Educator Kimberly Edwards gets creative with child-centred entertainment
Published:Friday | December 16, 2022 | 12:34 AMKrysta Anderson/Staff Reporter
The sheer joy on the faces of little ones with the most adorable requests to be present at other special occasions is all the encouragement Kimberly Edwards needs. There is power in imagination, and this teacher, mother, and partner has spent the last decade getting creative when it comes to entertaining children. She spoke with Living about how her passion project became Creative Hands, a thriving and fulfilling business venture.
“I am a teacher so that naturally spills over into everything I do with children. For my business, we offer creative entertainment and summer camps. If you’re having a birthday and looking for a way to entertain children beyond a bounce house and other [activities] of that traditional nature, then I will come in and customise an entertainment package based on the theme, age and guests you will have. Guests get to make and create unique handmade pieces that reflect passion [and] artistic imagination and that are long-lasting,” she told Living.
For as long as she can remember, Edwards has always had a keen interest in working with children. So it was only natural that she pursued a career in early childhood education. But what many didn’t know was that she was raised with an artistic background as well.
“Being creative was something that was a part of me from a very young age. I used to upcycle a lot of things. I remember being at home and turning wine bottles into little aquariums, so it started from there,” Edwards explained.
Once her mother realised she had a knack for creating things, she enrolled her teen daughter in the summer programme at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts, and she began flourishing. Additionally, while attending Wolmer’s High School for Girls, she discovered her passion for art and was excited to learn several techniques there.
On a fast track to becoming a teacher, Edwards recounted a time when she would spend several summers being a camp counsellor at a private school in Florida. “After doing that for a number of years, I thought, ‘Wow. This is something that I want to continue’. When I moved back to Jamaica and started working at the American International School of Kingston, I realised that the school didn’t have a summer programme. I wanted to recreate what I experienced in Florida here,” the kindergarten teacher revealed.
So the educator of over 15 years set out to fill this gap at the school, starting the programme with two of her colleagues. It really took off, she confessed, adding that she believed it grew in the way it did because it was something that Jamaica needed.
“I started out with summer camps. After it gained popularity, persons would ask if I would do anything for Easter or Christmas, so I extended it to include other holidays,” she said. From there, the requests began coming in for birthday parties. She not only does camps throughout the year but also provides creative entertainment for children at birthday parties.
The creative director of Creative Hands noted that she had to pivot and evolve, particularly during the global pandemic. Because she couldn’t bring people into a public space, she moved to become home-based when it came to her services. “This was something that I never stopped doing,” she added.
The camps usually have a collaborative element, where she invites teachers specialising in dance, music and cooking. She also offers custom piñatas for parties as well.
The response to her innovation has been really great over the years. Working full-time as a teacher, she juggles at least one event per month. But it is a delicate dance, one that she thoroughly enjoys. During her nine-to-five, she is Ms Edwards, and she is Ms Creative Hands on the weekends.
And there is a beautiful benefit to playing both roles. Because she is already in the business of children, clients feel secure in hiring her because she understands the primary clients. “It is not just about having fun; it is about managing them and keeping them safe. Having that teacher’s eye is a wonderful complement to what I am doing,” Edwards shared, adding that she is grateful to be a staple at birthday parties.
Although it is a tight fit with motherhood in the mix, Edwards is excited about connecting with children, celebrating with them when they have these special occasions and being in class to teach them. “I am motivated by the smiles and the feedback; when I ask if everyone is having fun and they say yes, when a child comes up to me and asks if I can come to their birthday party because the children refer me to their parents. At the end of the day, I am so tired, but just knowing I have made an impact and created lasting memories, not for the birthday person but all the guests there, those things make me happy,” the entrepreneur shared.
She is already looking forward to a Creative Christmas for this year’s camp, scheduled for December 19 to 22, including holiday crafts, games, designing, water play, music, dancing, cooking and treats. Edwards has teamed up with Kukup Kreations and has enlisted a music as well as a dance teacher.
Expanding her services outside of Kingston to Montego Bay, she hopes to one day do camps all around the island and become a household name. “I would love to partner with organisations that would like to bring me on board to give back. I hope to continue shaping young minds, and I would love to be with families for generations and generations to come.”