Homeschooling Art Tips:
You might be new to homeschooling or a mother who has been at it for years but still would love some help with how to teach art. There has to be more to it than just crayons and some paper right?
In the early grade there really isn’t anything more important than supplies and time and support.
Supplies for us look something like this:
- Stockmar Block Crayons
- Stockmar Stick Crayons
- Quality Markers
- Stockmar Modeling Beeswax
- Stockmar water colors
- Painting Boards
- Quality water color paper
- 1″ paint brushes for younger children. A range of sizes for older children.
- Glass Jars
- Drawing Paper
- Tracing Paper
- Colored Paper
- Sciccors
- Glue Sticks
- Acrylic Paints For older Students
- Finger Paints
- Easel
- Smocks
- Mass Crayons (I like to have a set of Crayons that are not quality and provide a large variety
- Coloring Books
- Colored Felt
- Wool Roving (For making pictures with!)
- Yarn (For finger knitting and other crafting with small children)
- Stapler
- Tape
- Hole punch
- Blank Flash Cards
- Printer
- Glitter
- Glue
- Clay
- Camera
- And so much more I am sure I am forgetting!
TIME:
If you can not make Art an every school day time in your homeschool consider 3 days a week. Only you know your child and can tell how long of an attention span they have for the topic. I plan at least an hour to allow for clean up.
SUPPORT:
One of the best ways to teach art is to DO art. In the early grades this is simple enough. No matter what grade though one things needed is for you to site down and make art too! Some teachers have children copy them. I like to let the children copy me by watching me but I do not want to limit them to what is in my head! In all my years of public school and art, I learned my best art skills by watching my mother draw! Watching her is how I learned best. I can’t say I remember learning much about art in school at all honestly.
Beyond sitting down to do art with or next to your children what you say matters greatly. Don’t be negative, there is nothing good that can come of that. Above all, never never never ask “What is that?” and point at their creative endeavor with your face scrunched up trying to figure it out.
I asked just this with just that look on my face. As it turned out what I was sure must be two dinosaurs ripping each other to pieces was actually my sons drawing of his sister on a unicorn. Now he had really one of two choices to consider when asked “What is that” in reference to his art work. That either 1. Mom is clueless about art or 2. He isn’t very good at it. Neither of those things are helpful to him or his art experience. It is best to ask open ended questions like “Would you tell me about your art?” or maybe not ask about it but comment on it saying something like “I like how those colors blend together right there.” or comment on their effort by saying something like “You have been working at this for a long time now, your dedication is wonderful!”
Check Back Soon for Art Curriculum Advice!
Great list of items to keep on hand. We can’t ever keep the modeling clay in our house. It gets everywhere. We do have LOTS of crayons. Everywhere. I can’t seem to stop buying them. We had a huge painting day one time last year. Maybe I’ll get some canvases so we can do it again this year.
Good information! Thanks for linking up to Thrive @ Home. 🙂