Free Character Drawing Camp for Kids

Creativity

Character Design Virtual Workshop July 28 - August 18

I love sharing freebies with MBE's national family lifestyle audience. But when it comes to sharing free, worthwhile creative art activities like Creativity Camp that will engage your kids this summer, I can't wait to tell you all about it. So, let's get started!

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WHAT

Creativity Camp, hosted in partnership with Wacom and Best Buy, is an annual complimentary online workshop series. The program is designed for both kids, young creators and beginner artists who enjoy sketching and drawing and would like to learn how to create (or up their skill set game) to draw original characters for comics, illustrated stories, video games, anime, and more. Wacom will be giving away the company's drawing tablets during each class (giveaways are open to attendees who are US residents only).  

4 Workshop Sessions Include

• Introduction to Character Design
• Shape Language, Intro to Model Sheets
• Expressive Faces, Poses Design
• Final Details, Professional Feedback

WHO

Led by seasoned illustrator and educator Lafe Smith, Director of Arts in Graphic and Web Design at Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD), this weekly Zoom series to be help Mondays, July 28–Aug 18 requires nothing more than a pencil and paper to join in the fun and learning. In each session, Smith will provide participants with insider tips, tricks, and step-by-step directions. Throughout the program Wacom tablets -- the same ones used by top artists at animation movie studios like Disney and Marvel (the later, a subsidiary of Disney) -- will be featured in live demos, and all sessions include bonus resources, materials, and replays. Another perk of participating is getting complimentary feedback from a professional illustrator.

WHEN 

Creativity Camp 2025 is an online series to be held each Monday, July 28 through Monday, August 18, 2025 from 3 to 4:30 pm PDT.

HOW 

To participate in this virtual month-long workshop, register Free to attend Creativity Camp. Sign up now and join this fun, skills-building program to learn how to draw digitally. Don't worry if you miss the start of camp or any of the individual sessions, once you're registered you'll be able to catch up and access the recordings of each class.

 

Wacom Drawing Tablets for All Skill Levels

Pictured above, just a few of the brand's product line

• Wacom Intuos Drawing Tablet for beginners
• Wacom One Drawing Tablet for entry-level pros
• Wacom Movink OLED Drawing Tablet for professionals

ABOUT

Creativity Camp is a collaboration of Wacom and Best Buy. Headquartered in Japan, Wacom makes graphics tablets, interactive pens and stylus products for a global audience of creative skill levels from hobbyist to professional. The brand's devices are used professionally to draw and sketch in the fields of digital illustration, graphic design, photo editing, film and animation. Best Buy is known primarily as a consumer electronics retailer selling computers, tech accessories, cell phones, TVs, major household appliances and more. 

Custodial Roth IRA Benefits for Kids

Family Money

by Janis Brett Elspas, Editor

Mommy Blog Expert

MBE partnered with Responsival for this post

Saving for Your Child's Future

With savings interest rates so low right now, it's the ideal time to think about other ways to get each of your kids started with building a nest egg that continues to grow throughout childhood and into their 20-something years and beyond. While far less common, a solid option to consider is a Custodial Roth IRA which parents and legal guardians can set up for children. Not only does this present the opportunity to teach kids about money management early it also helps them build long-term wealth at a higher rate, giving kids a headstart on financial independence.

 

 

Custodial Roth IRA for Kids Basics 

You may be wondering what on earth is a Custodial Roth IRA? And why you should you even care about setting up one for your son or daughter? So, let's get right into it.

In the simplest terms the Custodial Roth IRA is a retirement account for kids. It's managed by you and you can be set up an account for any age child. When the minor reaches the legal age of adulthood (typically 18 or 21 years old) the funds in the account are transfered into their name. This type of child's account is just like a standard Roth IRA for grownups -- after‑tax dollars earned from work by the contributor go in and qualified withdrawals later are tax‑free. 

You can contribute the amount your child earns each year, whether from teenager earned income like babysitting, mowing lawns, modeling, or any W‑2 part-time or summer job. Parents, Grandparents and others may also contribute their own earned income until the child's account reaches a maximum of $7,000 of deposits per year as of 2025. The main difference from a Roth IRA is that mom, dad, or a legal guardian has to be the one to open and oversee the custodial account since minors can’t legally sign on their own.

 

Why Consider Custodial Roth IRAs for Kids 

Compound Interest is "Magic" 

Starting young, small contributions from kids part-time jobs can indeed grow huge over time. While not really magical, here's an example. With a $7,000 initial balance the first year, a Custodial Roth IRA (currently the average return rate is 6 percent) can potentially compound -- because both the principal and accumulated interest earn interest -- to almost $140,000 in 50 years. 

You can get a more personalized estimate of earnings based on what you think your account contributions might be with this free compound interest calculator.

Contribution Accessibility 

You can withdraw the money you put into a Custodial Roth IRA at any time without taxes or penalties. This is a really useful strategy when your teen needs funds for a big expense such as college, a car, or perhaps even a backpack trip to Europe. Later an adult child may tap into their account for bigger expenses for things like buying a starter home. Remember, however, that like regular Roth IRAs, the withdrawal of any tax free earnings are subject to the Roth rules of a 5-year holding period, wait until age 59.5 or meeting qualifying exceptions.

Kids Usually Are In the Lowest Tax Bracket 

Since the average child doesn't earn a salary or have a full-time, year-round job, they generally pay little or no income tax for the jobs they earn money for. In this position, the after-tax structure of a Custodial Roth IRA is advantageous for them. Not only are they paying less tax now while they are under age, they're getting access to tax-free withdrawal decades later when they're likely to be earning a lot more money because they're in a higher income bracket. 

Smart Saving for the Future is Educational 

Once a child has grasped simple math concepts in school, it's a good time to introduce them to their Custodial Roth IRA. 

Get creative with age-appropriate ways to teach and show them how interest works and how their money can increase. For example, for a 5 or 6 year-old you can use coins and show them how money can increase if they're saving it in this type of Roth IRA for kids. 

Over time, with your encouragement, tween and teens can work on more complex mathmatical challenges under your guidance working together with you to manage their investment, teaching them responsibility, budgeting and the benefits of saving early. It's a finance lesson they won't forget and will serve them for a lifetime.

 

Conclusion

In short, Custodial Roth IRAs are under-utilized in the US as only a low percent of kids currently have one. Yet, this is a powerful tool worth knowing about. It's an investment that combines a smart tax strategy, flexibility, education and money responsibility, with compounding earnings over time. 

Sure, your child is young, but starting their financial journey early and watching it grow together is one of the best gifts you can give them!

Hot Weather Family Safety Tips

Heatwave Survival

Updated 6/19/25

Heat Dome Affecting Kids, Adults 

This summer is well underway and temperatures are soaring to new heights and heat is testing the limits of humans to survive. In fact, weather forecasters are predicting the almost non-stop heatwave, also known as a Heat Dome, will force record-breaking high temperatures to spike to well over 100 degrees in many places, both in the U.S. and elsewhere around the world. 

With record heat engulfing the U.S., Yale Climate Connections (YCC) reports that May 2025 was the planet's second warmest on record. In fact, YCC says 2025 is expected to be in the top three hottest years globally. All this excessive heat, attributed to climate change by many experts, is impacting more than 5 billion of people worldwide, amounting to 60% of the world's population as of June 2024.

Make sure everyone in the family, young and old

• Drinks plenty of water all day and through the evening to stay properly hydrated, keeping in mind that alcohol, sports drinks and sugary juices often contribute to dehydration.
• Stays in covered or shaded areas outdoors or if indoors in well-ventilated areas, during the heat of the day.
• Limits outdoor sports and excessive physical exertion to the early morning hours or after dusk when the air is starting to cool off.
• Uses a good quality sunscreen with a high enough SPF --  whether it's sunny or cloudy -- to protect against harmful UV rays which can burn and dehydrate skin and add to further body dehydration.

6 Heat Wave Survival Tips

• Never leave a baby, child, ill or elderly person alone in the car even with the windows rolled down during hot days, whether in summer or any other time of the year. The same applies to never leaving a dog or other pet in the car.
• Keep more than enough extra bottles of water in your car when traveling (whether locally or on a road trip) in the event you get stranded or breakdown in the middle of the day.
• Encourage each person (all ages: babies to old age) to always wear a hat outdoors during daytime hours to help avoid sunburn on the head, unnecessary dehydration, and also aid in reducing the potential of sunstroke.
• Observe family members who have been out in the sun carefully, watching for symptoms of heat exhaustion -- such as headaches,  nausea, dizziness, sleepiness, and behavior changes -- any of which may indicate serious heat-related illness.
• Seek out qualified professional medical advice immediately if you notice anything unusual or have any doubts or concerns about how the heat might be affecting your loved ones.
• Remember your pets are usually affected by extreme heat, too. So keep them hydrated and out of the sun during the heat of the day. What's more, avoid walking your dog on hot pavement, roads, or tarmac which can burn animals' paws and even cause heat exhaustion and worst

Learn More to Keep Kids Safe in Hot Weather

Always be aware of local weather conditions and how it might impact everyone's health. Visit the CDC website for detailed information on how to protect kids from heat this summer.

Important Note: This post is not a substitute for professional medical advice and you should always seek out your trusted healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you have.