TeachKidsArt

a resource for teachers and parents

Dot Painting on Rocks

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There's something about mixing art and nature that's just irresistible. So when you combine rocks with dot painting, you can't go wrong! While the painted rocks in this post were done by an adult (my friend, Tricia), kids love it, too! This project is perfect for a Mother's Day, Father's Day, or Valentine's Day gift, an after-school or Mom's Night Out project, or even your … [Read more...]

Make an Upcycled Planter

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If you’d like to teach your students (or your kids) about important issues while making fun art and craft projects, then CIVICKIDS might be just what you’re looking for! "CIVICKIDS: Make Art. Make a Difference." is an initiative from the Children’s Museum of the Arts (CMA) in New York City. From September 2018-August 2019, CMA is activating a year-long campaign … [Read more...]

Musee d’Orsay vs. the Louvre

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My visit to the Musee d'Orsay was a completely different experience from my time at the Louvre. At the d'Orsay, I saw lots more quiet contemplation of the art (Renoir, Manet, Monet, Cezanne, Van Gogh and more).... and far fewer selfies! I was filled with awe as I explored the Van Gogh room, and completely taken aback when I came to the painting of Van Gogh's bedroom.... … [Read more...]

My Mona Lisa Surprise

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Our son’s wedding in Europe last week gave us the perfect excuse to visit some of the world’s most spectacular museums and view masterpieces up close that I'd only ever seen in books. As an Art teacher who had never experienced Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa in person, the Musee du Louvre in Paris had to be our first stop! Many people warned me that I’d be surprised when I … [Read more...]

2 NEW Tips for Using Prang Watercolor Sets in Your Classroom

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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

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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...]

Hearts and Grit

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Four years ago, I wrote a blog post about Hazel McNab, a woman who challenged herself to design a heart to go with an inspiring quote every day for a year. She held herself accountable by posting her journey online. It just so happened it was a Leap Year, hence the name of her blog: 366 Hearts. Well, it’s four years later, and let me tell you she is still going strong! As I … [Read more...]

The Great Tertiary Color Debate

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The internet…. that great supplier of information at your fingertips, making it fast and easy to find answers and share them with the world! But what if those answers being shared are incorrect??  Vladimir Lenin once said, “A lie told often enough becomes the truth.” (Hmmmm….. did Lenin really say that, or has it just been credited to him so often it’s assumed to be true??) … [Read more...]

22 Ways to Combine Writing & Art to Encourage Creativity

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I recently had the privilege of helping my adult daughter edit the manuscript for her first book. Her first real, published book. A book with an agent, a publisher, a release date (April 2017), and it’s own pre-order page on Amazon. A proud parenting milestone for sure! But this book of hers has been a long time in the making. In fact, we can trace its origin all the way back … [Read more...]