If you are not particularly artistic or crafty yourself it may be difficult to make sure your home schooled child is getting enough opportunities for artistic expression. Artistic expression though can be a foundation for writing and for self expression so it is important that art and crafts be an important part of any homeschool curriculum. It is fairly easy to incorporate art into the school routine.

Make it From Scratch – Instead of buying new play dough or finger paints make your own with your children as helpers.  Recipes can be found online and children will get to practice their measuring (math) and cooking skills too.  Homemade art supplies are also healthier and less toxic than what you can buy at stores.  Not only will your kids have a blast playing with these items they will have just as much fun making them.

Make Art Fun – Instead of sitting your child down with a paintbrush and a small canvas why not set them up with a big canvas in an outdoor area, some quality tempera paints, some water balloons, and some darts. Inflate the balloons just a bit, add some paint, close them, and attach them too the canvas with tacks. Then your kids can throw darts at the balloons and create art with the paint splatter. No child can resist this incredibly fun project.  Later they can sign it and hang it in their bedroom or playroom.

Other fun projects include painting rocks, using body paints to mimic the body painting found in many tribal cultures, and using sidewalk chalks and paint.

Use the library – Your local library will no doubt have many books on various arts and crafts projects for kids.  Look for books with unplugged projects, seasonal crafts ideas, and paper crafting like origami.  Read the books together and decided which projects you will work on.

Go Digital – Art doesn’t have to be all about paper, paints, and getting and your hands dirty anymore.  Digital arts and paint programs are gaining in popularity.  Kid Pix and Disney Magic Artist Deluxe are two popular programs.  They allow children to use digital paper and many different artistic techniques to create beautiful works of art that can be saved and even printed for framing.  This method saves you a bundle on supplies.

Make it Educational – Art can also be educational.  Have your children roll play dough into small marble shaped balls of different colors and use them as counting and math manipulatives.  The same pieces can be used to learn colors and to practice sorting.

Allow free Expression – Don’t get in the habit of correcting your child’s technique or telling them which colors to use.  Let them create their own art.  Author Susan Striker of Young at Art discourages using coloring books because most of the artwork has already been done.  She has a wonderful line of anti-coloring books available for purchase that give kids an opportunity to create on their own terms without outside interference or guidance.

Here are some handpicked educational products for your homeschooler.

Welcome to the incredible world of Pixelblocks, the evolutionary building system!

The tiniest dots of color you see on your computer or television screen are called pixels, and together they make up an entire picture. Pixelblocks are pixels made physical and set free from the computer screen. They allow the young at heart of all ages to use their creativity in endless ways.

PixelBlocks come in a single shape, featuring a peg-and-hole combination for stacking top-to-bottom, and a unique tooth-and-groove combination on the other four sides. The unique shape allows PixelBlocks to be connected in three versatile ways that enable you to build effortlessly in 2-D or 3-D.

The blocks themselves are approximately 3/8″ (0.9 cm) translucent cubes. PixelBlocks come in a rainbow of 20 carefully chosen colors. Used in combination, PixelBlocks can express any mood from the vibrancy of childrens’ toys, to the subtle shading of a photograph.

Imagine the possibilities!

The Imagination Set comes with:

* 1200 pieces in 12 colors
* A detailed color Idea Playbook
* Storage case

And it can be used with other Pixelblocks sets.
For Ages 6 and Up.

Pixelblocks Imagination Set - 1200 Pieces Ages 6+

The Confoundedly Crazy Crate-O-Mystery is no mere, boring box.

Make your friend’s arm disappear. Make a monkey appear. Multiply your money. Render your friend powerless to break a cookie. Read minds.

It’s a complete show in a crate, containing everything you need to perform 10 colossal tricks, trading card, bonus DVD, instructions, and even an “authentic mind reading monkey!”

Magical fun for ages 6 and up.

Fundex Games Crate O Mystery, Magic Set Ages 6+

A favorite active play item, sized for the youngsters!

Lunastix Juggling Sticks offer a fun, challenging activity that can be done anywhere by anyone. It exercises hand-eye coordination, dexterity, balance and focus, and kids can quickly catch on to the basic motion before rising to the challenge of learning more advanced moves like the helicopter and the spin. The only limit is one’s imagination!

Colors will vary; sets come with matching handles, genuine leather ends, and sure grip tubing, all held together with a mini-strap. These sticks are smaller in size and lighter in weight for little players.

Recommended for ages 6-10.

Mystix Toyz Lunastix Juggling Sticks - Kid Ages 6-10

Capture your shadow! Discover the magic of science with this cool kit that lets you do just that.

All you have to do is turn on your Light Blaster, pose in front of the Glow Screen, press a button and Voila! Your shadow is stuck to the screen. Alter your poses by jumping, dancing or holding different objects.

You and your friends can embellish your shadow images by scribbling on the Glow Screen with your built-in pen light! Create silly, scary or artsy new pictures. A perfect activity for sleepovers!

Shadow Magic includes:

* A Light Blaster
* A 23″ x 28″ Shadow Catcher Glow Screen
* A door clip screen hanger

Requires 2 “AA” batteries.
For children ages 6 and up.

Please Note: This item has been built to U.S. electronics specifications and may need additional modifications or converters to be used in countries other than the U.S. and Canada.

Uncle Milton Shadow Magic Ages 6+

With light up lunar phases
Ages 6 and Up

* Automatic or manual function shows 12 phases of the moon
* Remote control
* Easy to hang on wall

What’s different about the moon tonight? It’s inside your room! Authentically detailed, Moon in My Room hangs on your wall and shines moonlight just like the real moon. Twelve different phase settings let you match what the real moon looks like outside. . . tonight! listen to the included CD audio tour to learn unique relationship with planet Earth.

Includes

* Authentic moon detail!
* Built-in light sensor illuminates moon when it gets dark
* Automatic or manual function shows 12 phases of the moon
* 15 minutes audio CD provides a guided tour to the moon
* Auto shut-off to preserve battery life
* Infrared remote control
* Easy to hang on wall.

Uncle Milton Moon in My Room, Ages 6+

This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 24th, 2008 at 2:44 am and is filed under Natural Parenting. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.