I first ran into MOCHA when I was working in yuoth development. My first reaction was confusion about how a museum would be fostering youth development, but as I learned more about their programs, I understood that they're far, far more than a museum. My daughter has participated in their day camps, and they've been just wonderful. The staff are skilled, the art the children do is stimulating, and they weave lots of play and physical activity into the schedule. Most exciting is that my daughter came home with lots of enthusiasm for doing more art, and plenty of new ideas. The staff clearly understand youth development, so MOCHA's programs are safe, engaging, fun, and foster good relationships among the participants and between staff and participants.
MOCHA is one of the happiest places on earth and it's reach is way beyond the confines of their physical space. They provide wonderful programs in their space for children to expeience the joy of art making in a safe and supportive environment. Even better, they extend into the neighborhood, providing art programming to underserved children throughout the community. It's so exciting to see how they are inspiring children with self-confidence and pride while giving them tools to live responsible and fulfilling lives.
MOCHA provides a unique, unforgettable experience every time I go there! Their staff are enthusiastic, energetic, and experienced, their projects are uniqely hands-on and interactive, and they help build the creativity and self-confidence of every person who walks through their doors! It may be called a museum, but it certainly feels much more exciting than any other museum I've been to!
Oakland's Museum of Children's Art (MOCHA for short) is a wonderful place for children to go to explore their artistic talents, express themselves through creativity, and to develop an appreciation for the arts. I have been taking my own son, now 7, for years! I took him to one of Mocha's family workshops in which he learned to use a hot glue gun and misc. donated materials, such as wood, nut shells, plastic figures and more, to create a sculpture that he would enter into an exhibit entitled "Re-Create" and go on to win third place in his age group. After that day at MOCHA, mommy had to go and buy him his own glue gun so he could continue his exploration of this new found art-form. We were lucky enough to frame one of his paintings during another one of MOCHA's amazing workshops in which we received a donated frame, mat board and mylar to make a wonderful finished piece that my son had displayed at the Oakland Art Museum for an exhibit of children's art. MOCHA has allowed him the freedom to explore without me having the mess to clean up afterwards! The staff is wonderful, the location is great, and the materials the children are exposed to is fantastic! I would never have thought to purchase my son a hot glue gun until we used one together at MOCHA! In fact, I would not have had the confidence in my son to use one responsibly. However, one of the MOCHA staff members showed us how to use it properly and responsibly, opening up a new medium to the two of us! We continue to go to MOCHA whenever we can and we love to go just to see the exhibits at times, even if we don't have time to create a work of art ourselves. We simply LOVE the Museum of Children's Art!