→ Tips From the Pros
→ Greening Your Back-to-School Shopping List
→ What to Do After School
→ Back to School 2.0: Gadgets for Students
→ Great First Day Clothes for Girls
→ Great First Day Clothes for Boys
→ Spicing Up Brown Bag Lunches
→ Getting In To Top Colleges

Budding Artists

Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, 545 Seventh St., SE; 202-547-6839. The workshop’s Youth Arts Program, which starts August 24, runs for 17 weeks and is geared toward kids ages 5 to 14. Students can design a weekly schedule of classes covering topics from mosaics and ceramics to photography and Adobe Illustrator. The semester ends with a gallery show and performance for parents. Classes meet Monday through Thursday from 4 to 5 and from 5 to 6, Friday from 4 to 5:30.

Loudoun Academy of the Arts, 222 South King St., Leesburg; 703-777-8043. These weekly, monthlong classes are suitable for all ages. The usual suspects are part of the roster—think drawing and painting—but so are some unusual classes, such as “Anime and More” for budding cartoonists and “Let’s Have Fun With Color” for three- to five-year-olds. Several classes are held on Saturday.

Monart Drawing Studio, 12116 Darnestown Rd., Suite L-4, North Potomac; 301-987-0377. This studio offers classes in drawing and clay modeling for a range of ages, from youngsters to adults. Classes typically meet once a week, and fall classes start September 7.

Mini-Mozarts

Levine School of Music, 2801 Upton St., NW; 202-686-8000. The Levine School offers private instruction for various instruments and classes in subjects such as jazz improvisation and music history. Music-making classes are offered for kids as young as four months. Fall private lessons begin September 9, and group classes begin September 21. Other campuses in North Bethesda, Arlington, and Southeast DC.

Paul Green School of Rock Music, 20660 Ashburn Rd., Ashburn; 703-858-0820. Paul Green School of Rock teaches kids how to become real-life guitar heros. Students can take private lessons for guitar, bass, drums, keyboard, or vocals and participate in a once-a-week rock-group rehearsal. Lessons culminate in a themed performance, such as a Led Zeppelin tribute show or a hair-metal-themed performance. Admission is on a rolling basis, so students can start rocking anytime. Other locations in Vienna and Silver Spring.

Academy of Music, 8451 Helgerman Ct., Gaithersburg; 301-947-9705. In addition to private lessons, the Academy holds music-theory and early-childhood music classes. If your kid’s not into music, there are also standup comedy and acting classes for a variety of age levels. Right now the school is offering 20 percent off selected fall classes, which start September 8.