Unleashing Creativity and Critical Thinking Through Art: Summer Camp at Balgran Charitable Home

Children celebrating at the JK Arts Foundation Summer Camp 2026 at Balgran Home for the Destitute, Jammu, proudly displaying certificates and colorful crafts.

As part of its continued efforts to make arts education accessible to every child, JK Arts Foundation, in collaboration with Global Shapers Jammu Hub, conducted a creative art session during a summer camp at Balgran Charitable Home for Children. The session engaged 86 students from UKG to Class 9 and was facilitated by JKAF Artists for Change, Saakshi and Shikha, alongside members of the Jammu Hub led by Curator Hasit Sachdeva. Designed around the principles of arts-integrated learning, the workshop provided children with an opportunity to learn, create, and express themselves through hands-on artistic experiences while nurturing creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and confidence.

The session began with warm and engaging interactions between the facilitators and students, creating an atmosphere of trust, enthusiasm, and participation. Following a brief welcome by Curator Hasit Sachdeva and an introduction to the artists, children were encouraged to approach the activities with curiosity, imagination, and the confidence to explore new ideas.

The first activity focused on unleashing creativity and imagination through clay modelling. Students were guided to create flowers using clay while being encouraged to experiment with their own ideas, designs, and artistic styles. Demonstrations were provided to each group, but rather than replicating a single model, children were given the freedom to personalize their creations. Working in pairs and small groups, they discovered how a simple lump of clay could be transformed into something beautiful through imagination and effort. The activity encouraged self-expression, strengthened fine motor skills, and reinforced the idea that every child's creativity is unique and valuable.

The second activity focused on developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills through paper flower making. Using colourful papers and straws as raw materials, students explored how everyday objects could be transformed into artistic creations. After observing demonstrations by the artists, they experimented with folding, shaping, assembling, and arranging materials in different ways to create flowers. Rather than following a fixed outcome, children were encouraged to think independently, test different approaches, and discover creative solutions using the resources available to them. The exercise demonstrated that innovation often begins by seeing new possibilities in ordinary materials.

Throughout the session, facilitators observed remarkable enthusiasm, collaboration, and engagement. Children eagerly exchanged ideas, helped one another, and proudly presented their finished work. Beyond developing artistic skills, the activities fostered communication, teamwork, patience, confidence, and a sense of accomplishment.

To celebrate their participation, certificates were presented to all students, while the artists received certificates of appreciation for their contribution to the camp. The session concluded with a group photograph, capturing a day filled with colour, creativity, laughter, and shared learning.

This summer camp demonstrated how thoughtfully designed arts-based activities can nurture both creative expression and critical thinking, empowering children to imagine, innovate, and believe in their own potential.