Tuesday, August 11, 2020

Homeschool Art Ideas: How To Set Up Art Sessions In Your Homeschool

The very mention of "Art" can send a lot of parents into a tizzy. "I'm not an artist!!!" they exclaim. "I can't even draw a straight line, so what can I teach my kids?" ponder others. Art, whether as an after-school activity or a homeschooling activity, seems to be best left to arty Youtubers and drawing & painting classes. 

I'm here to tell you that whether you're an artist or NOT, you can still initiate happy, arty sessions with your kids, right inside your homes. 

Homeschool Art Projects

Yes, you may say that I'm a self-taught artist and enjoy art, and so like doing these arty activities with my son. But really, with the beautiful resources (tutorials and books) available these days, most of the time, what we need is some energy and enthusiasm to 'facilitate' these sessions. 

When your children sit down with your to draw, paint and create, often they are not looking for Pinterest-perfect creations from you; but the attention and bonding that comes with making things together. 

Homeschool Art Activities - working together


So, if you would like to Do Art At Home, here are some simple ways to begin.

You can see some of the art projects we do at home on Instagram at chandanamilspo or on Facebook at Chandana Banerjee Writer.

1. Put together a basket of basic art materials to work with. Over the years, doing art with my little boy at home, I've noticed that not having art and craft materials in one place can actually take the fun out it because you end up spending the better part of your day hunting down crayons, paper, paints and glue.

Some of the things you will need to begin are a watercolour set, marker pens, poster paints, a small set of acrylic paints, crayons or oil pastels, cellotape, washi tape, glue, a few paint brushes, a container for water and child-friendly scissors.  Also, slip in a packet of watercolour paper, a drawing book with normal paper and printout sheets with one side plain. I also like to collect cardboard packaging and discarded bubblewrap for recycled-reused projects. Tuck these in a place where you can easily access the material. Either in a basket or tote bag is good. 

2. Gather some inspiration. In a word document on your lap
top or in notepad, jot down a few simple art and craft ideas that you can try with your kids at home. Depending upon your children's ages, these can be as simple as thumb print animals or a collage made of pictures cut out from old magazines. 

You can also scour the net for ideas, but beware not to get sucked into the glitzy world of perfect art projects because that will only make you want to give up before you started! I enjoy looking through Deep Space Sparkle, The Artful Parent and Art Bar for inspiration. You can also peruse a few kids' activity books for ideas.


Painting The Town Blue - Homeschool Art Fun


3. Now, it's time too get down to the good stuff - making art! Roll out an old mat or spread an old bedsheet over your dining room table or study table, and bring out the materials. Keep a few rags cut out from old t-shirts handy. Before you begin, take a deep breath and tell yourself that you can handle spills and messy fingers - because this will be an inevitable part of your art sessions.

4. Choose a project that your children can work on too. Sometimes, we end up choosing projects that kids find too challenging to work on and that defeats the purpose of the art activity. The way to go about this is, take into account the things they tackle themselves, like cutting shapes with child-friendly scissors, painting with a brush, drawing with markers and pasting. 

5. If you are referring to a video tutorial, watch it on your own once, so you know what it entails and the material you will need. And then, watch it with your kids. If it is an art project inspired by something your read or saw, then, discuss the project with your kids and give them a short, quick demo if it is a drawing project.


Homeschool Art Curriculum: Staying Inspired


6. Next, decide who needs to do what in this join project or if each one of you works on their own individual project. Check that everyone has access to colours, rags, water and whatever material is necessary.

7. Take the plunge! Get working on your art project. Keep the focus on the fun instead of perfection. I can say this from personal experience that getting stuck on neatness and perfection can ruin the fun!

8. Once the project is done, collaborate on cleaning up and putting the materials away.

You're done with your first art session at home!

If you'd like to know how to homeschool without the stress and the fuss, get the first few chapters of my upcoming book "The Relaxed Homeschooler" by signing up for my newsletter. I will be sending out the chapters to your inbox every week! 

Get free chapters of my upcoming book: The Relaxed Homeschooler - for homeschoolers in India








5 comments:

  1. Hi I need some guidance on homeschooling. I am planning to start my 6 yr old kid journey on homeschooling .

    ReplyDelete
  2. Can I homeschool my twins now 6 years old without me being a teacher?

    ReplyDelete
  3. You are an inspiration...thank you so much for awesome ideas...came here from youtube...thanks

    ReplyDelete
  4. A homeschool book marketing services is the best way to increase your income and build a business. They have the skills, the tools, and the knowledge to help you create a successful marketing plan.

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