There’s one thing we celebrate here at Indigo and that is individuality and originality. What makes anyone or anything unique? Everything in the world around us is made up of something – often many parts – but we don’t always see them with our naked eye. Now you might have wondered what motivates Indigo to do what we do and what elements make up our distinctive fingerprint, our DNA?
There’s a lot more to Indigo under the microscope. Our values combine to create a star intersection at the nucleus. You may have seen our lovely flowery logo pop up here and there but it isn’t just a pretty symbol. Our lotus-leafy logo represents five key ingredients that make up the Indigo formula. Our holistic approach creates a multi-dimensional environment for growth and development. Our five leaf set of values are integrally linked and all give power to each other creating a unique alchemy.
Creativity
At Indigo Arts and Crafts, we believe that nurturing a child’s creativity is about much more than just making art. It’s about championing their overall well-being, igniting a passion for learning and building meaningful connections with themselves, others, and the environment. Being creative in its truest form, involves children’s freedom to commit themselves entirely to the effort and make whatever activity they are immersed in, their own. The key in any creative activity, is that wonderful process of self-expression and the ability to help children develop emotionally and connect with their own feelings. Indigo allows children to discover those lightbulb moments and explore new ideas, new ways of thinking and enables them to problem solve. Creativity also goes a long way to acknowledge and celebrate children’s individuality and diversity.
Nature
Exploring the natural world around them is one of the most enriching experiences for young minds and bodies. Nature and the outdoors allows children to be healthy, creative and curious. Whether it’s watching a ladybird climb over their hand or blowing dandelion seeds to make a wish, there are so many benefits to children being at one with nature. The freedom of the outdoors is nourishing for their mental health and with anxiety in children at an all time high, being outdoors is all the more important. Discovering nature helps teach them about the physical world around them, feeding them with knowledge on their nature adventures. In this day and age, moderating screen time is key and there’s no better way than to grab your boots and go and explore. Imagination is easily stimulated with film and television, but being in nature allows children the opportunity to create their own fun. Nature feeds creativity naturally and always provides nutrient to the mind, body and soul.
Health & Wellbeing
Empowering children with their own health and wellbeing is so important in helping them live life to their fullest. At Indigo, we encourage kids to embrace vitality, ensuring they experience the positive aspects of healthy living and activity for themselves. One of the ways we do this is by introducing children to a rainbow of fruits and vegetables, often including things they’ve never tried before. We transform snack time into a creative adventure, giving kids the chance to design their own fruit kebabs, blend up smoothie drinks or work together to prepare healthy dips and crunchy veg dippers. This hands-on approach not only makes healthy eating fun, but also teaches children about nutrition and the benefits of a balanced diet. By engaging with healthy foods creatively, kids are more likely to develop a lifelong appreciation for nutritious choices and perhaps request their newly discovered favourites at home.
Learning
We like to ignite a passion for learning, helping children absorb new experiences in a fun and engaging way. We believe that education should be an enriching journey, filled with opportunities to explore, create, and grow. Through creative activities, children learn to work out solutions by problem-solving. Whether it’s figuring out how to construct a sturdy bridge out of craft sticks or devising a storyline for a group stop-motion animation project, these tasks encourage critical thinking and innovation.
New skills are constantly being introduced at Indigo, building confidence in our young artists. From mastering the moulding of a coil pot in pottery to developing watercolour combinations with painting, each new skill acquired is a step towards greater self-assurance and pride in their abilities. We celebrate every achievement, big or small, supporting a growth mindset that encourages children to keep trying, persevering and learning.
Connection
Connection is so integral to us and is most definitely at the heart of everything we do – we believe in the power of kindness, both to oneself and to others. Our activities are designed to help children make friends, practice empathy and understand the importance of community. Exploring emotions and embracing them as positive experiences is a key part of our program. Through art, children can express their feelings in a safe and supportive environment. Whether it’s joy, sadness, excitement, or frustration, we help them navigate their emotions and understand that all feelings are valid and important.
Our commitment to connection extends to the natural world as well. We teach children about protecting animals and species, instilling a sense of responsibility for the environment. By understanding the actions and consequences of behaviours, they learn that what we do has an impact on the world around us. This awareness develops a sense of responsibility and encourages sustainable practices from a young age.
Indigo Arts and Crafts is more than just a holiday club, it’s a vibrant community where children can thrive in every aspect of their lives. By focusing on health and wellbeing, embracing a love of learning, building strong connections with ourselves, others and our natural world; we aim to inspire young minds creatively and holistically. We are proud of the impact we have on the children who attend our clubs, and look forward to continuing to nurture the next generation of healthy, creative, curious and compassionate individuals.
