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A Summer Explosion happens frequently just off the railroad tracks in downtown Troy.

Weekdays, during the early summer, kids of all ages participate in art, drama and movement at Art by the Tracks.

On Monday, Hope Scarborough led a group of interested and excited youngsters in several art projects from drawing and painting to cutting and modeling. For the youngsters, each opportunity was an adventure. However, the modeling was especially fun because “it’s squishy.”

The summer program for kids provides opportunities to experience art in different ways, Scarborough said.

The Johnson Center for the Arts offers art opportunities for people of all ages and for different interests.

For the youngsters, the programs offered encourage creativity and imaginative thinking, two skills that are increasingly linked with long-term professional success. Art encourages children to engage in out-of-the-box thinking and can help them hone their creative problem-solving skills.

The Johnson Center for the Arts features exhibits throughout the year. Currently, the JCA’s featured exhibit is Alabama artist Amy Feger’s “It Remains to be Seen.”

JCA hours are 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Admission is free.