Term Topic
Each term, we develop fresh lesson plans around an exciting new topic to keep your child fully engaged and inspired.
By presenting techniques and artistic styles in the context of a famous art movement or artist, a new topic each term boosts interest, accelerates learning, and makes every class feel exciting and purposeful.
2026 Term 1 Topic: Surrealism Dreamscapes
Let your imagination run wild in our 2026 Term 1 Surrealism Dreamscapes topic.
Welcome to a term of imagination, discovery, and creative surprise! In Surrealism Dreamscapes, students dive into the playful, mysterious, and wonderful world of the surreal. We’ll explore how artists break the rules of reality—combining unlikely objects, bending space and time, and dreaming up entirely new visual worlds—then equip your child with the tools to do the same.
Over nine weeks, students experiment with techniques, materials, and ideas inspired by iconic Surrealist artists and today’s bold contemporary creators. They’ll build confidence in drawing and composition, master mixed media, and complete a major term piece that celebrates their unique “dream world.”
Why Students Love Surrealism
- Engaging & aspirational — Floating objects, strange juxtapositions, and other-worldly scenes capture kids’ imaginations and appeal to parents seeking fun, high-value classes.
- Skill-building — The imaginative theme still delivers strong fundamentals: composition, colour theory, media handling, and visual storytelling.
- Take-home wow factor — Finished artworks are bold, share-worthy, and perfect for social media, home display, or inspiring future enrolments.
- Flexible for all ages — Younger kids enjoy playful dreams and simple media; older students explore deeper metaphor, texture, and concepts.
Students will be inspired by masters like Salvador Dalí, René Magritte, Frida Kahlo, Leonora Carrington, and Remedios Varo—plus contemporary surrealists such as Erik Thor Sandberg, Naoto Hattori, and Jasmine Beckett-Griffith.
Term Topic
Each term, we develop fresh lesson plans around an exciting new topic to keep your child fully engaged and inspired.
By presenting techniques and artistic styles in the context of a famous art movement or artist, a new topic each term boosts interest, accelerates learning, and makes every class feel exciting and purposeful.
2026 Term 1 Topic: Surrealism Dreamscapes
Let your imagination run wild in our 2026 Term 1 Surrealism Dreamscapes topic.
Welcome to a term of imagination, discovery, and creative surprise! In Surrealism Dreamscapes, students dive into the playful, mysterious, and wonderful world of the surreal. We’ll explore how artists break the rules of reality—combining unlikely objects, bending space and time, and dreaming up entirely new visual worlds—then equip your child with the tools to do the same.
Over nine weeks, students experiment with techniques, materials, and ideas inspired by iconic Surrealist artists and today’s bold contemporary creators. They’ll build confidence in drawing and composition, master mixed media, and complete a major term piece that celebrates their unique “dream world.”
Why Students Love Surrealism
- Engaging & aspirational — Floating objects, strange juxtapositions, and other-worldly scenes capture kids’ imaginations and appeal to parents seeking fun, high-value classes.
- Skill-building — The imaginative theme still delivers strong fundamentals: composition, colour theory, media handling, and visual storytelling.
- Take-home wow factor — Finished artworks are bold, share-worthy, and perfect for social media, home display, or inspiring future enrolments.
- Flexible for all ages — Younger kids enjoy playful dreams and simple media; older students explore deeper metaphor, texture, and concepts.
Students will be inspired by masters like Salvador Dalí, René Magritte, Frida Kahlo, Leonora Carrington, and Remedios Varo—plus contemporary surrealists such as Erik Thor Sandberg, Naoto Hattori, and Jasmine Beckett-Griffith.
What Will Students Do & Learn
This term, our young artists will embark on an imaginative journey into Surrealism and Dreamscapes, exploring the wild, dream-like worlds of some of the most iconic artists in history. Surrealism invites children and teenagers to break free from reality and create impossible scenes—think melting clocks, floating elephants, and raining bowler-hat men—that spark wonder and self-expression.
Our classes will guide students through the artistic process, from understanding the fundamentals of surreal techniques to experimenting with drawing, painting, and mixed media. Students will draw inspiration from celebrated Surrealist masters, including:
Salvador Dalí, known for his bizarre, dream-inspired imagery like melting objects and optical illusions that challenge perception and ignite the imagination; René Magritte, whose clever, thought-provoking works blend everyday objects with impossible scenarios to question reality and evoke mystery; and Joan Miró, whose playful, abstract forms and vibrant symbols create joyful, carnival-like dream worlds full of floating creatures and personal storytelling. By studying these artists, students will learn to infuse their own artworks with creativity, humor, and emotional depth.
Through a mix of structured lessons and free-flowing exploration, students will build confidence in their artistic skills while being encouraged to draw from their dreams and fantasies. By the end of the term, students will have completed a major “dream world” canvas ready for display in a mini gallery show or addition to their personal portfolio. They’ll also gain insights into how Surrealism can be a tool for self-expression, helping them process ideas and emotions in fun, innovative ways.
Skills Students Will Learn in the “Surrealism & Dreamscapes” Term
- Freehand Drawing & Spontaneous Composition: Students will learn automatic drawing techniques to create shapes and layouts from pure imagination, inspired by Dalí’s dream-like distortions, Magritte’s clever object placements, and Miró’s floating symbols. They will explore how to build balanced yet unexpected compositions that capture whimsy and flow.
- Acrylic Painting & Blending for Surreal Effects: Drawing from Dalí’s melting forms and Magritte’s seamless skies, students will experiment with wet-on-wet blending, palette knives, and texture tools to make objects appear soft or impossible, adding depth and movement to their dream scenes.
- Perspective, Scale Manipulation & Optical Illusions: Inspired by Dalí’s double images (like swans turning into elephants) and Magritte’s size distortions, students will practice manipulating scale and creating illusions to challenge viewers’ perceptions, enhancing visual storytelling and intrigue.
- Color Theory & Mixed-Media Experimentation: Students will use bold primaries and abstract symbols, echoing Miró’s vibrant carnivals and Dalí’s dramatic palettes, while incorporating fingers, sponges, and straw-blowing for textured effects that evoke emotion and fantasy.
- Full Composition & Project Management: Like the layered worlds of these masters, students will plan thumbnails, underpaint backgrounds, and add final details to a large canvas, learning resilience and iteration to complete a cohesive, narrative-driven artwork.
- Personal Interpretation and Storytelling: Students will infuse their pieces with personal dreams and symbols, as seen in Miró’s playful icons and Magritte’s mysterious narratives, developing their unique voice to express ideas and emotions through art.
By exploring the techniques and styles of these legendary Surrealists, students will not only build technical skills but also discover how to channel imagination into captivating creations. These lessons will prepare them to produce meaningful artworks that stand out in portfolios or exhibitions, reflecting the innovative spirit celebrated in Surrealism.
Materials
We recommend students purchase the Sydney Art School Student Resource Kit
OR
You may purchase your own materials separately
The paints in the SAS resource kit are high quality and will typically last a student 3 terms. Contents of the SAS resource kit can be found at …. https://sydneyartschool.com.au/product/resource-kit-acrylics-artist-quality-starter-set-detail/
If you purchase your own materials please ensure they include; Paints: good quality and the same colour set and sizes as the SAS resource kit. 2 tubes of white paint recommended. Brushes: (variety of small, medium and large). Visual Art Diary (A3).
Other items to bring to each class include; Tea towel, washer, paper towel, or cloth: for drying brushes and cleaning spills. Pencil and eraser. Apron, or paint smock Water bottle: please note if coming after school and you bring a snack you may not bring foods containing nuts.
Tutors may ask students to bring in additional items from home such as photographs.
Each term the school will provide; Additional material for major work (canvas, high quality paper). Palettes and water jars are provided in the classroom.
Studios Dates Times
Art classes for kids are available in studios in Hornsby, Baulkham Hills & Epping.
Each term the classes start on the same starting week as NSW Public School Term dates
Classes run for 9 consecutive weeks.
(For classes that fall on a NSW public holidays an additional week will be added to ensure that students receive a total of 9 classes)
| Recommended Age Group Suitability | |||
| Mini Monet | Intermediate | Senior | Senior Transition |
| 5-7 | 8-10 | 11-13 | 13+ |
| Term 3 – 2025 | Level | Baulkham Hills |
Epping | Hornsby |
| Mondays
|
Mini Monet | 4:30 – 6:00pm 6:00 – 7:30pm |
4.00 – 5.30pm | 4.30 – 6pm |
| Intermediate | 4:30 – 6:00pm | 4.00 – 5.30pm | 4.30 – 6pm | |
| Senior | 4.00 – 5.30pm | |||
| Senior Transition | ||||
| Tuesdays
|
Mini Monet | 4.30 – 6pm | 4.30 – 6pm | |
| Intermediate | 4.30 – 6pm | |||
| Senior | 5.00 – 6.30pm | 4.30 – 6pm | ||
| Senior Transition | 5.00 – 6.30pm 6.30 – 8.00pm |
5.00 – 6.30pm | ||
| Wednesdays | Mini Monet | 5.30 – 7.00pm | 4.00 – 5.30pm | 4.30 – 6pm |
| Intermediate | 4.00 – 5.30pm | 4.30 – 6pm | ||
| Senior | 4.00 – 5.30pm | 4.30 – 6pm | ||
| Senior Transition | 5:00 – 6:30pm | |||
| Thursdays | Mini Monet | 4.00 – 5:30pm | 4.30 – 6pm | |
| Intermediate | 4:00 – 5:30pm | 4.30 – 6pm | ||
| Senior | 5:30 – 7:00pm | 4.30 – 6pm | ||
| Senior Transition | 5.30 – 7:00pm | 6.30 – 8pm | ||
| Fridays | Mini Monet | 4.00 – 5.30pm
5.30 – 7:00pm |
5.30 – 7pm | |
| Intermediate | 4.00 – 5.30pm
5.30 – 7:00pm |
|||
| Senior | ||||
| Saturdays | Mini Monet |
9.00 – 10.30am
|
9.00am – 10.30am
11am – 12.30pm
|
|
| Intermediate | 11.00 – 12.30pm | 11.00am – 12.30pm | ||
| Senior | 1.00 – 2.30pm | 9.00am – 10.30am
1.00 – 2.30pm |
||
| Senior Transition | 2.45 – 4.15pm | 2.45 – 4.15pm |
Why Sydney Art School?
- Qualified & Professional Tutors
- Structured and Varied Syllabus
- Broad Cognitive Skills Development
- Affordable Value for Money
- A Safe and Secure Environment
Sydney Art School has developed a range of kids art classes that meet those expectations.
Your Children Get The Best Qualified and Professional Art Tutors in Sydney
All senior tutors in childrens art classes are tertiary qualified, and professional artists. They combine full time art tutoring with their personal exhibition schedules.
Students in senior art classes who show high skill levels are invited to attend occasional adult classes and workshops when space permits.
Our extension art students are also given the opportunity to learn from some of Sydney’s best award winning artists including finalists and prizewinners in the Archibald, Sulman, Moran and Dobell art prizes.
An Art Class Syllabus that Combines Structure and Variety Enables Faster Development
To get the most benefit from art classes your child needs to be engaged across a wide area of styles techniques and subject matter.
Subject matter needs to be continually refreshed. If children lose interest the benefits drop away.
Every term a new artistic topic is chosen and lesson plans are created. The artistic topic focuses on a subject type e.g. portraiture, landscape, still life or an art movement such as impressionism, surrealism, cubism.
Variety gives breadth to learning experiences and is an important factors in keeping the students engaged.
Structured lesson plans are developed by our team of artists and teachers with degrees in fine arts and education.
Cognitive Skills Development
Each term topic is supplemented with cognitive skills training exercises specifically designed to strengthen areas such as:
- Visual memory,
- Observation and concentration, and
- Visual processing skills.
Value for Money
We pride ourselves on providing value for money.
An investment in art classes is an investment in the development of your child’s cognitive skills. So it is important that you choose quality and reliability.
Although you can find some classes that cost a little less than Sydney Art School – you will find that this usually means a compromise tutor quality, syllabus breadth and variety, facilities and materials.
Also when you consider the cost of art classes you will find that they are affodable and compare favourably to other activities. A good choice when investing in your child’s development.
Safety Security and Compliance
As a professional organisation the safety and security of your children is of paramount importance to us. We make sure we comply with all government regulations including:
- Working with Children checks: All tutors have certificates provided by NSW Police and and are authorised to work with children.
- First Aid Officers: Each studio has a designated First Aid Officer and most tutors are First Aid trained.
- Public Liability Insurance. Certificate of currency
- Drop Off – Pick Up Policy: All students are required to be escorted to the tutor, the tutor will supervise untill pick up by the parents.
- Visitor Policy: Visitors to studios are only permitted if prior arrangement is made with Sydney Art School. Tutors will be notified via email to expect the visitor – otherwise they will not be allowed to enter the premises.
General Information
Please review our Terms of Service at https://sydneyartschool.com.au/about-us/terms-and-conditions We understand many families are interested in trial classes for our kids art classes and children’s art programs before enrolling. However, due to the high demand for our art classes for kids in Sydney, we are not able to offer trial classes. This is not about the cost but simply about the limited space available. Many parents choose to secure their child’s spot by paying for the full year of children’s art lessons in advance. Along with returning students who continue with their art studies term after term, our classes often fill quickly—well before each term begins. To help you plan ahead, we usually advertise a reminder that enrolments for the next term of kids art classes are open around two weeks before the term starts. We strongly recommend enrolling early to avoid missing out, as places are limited and offered on a first-come, first-served basis. If you have any questions about our art courses for children, enrolment options, or how our creative kids art classes work, please feel free to contact us. We’re here to help you find the right art program for your child. We understand that sometimes children may need to miss a class in our kids art programs due to illness or other commitments. While we always do our best to help, please note that due to high demand and limited studio capacity, our policy is that we do not guarantee a make-up class will be available. Space in our children’s art classes is very limited, as many families enrol for the full year to secure their place, and our classes often fill completely before the term begins. For this reason, make-up classes can only be offered if another student is absent and a space becomes available on another day or time. If your child needs to miss a class and you would like to request a make-up session, please: Email us with the subject line: Make-Up Class Request [Student’s Name] Include: We will review your request and let you know if a suitable make-up option becomes available. Thank you for your understanding and for helping us keep our art classes for kids running smoothly for everyone.Terms of Service – Art Classes
Trial Classes and Enrolment for Kids Art Classes
Make-Up Class Policy for Kids Art Classes
