What we do?
We are an animation School and edutainment solutions, we teach kids & young youth age of 6 to 15 about animation, storytelling and other skills through workshops systematically and divided into three age groups (specific curriculum), beside that all these workshops are available online through our main platform, A4Kids TV YouTube channel, we screen short movies made by children from all around the world.
We work with kids in person via those animation workshops, through workshops we’re able to discover these kids' talents and encourage them in their track such as drawing, sculpture, directing, music, script writing, acting or even photographing. We set them on the right track whether with us or with our partners.
Our ultimate goal is teaching children to implement their own movie – whenever and wherever they are: at home, in their school, day breaks, etc…., and simplifying art based on the lowest cost available neglected materials and smart devices ……
Proudly, after eight years of working with kids, we designed an animation art and storytelling curriculum and we named it (مدرسة العم فن للمخرج الصغير) (Al-Am Fan for Young Director). It can be taught in Art and Design subject classes in schools, directed to kids from 6 to 12 years old (Primary stage).
*Al-Am Fan (Al-Am is cultural term related to a trusted family member whom kids like listening to as he is more of a storyteller; “Fan” is the Arabic translation for Art, and we intentionally chose this so as to go with "Al-Am" as a culturally-related term) …..
In designing this curriculum we intended to be in line with international curricula, such as IG, American, British and IB (international baccalaureate) programs for this target age group (PYP). we would like to present this curriculum to schools and kids development centers to be accredited and taught.
The curriculum is systematically divided into age groups and including 12 modules of animation.
Why we do it?
- We help the child in the near future be professional at the animation industry in its various fields and make a living out of that if he/she chooses animation as a career; if not, they become better at using these tools in their studies and daily life, In addition to self-reliance, self-confidence and good investment in time …
- We do so either by our entity or with our partners to get them ready to join faculties of media and fine arts later ahead.
- In the case of applying this curriculum in the art and design classes in schools, we are here in front of a shift from the traditional drawing classes to new horizons and creative ideas, away from the traditional methods in art teaching.
- We aid the child to change from just being a recipient and a viewer to being a creator and executor.
- We change the terrible attachment of the child to smart devices to a healthy productive one in which he/she makes a good use of his/her talents and skills in a useful media and art content and production.
- We instill the concept of recycling environmental raw materials in the child’s culture by simplifying art based on the lowest cost available neglected or ready-to-be-thrown-away toys, packages, etc. and using them to produce animation movies.
- We help children to implement their own movie anytime and anywhere instead of wasting their time playing some violent games.
- We change the concepts of “media” in the minds of children and strengthen their cinematic observation when watching their favorite animated movie on television.
- We produce animation movies made by children, inspired by their ideas and based on their age groups, we help the most talented ones to participate in International Animation Festivals.
- As the curriculum is highly flexible in implementation based on the children’s preferences, we are open to incorporate one of drama classes stories assigned to them in their syllabus to be a part of (Al-Am Fan curriculum) ....
A previously implemented example of this:
Greek mythology (Dadelous & Icraus)" is a drama short story assigned to a certain class in a primary school. We converted it to a 3Ds short movie, made by some children aging between 6 to 12 years old, under the supervision of A4Kids Animation School Team, the link of film:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqQCU5s42vE&t=39s
- We utilize the child’s learning of set of technical skills in his drama, science and mathematics classes to enhance his/her comprehension of those subjects. In other words, we intermingle school subjects with the activities we do; for example, we make use of bed-time stories in enhancing kids’ creative script writing skills and reflect that on Arabic language as a subject they study in schools especially on that part related to developing their composition/ writing skills.
Note: The book is available in many languages .....
