Hands-On Learning

Workshops With
Anna Reyner

Who is
Anna Reyner?

A nationally recognized arts advocate who has dedicated her life to helping people achieve their own creative potential, Anna has conducted over 800 national and international hands-on art workshops. She’s a registered art therapist and a licensed marriage and family therapist. 

Anna holds a masters degree in Art Therapy from the University of Louisville and a B.A. in both art and psychology from Ohio Wesleyan University.  

Author of two award winning books, Smart Art and Smart Art 2, Anna Reyner has nearly 40 years of experience delivering art programs and trainings to parents and educators all over California. She remains passionate about spreading the benefits of art and creativity in emotional intelligence, mental health and overall wellness.  

“These are fantastic workshops!
Thank you and keep them coming!”

Christina Cabrera - Assistant Executive Director Camp Fire Boys & Girls Club

CreativePlay workshops combine lecture, hands-on activities and small group collaborations to create highly motivating atmospheres for everyone.   
 SKILLS BUILDERS: Designed for teachers in PreK, Kindergarten, and Grades 1-3 classrooms, Skills Builders currently focus on these topics:
  • Art & Early Brain Development
  • Stem to Steam
  • Messy Art
  • Building Community
  • Art Therapy  
ENERGY BOOSTERS:  Designed for teachers, parents, and program administrators to reduce stress and renew emotional energies, Energy Boosters current focus on these topics:
  • Energy Booster 101  (playful, interactive, focus on making connections)
  • Renew Your Passion  (nurturing, interactive, focus on self expression)

1.) ART & EARLY BRAIN DEVELOPMENT:

The Neurobiology of Early Art Experiences

Art & Early Brain Development:

SUMMARY: Art engages children’s minds and emotions, and helps develop valuable cognitive, social-emotional, and multi-sensory skills. Current brain research tells us how open ended art activities literally grow the brain. Learn how brain development is reflected in children's artwork, and review slides that highlight current brain research and the neurobiology of art experiences as they relate to the brain and early language acquisition. LEARNING OBJECTIVES: • Discuss current brain research and neurobiology trends as they impact early learning • Identify how art impacts cognitive development and language acquisition • Participate in a hands-on art activity to activate your own creativity
Learn More 🙂

2.) RENEW YOUR PASSION:

A Stress Reduction Workshop

Renew Your Passon:

SUMMARY:  Passion is an essential ingredient of satisfying life and work. Do you sometimes feel more burned out than on fire? This hands-on art workshop provides a safe, fun and creative environment to get back in touch with your creativity and renew your passion for work and life. Get out of your head and experience the pleasure and power of hands on creativity. Leave the high-tech world behind and immerse yourself in a sensory experience with fellow colleagues that will nurture and surprise you. LEARNING OBJECTIVES:          • Participate in stress reduction and mindful meditation exercises • Create a Mixed Media Collage that expresses your own personal values • Experiment with multiple sensory art materials
Learn More 🙂

3.) STEM to STEAM:

Exploring Creativity & Critical Thinking With Children

FROM STEM TO STEAM:

SUMMARY:  Learn how to use art materials to teach math & science fundamentals in the early childhood classroom. Sharpen knowledge of how math, science and art create positive synergy that helps children meet PreK Learning Foundations and school readiness. View slides of “Best Practice” classrooms throughout California that have gone from STEM to STEAM by integrating art into math, science and physics foundations. Includes a hands-on STEAM experience. LEARNING OBJECTIVES: • Learn to enhance your existing STEM centers with sensory components • Identify math & science PreK Learning Foundation strands in 6 Activities • Discuss 12 slides of STEAM activities from Best Practice classrooms
Learn More 🙂

4.) BUILDING COMMUNITY:

Connection in the MULTI-CULTURAL CLASSROOM

BUILDING COMMUNITY in the MULTI-CULTURAL CLASSROOM:

SUMMARY:  Children go to school with children from many different cultures. Explore hands-on activities that help you identify your own cultural bias, so you can be better prepared in to help integrate children from different cultures in your own classroom. Children benefit from teachers that understand their own cultural biases and welcome the opportunity to model positive relationship building in the classroom.  This workshop presents simple but effective activities that help reduce prejudice and stereotyping in the early childhood classroom. LEARNING OBJECTIVES: • Identify CA PreK Learning Foundations, Social Studies: Self and Society. (diversity, relationships, social roles & occupations) • Identify CA PreK Learning Foundation Social Studies: Becoming a PreK Community Member (skills for democratic participation, responsible conduct, fairness and respect for others, conflict resolution)
Learn More 🙂

5.) MESSY ART:

Tickle Your Senses!

Messy Art:

SUMMARY:  Learn why “messy art” is so important in this fun, hands-on workshop. Experiment with art materials and combine paints with slippery, foamy, and bumpy things that provide giggles and delight along with learning. Children learn best when hands-on, self-directed learning engages their senses. In this stimulating workshop you’ll learn how to combine Liquid Watercolor, BioColor and Foam Paint with everyday household goods that cost very little.  Leave your inhibitions behind and explore an unforgettable art experience. Includes 6 Messy Art lesson plans. LEARNING OBJECTIVES: • Learn how sensory play engages active learning • Explore the benefits of sensory play and messy art • Participate in hands-on sensory art and group activities
Learn More 🙂

6.) ART THERAPY:

Building Bridges Through Art & Communication

Art Therapy:

SUMMARY: Drawing and painting are powerful activities that offer children a sense of discovery and control. Clay, collage, woodwork, and other art experiences provide a very wide range of learning possibilities. Discover more about “media variables” and the physics of sensory experience with different art materials, as well as how to select different art materials to achieve a variety of goals.

Learn how to better understand the needs of children in your classroom and how to maximize the full potential of art materials and art as language.
Learn More 🙂

7.) ENERGY BOOSTER:

Giving Your Staff a FUN Break

Energy Booster:

SUMMARY: Schedule a playful, hands-on Energy Booster for an otherwise serious Professional Development Day, and provide a break that your staff will appreciate. Show that you value the power of creativity as a form of self renewal and self care. Reduce burnout and improve peer communication. Select from over a dozen energizing art activities, or let me select what I think your staff will enjoy the most. LEARNING OBJECTIVES: • Provide a joyful, high-energy break to reduce stress and revitalize • Reinforce the value of self care through creativity and play • Promote positive staff relationships with hands-on collaboration
Learn More 🙂
★★★★★ 5/5

“WOW! My favorite workshop in ages!”

Pauline McCall, Director of The Learning Experience

★★★★★ 5/5

“Great workshops, they really inspire you!”

Marilyn Frapwell, Manager Long Beach USD Kids Club

★★★★★ 5/5

“Really creative ideas – I learned a lot and had a great time!”

Corinna Castillo, Site Director YMCA of Santa Maria Valley

Frequently Asked Questions:

Workshop Length: 1-2 hours, depending on hands-on activities  Number of Participants:  Can be adapted to any size group  
Cost:  Fee Schedule Available on request.
Topics: Currently 5 Skill Builders and 2 Energy Boosters
Workshop Format:    Skill Builders
20% Academics  / Keynote Slide Presentation & Discussion
80% Hands-On  / Art & Creative Learning Activities
Workshop Format:  Energy Boosters
5% Academics  / The Mind-Body Connection and Self Care
95% Hands-On  / Creative Art & Self Expression Activities

Explore our most popular Hands-On Workshops:

Knowledge is everything

History

Anna is a certified trainer for the of the National Alliance of Mental Illness and a trauma informed trainer for the Venice based women’s shelter alliance, A Window Between Worlds. She has volunteered extensively at VA Hospitals and developed art therapy programs for combat veterans with PTSD.  

She developed a special education arts program at the national school for special education as a Peace Corps volunteer in Central America, an experience that allowed her to become fully bilingual in English and Spanish.  With nearly 40 years experience delivering art programs and trainings, she remains passionate about the role of art and creativity in emotional intelligence, mental health and human wellness.

Companies That Love Anna:

ART plays a role in life more than most people realize.  
These 3 companies hired Anna as a market research consultant.

iNFINITY

CreativePlayLA supports Infiniti’s team of product developers to help them build some of the best automobiles on the road.

Microsoft

We love working with the Microsoft Team, they are an industry leader and company that continues to revolutionize our world. 

Clean Diesel

Our environment needs champions and we’re proud to support this amazing company to help them reach theirl goals.

Anna's
Awards:

Our work speaks for itself but it always feels good to be recognized. Here are just a few of the awards that Anna has received in her career…

Creating Joy Award.

Proud 2014 winner of A Window Between Worlds award for training excellence, and for developing trauma-informed art workshops for women’s shelters nationwide. AWBW advocates that art is a healing tool for trauma, and provides training for programs across the country that support women and children experiencing violence and trauma. 

Director's Choice Award.

Both of Anna’s books, Smart Art and Smart Art 2, won the prestigious Director’s Choice Award for “Best New Product” at the National Association for Early Childhood Educators conferences, in 2005 and 2006. Together they provide 72 “smart” Art Lessons, each classified by it’s potential for cognitive, social-emotional and motor skill development.  

Artist in Residence Award.

Zimmer Children’s Museum presented Anna with this prestigious museum education award in 2001, for creating and implementing a creative family arts program at their children’s museum in Los Angeles.  

Lifetime Achievement Award

Chi Kappa Rho, a national organization for professional women in community service, awarded Anna the Lifetime Achievement Award for public service as a Creative Arts Trainer for Parks & Recreation Departments throughout LA County. 

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