When I taught K-8 Art at a small private school, my budget was always, “Spend as little as possible”. But I found ways to make it work and give my students great art experiences despite the shortage of funding. If you're in a similar low-budget (or no-budget!) position, I hope some of these ideas will work for you, too. Here are my 10 favorite ways to save money on … [Read more...]
Better Paint Brush Habits for Kids
Are paint brushes with unruly bristles a familiar sight in your elementary classroom? Better paint brush habits can prevent damage to your brushes and paint sets, and increase their useful life. When kids learn the correct way to use their supplies, their paintings will improve and your brushes will thank you! How do brushes get damaged? Most kids are introduced to … [Read more...]
Chinese Brush Painting for Kids
Chinese Brush Painting dates back to 4000 BC, with techniques being handed down from master to student. In contrast to what most of us are taught about art today, copying and the perfection of technique were more important and more highly valued than self-expression. Chinese Brush Painting uses simple strokes of a paintbrush to capture a single object or an entire scene. Teach … [Read more...]
Crayon Resist Snowflakes with Watercolor
One of the many fun ways to combine art and science is by making crayon resist snowflakes with watercolor. Students as young as kindergarten love learning how to draw snowflakes. And it's even more fun when you draw them with a white crayon so they magically appear when painted over with watercolor! Before you draw or paint... Begin this lesson by sharing some … [Read more...]
Easy Father’s Day Cards with Style!
Are these the cutest Father's Day cards, or what??! My friend, Kindergarten teacher Lori Dueck, shared this project with me years ago and I was amazed by how adorable every finished card turned out! A project this good never goes out of style! Most projects for Kindergarten include a bit of prep and this one is no exception, but it's pretty quick and totally worth it!! The … [Read more...]
Helpful Tips for Painting with Kids
No one likes having a “bad hair day”…. not even your paintbrush! When younger students are used to painting with liquid watercolors or liquid tempera, they often forget to add water to their paint when they start working with cake-style colors, like the popular Prang OVL-8 set (affiliate link). Without enough water to liquify the paint, students tend to grind their brush … [Read more...]
A Child’s Prayer for the World
This "Child's Prayer for the World" lesson is an updated repost (from my archives) of a project my friend, Barb Mendence, did with her 2nd graders every year. A project like this never goes out of style... and our world can use these prayers now more than ever! Not only is this a fun, easy art lesson that's adaptable to any grade level, it also makes a great geography lesson … [Read more...]
Send a Handmade Postcard to Support the Arts
Show your support for the Arts with a handmade postcard! January’s #CMACIVICKIDS Digital Challenge is a Postcard Party. When you send a postcard to one of your elected officials with your original art on the front, your message is more likely to get noticed. And a self-portrait will make your communication even more personal! You’ll Need: *card stock (if you have … [Read more...]
2 NEW Tips for Using Prang Watercolor Sets in Your Classroom
For decades, the Prang OVL-8 Watercolor Set has been a staple in elementary classrooms far and wide. Their convenience, consistent quality and affordable price is hard to beat. A while back I posted 6 tips for success using these popular watercolor sets, and then even more watercolor tips here. Adding to all this, one of my readers, a missionary teaching art to kids in … [Read more...]
Sunset Cityscapes
The examples in this post were done by 1st graders, but older kids will enjoy this, too. "No Rulers Allowed!".... if you want results that are charming and almost "Seuss-like"! For a typical class that meets for one hour or less, you'll want to do this project over 2 class periods. Materials: 9x12 watercolor paper (or heavyweight construction paper) watercolor set … [Read more...]
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