one child revealed, as we wrapped up day two of Leaps of Imagination for second and third graders on Vinalhaven. Kids learned two ways of drawing in our first week together....

Imagine, Connect, Learn “No amount of skillful invention can replace the essential element of imagination.” – Edward Hopper May 29, 2024 Dear Families and Friends, “This is the best time I’ve ever had in…

"Until he extends his circle of compassion to include all living things, man will not himself find peace." ~ Albert Schweitzer May 29, 2024 Dear Families and Friends, Circling up to revisit the concept of imagination, Vinalhaven's fourth and fifth graders, were clear about why we imagine. "Your imagination helps you come up with ideas." "Your imagination helps you solve problems." "You can use it to create stories." "Or characters." "Inventions!" "You can practice for things before they happen." "You should keep your imagination with you."...

The Art of Connecting “Until he extends his circle of compassion to include all living things, man will not himself find peace.” ~ Albert Schweitzer May 29, 2024 Dear Families and Friends, Circling up to rev…

“If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder … he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement, and mystery of the world we live in.” ~ Rachel Carson May 21, 2024 Dear Families and Friends, "I've never seen a woodpecker before!" one boy said excitedly. Len Greenhalgh, who welcomed Thomaston's second graders along with Jocelyn Paquette to Wheeler Bay, told the children, …...

An Inborn Sense of Wonder “If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder … he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement, and mystery of the world we …

"Each day has a story to - deserves to be told, because we are made of stories. I mean, scientists say that human beings are made of atoms, but a little bird told me that we are also made of stories." ~ Eduardo Galeano, Uruguayan Journalist May 17, 2024 Dear Families and Friends, It was a busy morning in Thomaston Grammar School's library with Leaps of Imagination's artists, Susan Beebe, Alexis Iammarino, Jocelyn Paquette, and Dee Peppe....

Serious about Stories “Each day has a story to – deserves to be told, because we are made of stories. I mean, scientists say that human beings are made of atoms, but a little bird told me that we are also ma…

Piecing together animal features using cardboard, yoga mat chunks, and clothesline, Leaps of Imagination’s young artists designed complex collagraphs they printed on Friday. Animal portraits said so much about kids’ understanding of part to whole, relationships, and children’s imaginations. Can’t you just imagine the intricacy of thought as well as construction?

"Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were." ~ Carl Sagan May 15, 2024 Dear Families and Friends, Thomaston Grammar School's second graders are on a roll. Their imaginations are going full steam ahead. Inspired by a love of animals, a grade level study of creatures and their habitats, a plethora of materials and literature provided by Leaps of Imagination's artists, and their natural ability to make connections, these young people are making extraordinary art....

From Here to There: Unleashing the Power of the Imagination “Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were.” ~ Carl Sagan May 15, 2024 Dear Families and Friends, Thomaston Grammar School’s second graders are on a roll. Their im…

"It seems to me that the natural world is the greatest source of excitement; the greatest source of visual beauty; the greatest source of intellectual interest. It is the greatest source of so much in life that makes life worth living." ~ David Attenborough May 7, 2024 Dear Families and Friends, When kids take the initiative to sharpen their observation skills, they realize that there is so much more to see....

leapsofimagination.wordpress.com “It seems to me that the natural world is the greatest source of excitement; the greatest source of visual beauty; the greatest source of intellectual interest. It is the greatest source of s…

For the love of art and nature….second graders sink their hearts into art.

Second grade artists from Thomaston Grammar School at work on observational drawings. Focused. Invested. Daring.

Amazing to be launching our eleventh year with second grade teacher, Terri Bassett and her colleague Marissa Heal. Twenty eight children experiment with two different drawing techniques focusing on nature. Thank you, Thomaston Grammar School for giving children the chance to take the leap as artists and naturalists!

"When the green woods laugh with the voice of joy, And the dimpling stream runs laughing by; When the air does laugh with our merry wit, And the green hill laughs with the noise of it."~ William Blake April 30, 2024 Dear Families and Friends, Imagining themselves in the woods today, second graders at Thomaston Grammar School closed their eyes and envisioned being up close, right next to a tree....

Into the Woods “When the green woods laugh with the voice of joy, And the dimpling stream runs laughing by; When the air does laugh with our merry wit, And the green hill laughs with the noise of it.”…

“Teaching children about the natural world should be treated as one of the most important events in their lives.” ~ Thomas Berry April 29, 2024 Dear Families and Friends, South School's third graders descended upon Wheeler Bay Wildlife Sanctuary this morning filled with anticipation. "I loved this place when I first saw it, but now I really love it," one student announced within his first few minutes at the preserve....

Immersing Children in Nature: It’s That Important “Teaching children about the natural world should be treated as one of the most important events in their lives.” ~ Thomas Berry April 29, 2024 Dear Families and Friends, South School’s …

“I just feel that I’m in tune with the right vibrations in the universe when I’m in the process of working.” ~Louise Nevelson April 25, 2024 Dear Families and Friends, Nests continued to inspire today, and both Mrs. Watson's nests and Susan Beebe's nests got kids' attention. They wondered how the fledglings could fit in the teeniest nests. They listened carefully when Susan explained that the nests she'd collected were no longer needed....

In the Process of Making Art “I just feel that I’m in tune with the right vibrations in the universe when I’m in the process of working.” ~Louise Nevelson April 25, 2024 Dear Families and Friends, Nests continued to inspire to…

"The bird loves her nest." ~ George Herbert April 24, 2024 Dear Families and Friends, Spring is in the air, and pre-kindergartners at St. George School are feeling it. This morning when we arrived they were exploring out of doors. When we gathered together to start our class it was evident that they had been in their element. Then one child remarked, …...

Learning Takes Flight “The bird loves her nest.” ~ George Herbert April 24, 2024 Dear Families and Friends, Spring is in the air, and pre-kindergartners at St. George School are feeling it. This morning when…

“Listen, and you will realize that we are made not from cells or from atoms. We are made from stories.” ~ Mia Couto April 10, 2024 Dear Families and Friends, In a moment of amazement, kids lifted their print from the collagraph plate to see the image they'd envisioned. Two animals appeared, revealing young artists' stories. Kids had put their hearts into the creation of their collagraphs....

Stories Two Ways “Listen, and you will realize that we are made not from cells or from atoms. We are made from stories.”  ~ Mia Couto April 10, 2024 Dear Families and Friends, In a moment of amazement, kids li…

“I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn't say any other way--things I had no words for.”~ Georgia O'Keeffe April 7, 2024 Dear Friends of Leaps of Imagination, Children's art will make you smile. The complexity of it. The simplicity of it. The tone it sets. The messages it sends. The amazement it brings. And, just imagine, the deep-down feeling of delight young artists experience throughout their art making process....

Leaps’ Art at Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Visitor Center “I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way–things I had no words for.”~ Georgia O’Keeffe April 7, 2024 Dear Friends of Leaps of Imaginatio…

“Any glimpse into the life of an animal quickens our own and makes it so much the larger and better in every way.” ~ John Muir April 3, 2024 Dear Families and Friends, Third graders sprang into action in South School's art room on Tuesday. Positioned next to their partner, spread out on the floor, and at tables, they were filled with ideas....

A Glimpse into the Life of Animals “Any glimpse into the life of an animal quickens our own and makes it so much the larger and better in every way.” ~ John Muir April 3, 2024 Dear Families and Friends, Third graders sprang int…

"Any glimpse into the life of an animal quickens our own and makes it so much the larger and better in every way." ~ John Muir March 30, 2024 Dear Families and Friends, Making connections between one idea and another, one day's Leaps' learnings and another, and children and nature are central to Leaps of Imagination's teaching. And that's how we started Friday morning with South School's third graders....

Imagining Animal Tales through Art “Any glimpse into the life of an animal quickens our own and makes it so much the larger and better in every way.” ~ John Muir March 30, 2024 Dear Families and Friends, Making connectio…

"You are as young as your self-confidence, as old as your fears; as young as your hope, as old as your despair." ~ Samuel Ullman, American poet March 26, 2024 Dear Families and Friends, Full of ideas, children from Miss Day's and Miss Sears' third grades, know all about what imagination feels like. "Imagination is thinking about something that's not true and then creating it how it is." "Imagination is an image, a picture, a fantasy in your brain." 'It's a day dream or a night dream." " It is your thoughts." "Anybody can imagine anything....

Filled with Confidence “You are as young as your self-confidence, as old as your fears; as young as your hope, as old as your despair.” ~ Samuel Ullman, American poet March 26, 2024 Dear Families and Friends,…

"Art is imbedded in nature and they who can extract it have it. " ~ Albrecht Durer March 22, 2024 Dear Families and Friends, On their first day of Leaps of Imagination, third graders at South School were serious about making art. They were inspired by the complexity of feathers and pinecones. The texture of bark and the sparkle of mica....

Third Grade Naturals “Art is imbedded in nature and they who can extract it have it. ” ~ Albrecht Durer March 22, 2024 Dear Families and Friends, On their first day of Leaps of Imagination, third graders at…

"In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt." ~ Margaret Atwood March 21, 2024 Dear Families and Friends, Explorers, all, pre-kindergartners were thrilled to head for the swamp after hearing the story, Come Out Muskrats, Susan read them. They'd spent time in the woods adjacent to school, but never ventured beyond the town library, toward the water....

Pre-Kindergartners: Discovering Local Swamp Creatures “In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.” ~ Margaret Atwood March 21, 2024 Dear Families and Friends, Explorers, all, pre-kindergartners were thrilled to head …