DSM For Kids

Coloring books and markers can lose their appeal for young Picassos. When the creativity blues strike, put down the crayons and take the kids to the Des Moines Art Center for a smART Family Weekend.

The Art Center is kid-friendly all the time, but smART weekends put children (and fun) first. The second Saturday and Sunday of each month, the Art Center gets silly. Themed activities let youngsters 5 and up travel the museum and make a pièce de résistance of their own.

Saturday morning activities are free and take place before the museum opens. You'll have the place to yourself as Art Center VIPs. Activities led by expert Art Center staffers have kids playing museum detective, finding themselves up close and personal with unexpected details hidden in the artwork.

Sunday activities are more elaborate afternoon fare and require a small fee, less than $10, to cover materials. Previous classes include learning printmaking techniques to create family portraits and using bamboo brushes to draw Chinese calligraphy. Kids have even sewn their own stuffed monster!

Find out more at their website. Registration is required and classes fill up, so don't hesitate to expand your art horizon with your favorite little ones.