Prambanan Temple offers holiday art classes for children

During the school holidays, Candi Prambanan in Yogyakarta is transforming into an interactive learning space with its "Junior Wanderer: Heritage Lab" art workshop program designed specifically for children. This initiative offers a unique opportunity for young visitors to immerse themselves in Indonesian culture and unleash their creativity across various artistic disciplines.

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The creative Heritage Lab program includes learning gamelan, dance, and also coloring wayang.

The program is structured around three main areas: gamelan music, traditional dance, and wayang coloring. In the gamelan workshop, children will be introduced to traditional Javanese instruments like the saron, bonang, and gong, learning the basic rhythms of this distinct musical form. The traditional dance classes focus on the fundamental movements of classical Javanese dance, often inspired by the poses found in the temple's intricate reliefs. Meanwhile, the wayang coloring class allows children to learn about the characters from the temple's relief stories and practice the art of coloring and carving traditional puppets.

Gistang Panutur, an organizer at Candi Prambanan, explained that the Heritage Lab aims to make the tourist destination more than just a place to visit. It's intended as a venue for children to cultivate their artistic interests and talents. "The workshop model is structured with facilitators, carrying various themes tailored to the children's interests and organized into separate classes," he stated.

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So this class model is in the form of a workshop with a facilitator, carrying various themes that are adjusted to the children's interests and made per class.

This holiday season, specific dates are available for the wayang coloring (June 27, July 4, July 11 at 10:00 AM) and gamelan classes (June 27, July 4, July 11 at 3:00 PM). Traditional dance classes are scheduled for June 28, July 5, and July 12 at 10:00 AM. Panutur emphasized that the goal is for children to have direct experiences and cultural education, moving beyond simply observing the largest Hindu temple in Indonesia. "Children don't just come as tourists, but also become part of the learning process of understanding culture," he said.

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So children don't just come as tourists, but also become part of the learning process of understanding culture.

Additionally, the "Special New Performance Roro Jonggrang" offers another engaging cultural experience. Unlike the more classical Sendratari Ramayana, this performance blends traditional Javanese dance with modern, acrobatic, and contemporary elements, creating an energetic and entertaining show for all ages. This performance runs on select dates throughout June and July.

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But also through fun activities.