--- title: "Making a Mess To Be the Best: How Kidcreate Studio’s Kid-Friendly Model Is Its Own Work of Art" url: https://burnaze.com/article/b2514202-4fd6-4f75-be18-3fe242a07695 source: "1851 Franchise" original_url: https://1851franchise.com/making-a-mess-to-be-the-best-how-kidcreate-studios-kid-friendly-model-is-its-own-work-of-art-2709954 category: "Enrichment & STEM" industry: "Education & Childcare" segment: "Enrichment & STEM" published: 2019-06-03T21:16:00.000Z modified: 2026-11-01T02:25:41.641Z image: https://newimage.1851franchise.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=85,format=webp,width=1280,height=720/story/featureImage/9793c5d53f27fd4686918509a97b1e631.jpg --- # Making a Mess To Be the Best: How Kidcreate Studio’s Kid-Friendly Model Is Its Own Work of Art **TL;DR:** Kidcreate Studio, a device-free art education franchise, prioritizes art enrichment and creativity for children aged 18 months to 12 years. The brand has eight locations in five states and offers a 2-in-1 business model with a brick-and-mortar location and a high-value Kidcreate On-The-Go Studio. *originally published in 1851 Franchise on 2019-06-03. [Read the original](https://1851franchise.com/making-a-mess-to-be-the-best-how-kidcreate-studios-kid-friendly-model-is-its-own-work-of-art-2709954).* ## Story Upon seeing the spark that weekly art classes ignited in her kindergartner back in 2007, Kidcreate Studio founder and Chief Creative Officer Lara Olson knew that it was time to prioritize art enrichment. Her son’s clear passion for creative expression wasn’t finding a sufficient outlet in the once-a-week art class that his school provided, so Olson began researching supplementary alternatives. “I couldn’t find what I wanted for him. What I wanted was what Kidcreate Studio is today,” Olson said. “I became obsessed with the idea of creating this new environment for children to engage their creativity. It took 12 years to build to this vision, but we’re finally here.” “Here” is a device-free art education franchise of eight locations in five states that began with Olson’s initial location, opened in 2008 in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Kidcreate Studio is an environment where children aged 18 months to 12 years can build confidence, problem-solving skills and social skills through creative expression that has continued to “paint the states” since Olson first began franchising the brand in 2017. ## Key differentiators Kidcreate Studio stands out from the competition thanks to several factors, including a 2-in-1 business model; a tech-free, kid-friendly environment; plus a pro-mess mentality that encourages kids to be kids. The brick-and-mortar location of a given Kidcreate Studio distinguishes it from the tech-heavy online options on the market today, while the brand’s high-value Kidcreate On-The-Go Studio brings art to young creatives wherever they may be. The combination makes for an impressive 2-in-1 business model that’s well-suited to everything from weekly classes, camps, workshops and homeschooling options, as well as private classes and spirited birthday party packages. Furthermore, everything about Kidcreate’s studio model is tailor-made for children: Tables are intentionally set up at kid height; two friendly parakeet mascots, Arty and Crafty, greet visitors as they arrive at each location; and a bevy of books, toys and puzzles help kids transition from their parents’ care as they’re dropped off. Finally, Kidcreate Studio’s tagline, “Making a mess is the best,” accurately describes the kid-friendly focus of the brand and its warm invitation for child artists to fully dive into their projects. This no-holds-barred approach to art is made possible thanks to a device-free environment that prioritizes children’s creativity without the distraction of modern technology, to the benefit of learners and the enjoyment of parents. “It’s so hard to get kids away from devices these days,” Olson said. “To get them away from [technology] and into creativity is so important and a huge differentiator for us. Getting kids off the screen is something a lot of parents see the value in and are looking for now.” ## Franchisee experiences Jerry LaMonica is a Kidcreate Studio franchisee in Rock Hill, South Carolina . After working for 20 years in retail, LaMonica said that he and his husband and business partner, Eric, wanted a business opportunity that prioritized the needs of their two young children. “We wanted something they could be involved in, which brought us to family-oriented enrichment franchises,” LaMonica explained. “We found Kidcreate Studio included on a list of top emerging franchises and reached out for more information. We immediately fell in love with the people, the leadership and the organization.” LaMonica opened his Rock Hill location in Autumn 2018 and said that over the last six months, he has loved every single day spent in the studio. “One of the things I love is that no two days are ever the same,” LaMonica said. “It’s something different every day, because it’s kids. Sure, it’s chaos, but it’s fun chaos—it never feels like work.” When asked how Kidcreate stacks up against competitors, LaMonica was emphatic. “There is really nothing else like us out there,” LaMonica stressed. “Our energetic curriculum and kid-friendly studio space distinguish us, and our On-The-Go program truly sets us apart. We can go anywhere! So far, we’ve been all over the Charlotte metropolitan area.” LaMonica explained that Kidcreate’s On-The-Go program inspires artists across a variety of extracurriculars and events. “Anything we can do at the studio, we can do at an offsite location,” LaMonica said. “If a customer wants a birthday party at their home, we can come to them. Or, say a community’s recreation center wants to partner with us for their summer art programs; we can come in and provide materials, instructions and cleanup. It’s convenient for the city, school or consumer with which we partner and a great opportunity for us to get our name out, so it’s win-win.” Olson also pointed out that this portable element to Kidcreate’s model helps parents and caretakers by keeping the opportunity wide open for kids to partake in the curriculum. “That’s something that can’t be found elsewhere in our segment,” said Olson. With a practically infinite number of applications, a kid-friendly and tech-free atmosphere, and the chance for child artists to roll up their sleeves and get messy, Kidcreate Studio is perfectly positioned to “paint the states” through continued growth. Katie LaTour is a staff writer for 1851 Franchise and Estatenvy. She has experience in copywriting, editing and translation, and has written content for brands including Coca-Cola, Ivivva and Ray Ban's. She holds a Master of Arts in Writing and Publishing from DePaul University and a B.A. in English and Spanish from the University of Dayton. Presently, Katie is working on a poetry collection and building a platform for Chicago creative professionals to share best practices. ## Entities - 1851 Franchise (publication) - franchise growth (topic) - Education & Childcare (sector) - franchise model (topic) - Coke (company) - Kidcreate Studio (company) - art education (topic) - device-free environment (topic) - kid-friendly business (topic) --- Originally reported by 1851 Franchise (https://1851franchise.com/making-a-mess-to-be-the-best-how-kidcreate-studios-kid-friendly-model-is-its-own-work-of-art-2709954). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/b2514202-4fd6-4f75-be18-3fe242a07695).