Tag: art

A Charlotte Mason Drawing Lesson

A Charlotte Mason Drawing Lesson

nourishedchildren 2 Comments

A Charlotte Mason Drawing Lesson

A Charlotte Mason Drawing Lesson
A Charlotte Mason Drawing Lesson

Before we begin A Charlotte Mason Drawing Lesson …

First, I explain why I’m focusing subject by subject. Also, I include Charlotte Mason quotes because I find her original lectures on education to be SO inspiring and helpful.

Next, please keep reading to see the break down of implementing lessons, the schedule, and resources I’m using that fit our family. Finally, I share the wealth of quality Charlotte Mason resources I have found helpful, from those mothers who have gone before me.

PREPARING THE FEAST

“Our aim in education is to give a full life. We owe it to them to initiate an immense number of interests.” (Mason, vol. 3)

There are MANY subjects included in a Charlotte Mason education because she believed in spreading a wide feast. Sometimes, it feels a bit daunting for a new homeschooling mama.

Therefore, I’m attempting to learn, digest, and absorb how I’m going to be teaching each subject. I have decided to compose a blog post on each subject for Form 1B (roughly first grade). This will help me prepare to teach my oldest son in the Fall.

“The mind feeds on ideas, and therefore children should have a generous curriculum.” (Mason, vol. 1)

A Charlotte Mason Drawing Lesson 

Charlotte Mason Drawing Resources
Charlotte Mason Drawing Resources

WHAT

Here is one of my favorite Charlotte Mason quotes about Art:

“This is what we wish to do for children in teaching them to draw-to cause the eye to rest, not unconsciously, but consciously, on some object of beauty which will leave in their minds an image of delight for all their lives to come.” (Mason, vol. 1)

First and foremost, drawing provides a child with valuable skills, such as: observation, memory, and fine motor skills. Perhaps more importantly, however, learning how to draw gives a sense of beauty and expression. This allure can last throughout a child’s whole life.

Occasionally, in order to inspire this artistry, Mama can point out beauty in nature to the child, By observing things like sunlight, shadows, colors, and forms of all things lovely of earth and sky, the child can use these as inspiration for appreciation of art.

“Children have art in them.” (Mason, vol. 1)

Since my oldest son already enjoys painting, I decided to get him a few basic art supplies. My aim is to foster his natural love and ability of art. I’m hoping to watch it blossom, as we learn more about brush drawing as an educational subject.

WHAT WE ARE USING

“Children are worth of the best, and some half-dozen tubes of really good colors will last a long time, and will satisfy the eye of the little artists.” (Mason, vol. 1)

While you do not have to purchase the most expensive supplies, choosing good quality supplies that will last over the years, and across many children, is sensible.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES:

The resources listed below come recommended, so they are the drawing supplies we will use:

  • WATERCOLOR COURSE.

Brushdrawing: A Basic Course by Emily Kiser and Richele Baburina. Here is the description about this course: This watercolor course in brush drawing features carefully prepared lessons that take students step-by-step from the most basic brush exercises to beginning painting from nature.

  • DRAWING BOOK.

What to Draw and How to Draw It by E.G. Lutz

Or, HERE it is FREE on archive.org

  • WATERCOLOR TUBES.

Daniel Smith 6 Tubes of Essentials Introductory Watercolors or 30 Economical Professional Watercolor Tubes

  • NOTEBOOK.

Canson Mixed Media Notepad

  • WATERCOLOR ROUND BRUSHES.

Watercolor Wooden Brush Set

WHEN

Charlotte Mason describes the Drawing Lesson as occurring two times a week. Also, each lesson lasts about twenty minutes. Additionally, it is recommended to have one afternoon drawing lesson per week, lasting about twenty minutes.

WHY

A Parent’s Review article written by Miss K. Loveday says: “And yet Art, when rightly directed, is educational…for it trains the hand and the eye, and it trains the head and the heart; it teaches us to see and to see truly…it disciplines the emotions.”

Drawing is useful because it trains exactness and decision. So many useful skills are learned by honing art skills, yet it is also such a rich subject to study. Therefore, we are looking forward to this subject immensley.

A Charlotte Mason Drawing Lesson
A Charlotte Mason Drawing Lesson

HOW

Ms. Mason says that a child may not produce a beautiful work of art at the beginning, however, the study of drawing is beautiful in itself.

“Children of six or seven draw budding twigs of oak and ash, beech and lark, with such tender fidelity to color, tone, and gesture, that the crude little drawings are in themselves things of beauty.” (Mason, vol. 1)

Children have a natural desire towards observing beauty in nature, therefore, it seems fitting to focus in the beginning, on drawing objects observed in nature.

Charlotte Mason also observed that children should start out with easy materials in drawing, such as chalk and watercolors. She believed by avoiding pencil and pen, it would allow the child to more easily produce well-observed drawings, which could allow their interest in art to continue. She says:

“…also, he should work in the easiest medium, that is, with paint brush or with charcoal, and not with a black-led pencil.” (Mason, vol. 1)

One more note about brush drawing indicates the brush should be held with the tip facing the child. This ensures that the child can view the brush more carefully, as he is adding color to the paper. Also, the child can move his arm from the wrist more freely, in order to have better control over his drawing.

“We must show the children how to hold their brushes and how to use them; they must see the whole, not only the tip.” (A Parent’s Review Article)

Drawing GoalS Per Term (about 12 weeks)

  1. Six brush drawings from nature

    • (Six wild fruits in fall, Six twigs in winter, and finally six wildflowers in spring)

  2. Six drawings from memory of animals they have observed

    • (Examples: dog, cat, birds, insects, squirrel, rabbit etc.)

  3. Original brush or chalk drawings of characters from their tales readings

  4. Drawings in nature notebook entries

NOTES ABOUT DRAWING

  •  A typical lesson could be: First, spend a few minutes on a drawing lesson. Perhaps, show your child how to hold the brush, and make a few simple strokes. Next, attempt to draw a natural object they can see before them. (A Parent’s Review Article) (Examples: simple leaves, birds)
  • Another idea is to take a walk in nature. Then, bring home objects from nature, copy them in brushwork in a Nature Journal, record the date, weather, and location.
  • One article also points out to lay objects on a white piece of paper, in order that the child can more easily see true depth of colors and shadows, and the main shapes.
  • It is also suggested to keep the object you want to draw, at a distance to avoid over focusing on details.
  • Also, I plan to update this post with more ideas once we receive the Brushdrawing: Basic Course.

MORE NOTES ABOUT A DRAWING LESSON

A Parent’s Review article written by Juliet Williams, mentions a process for drawing:

  • OBSERVE. First, ask the child to see the object in nature. Ask your child to look carefully at the shape and colors of the object. Then, ask them to notice the shadow, and where they come from.
  • DIGEST. Second, is a lesson in memory and reflection.
  • EXPRESS. Finally, a child can express himself using the brush drawing to depict a careful observation of the object. One article mentions above all, we should encourage imagination and originality of expression.

Also, the act of observing is mentioned many times because of its importance.

“We must be sure that the children paint what they really see and not what they imagine they see; a great deal depends on making them look properly and carefully before beginning to paint, especially when it comes to considering light and shades in colors.”

Finally, Mr. Ruskin, whom Charlotte Mason references frequently in her Home Education volumes, says:

“It is only by the habit of representing faithfully all things, that we can truly learn what is beautiful and what is not.”

FAVORITE RESOURCES

Finally, I have come across some outstanding resources in learning about a Charlotte Mason education. I’m so happy to share them with you! Some of these are sources I return to daily because I’m preparing to teach my children. Additionally, I list specific resources for a Charlotte Mason Drawing Lesson.

GENERAL CHARLOTTE MASON RESOURCES

CHARLOTTE MASON DRAWING LESSON RESOURCES

OUR PICKS

Also, check out these previous blog posts in the series:

Thank you so much for checking in! Finally, please stay tuned for the next ‘A Charlotte Mason Subject Lesson’ post.

Homeschool Preschool Supplies List

All of the quotes mentioned in this blog post, come from Home Education by Charlotte Mason. The Living Press published my favorite version of her books. Finally, I TRULY recommend any parent read Charlotte Mason’s books! They are truly treasured words I believe I will be reading and re-reading for many years to come.

A Charlotte Mason Picture Study

A Charlotte Mason Picture Study Lesson

nourishedchildren Leave a comment

A Charlotte Mason Picture Study Lesson

A Charlotte Mason Picture Study
A Charlotte Mason Picture Study

Before we begin A Charlotte Mason Picture Study Lesson …

First, I explain why I’m focusing subject by subject. Also, I include Charlotte Mason quotes because I find her original lectures on education to be SO inspiring and helpful.

Next, please keep reading to see the break down of implementing lessons, the schedule, and resources I’m using that fit our family. Finally, I share the wealth of quality Charlotte Mason resources I have found helpful, from those mothers who have gone before me.

PREPARING THE FEAST

“Our aim in education is to give a full life. We owe it to them to initiate an immense number of interests.” (Mason, vol. 3)

There are MANY subjects included in a Charlotte Mason education because she believed in spreading a wide feast. Sometimes, it feels a bit daunting for a new homeschooling mama.

Therefore, I’m attempting to learn, digest, and absorb how I’m going to be teaching each subject. I have decided to compose a blog post on each subject for Form 1B (roughly First Grade). This will help me prepare to teach my oldest son in the Fall.

“The mind feeds on ideas, and therefore children should have a generous curriculum.” (Mason, vol. 1)

A Charlotte Mason Picture Study Lesson 

WHAT

“The six-year-old child should begin both to express himself and to appreciate, and his appreciation (of art) should be well in advance of his power to express what he sees or imagines.” (Mason, vol. 1)

First of all, while a young child may not be able to create a masterpiece of art, he is capable of appreciating the beauty found in art and picture study.

WHAT WE ARE USING

We are using art print sets from Riverbend Press because they are beautiful, a complete set, and affordable. I choose one artist per term, so I have three artists for the whole year.

ARTISTS

  • Winslow Homer
  • John Constable
  • Sandro Botticelli

BIOGRAPHIES

Picture Study
Picture Study

WHEN

Charlotte Mason describes the Picture Study Lesson as occurring one time a week. Also, each lesson lasts about 10 minutes.

A Charlotte Mason Picture Study
A Charlotte Mason Picture Study

WHY

“We cannot measure the influence that one or another artist has upon the child’s sense of beauty, upon his power of seeing, as in a picture, the common sights of life; he is enriched more than we know in having really looked at even a single picture.” (Mason, vol. 1)

First, the A Delectable Education ladies mention art is beautiful. Since Charlotte Mason believed education should provide beauty, art helps fit in as an important piece of the puzzle.

“There are always those present with us whom God whispers in the ear, through whom He sends a direct message to the rest. Among these messengers are the great painters who interpret to us some of the meanings of life. To read their messages aright is a thing due from us.” (Mason, vol. 4)

Also, art focuses attention and allows observation of details. These two skills help serve all of the other subjects. Therefore, art study is essential.

A Charlotte Mason Picture Study
A Charlotte Mason Picture Study

HOW

“When children have begun regular lessons (that is, as soon as they are six), this sort of study of pictures should not be left to chance, but they should take one artist after another, term by term, and study quietly some half-dozen reproductions of his work in the course of a term.” (Mason, vol. 1)

Six pictures, done by one artist, are studied per term. Therefore, there are three artists studied per year.

A Charlotte Mason Picture Studies Lesson

  1. First, the child looks at the picture for a few minutes. If this is the first picture observed by this author, a brief biography can be given by the artist as a means of introduction.
  2. Second, the child should try to see the picture in their mind fully and in detail.
  3. Then, Mama flips the picture over.
  4. Next, ask the child what he saw. This is essentially narration for Picture Study.
  5. Then, as an option, Charlotte Mason Poetry notes of Lessons suggest: ask the children questions concerning the season, time of day, river and chief features.
  6. Finally, ask them what they think is the story of the picture. Show that every artist has an idea which he wishes to be interpreted.

“As in a worthy book we leave the author to tell his own tale, so do we trust a picture to tell its tale through the medium the artist gave it.” (Mason, vol. 6)

It is enough, more than enough really, for the child to do the work. It is not necessary for Mama to do a big lecture. When the child observes the beautiful art print, and tries to see it fully, it becomes his own.

A Charlotte Mason Picture Study
A Charlotte Mason Picture Study

FAVORITE RESOURCES

Finally, I have come across some outstanding resources in learning about a Charlotte Mason education. I’m so happy to share them with you! Some of these are sources I return to daily because I’m preparing to teach my children. Additionally, I list specific resources for a Charlotte Mason Picture Study Lesson.

GENERAL CHARLOTTE MASON RESOURCES

CHARLOTTE MASON PICTURE STUDY LESSON RESOURCES

A Charlotte Mason Picture Study
A Charlotte Mason Picture Study

OUR PICKS

Also, check out these previous blog posts in the series:

Thank you so much for checking in! Finally, please stay tuned for the next ‘A Charlotte Mason Subject Lesson’ post.

Homeschool Preschool Supplies List

All of the quotes mentioned in this blog post, come from Home Education by Charlotte Mason. The Living Press published my favorite version of her books. Finally, I TRULY recommend any parent read Charlotte Mason’s books! Above all, they are truly treasured words I believe I will be reading and re-reading for many years to come.

letter H preschool unit

Letter H Preschool Curriculum

nourishedchildren Leave a comment

I’m so thankful I get to spend time with my children for their preschool years. First, I share our preschool curriculum choices and why we use them. Keep reading to find out how we explored the Letter H. Finally, at the bottom, we list our favorite supplies for the preschool years.

letter H preschool unit
letter H preschool unit

PRESCHOOL CURRICULUM

SUPPORTS AMPLE NATURE TIME

  • The Peaceful Preschool – The schedule is amazing because it sets aside one day per week for field trips
  • Exploring Nature with Children – This works well for my family because it is centered around being outdoors (HINT: If you click on this link, make sure to click the “Preview” button!)
  • Ambleside Online – In my extensive Charlotte Mason research, I have decided ultimately to draw upon Ambleside Online as our basis homeschool preschool curriculum.

THE PEACEFUL PRESCHOOL

We currently follow the Peaceful Preschool curriculum by Jennifer Pepito and we love it! The content is full of rich literature, therefore it is a perfect fit for my book-loving family.  We read through many rich, classic stories. We also complete playful projects to go with the literature theme or letter. Download Unit A for free to try it out with your littles to see if you like it.

The community she has created is such a beautiful resource and I’m grateful to be a part of it. Jennifer has included a wonderful preschool e-book which helps you prepare to guide your child in early learning. We have found her curriculum perfect for our homeschool preschool. The curriculum is comprised of Read Aloud, Phonics, Counting Skills, Fine Motor Skills, Large Motor Skills, Practical Life Skills, and Art Skills. Also, here is how we enjoyed the letter A unit.

letter H preschool
letter H preschool

LETTER H REVIEW

We began the letter H unit and had so much fun with it! The focus books for letter H are The Little House, The Little Red Hen, and Harold and the Purple Crayon. Also, we read through B is for Bear, a beautiful nature alphabet book, however, any alphabet book would be perfect to review your letters.

Then, we created glitter glue letters. The Peaceful Preschool recommends glitter glue in order to create the finishing touches on sensory, alphabet flashcards. We have used them with all of the letters so far. It is really one of my children’s favorite parts.

H IS FOR THE LITTLE HOUSE

One of my favorite childhood books was The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton. I’m so thankful to be able to share this beautiful story with my children. For those who haven’t read it yet, its a sweet story about a house in the country who is filled generation after generation. Eventually, a city grows around the little house, there are no more inhabitants, and the house is abandoned. Its such a great book so I hope you check it out!

LETTER H HOUSE

Both boys created a letter H house and I love seeing their unique creativity blossom through art projects. We also found an additional house book called The Old House at the library.

the little house
the little house

I love how my oldest son attempts to draw exactly what he sees in the picture. He made sure to include the little house eyes, shingles and apple trees!

little house
little house

LITTLE HOUSE CRAFT

We used these house shape templates to create houses. This book is a favorite around here!

 

little house
little house

My three years old ended up making more of a tent house and I loved it!

also little house
also little house

LITTLE HOUSE DRAWINGS

My children no longer take naps so I LOVE to do a quiet activity such as art after lunchtime. Their creativity really shines and Mama can get some work done around the house.

These chalk pastels have been a favorite of ours. They make beautiful pictures and are so fun to use. My youngest son picks this art medium to use most frequently because its so sensory. He usually ends the art project by rubbing his fingers all over the painting to spread the color around.

little house art
little house art

My oldest son chose watercolors to create a little house. He usually asks me to draw an outline so he can paint or color it in. By far, these are our favorite watercolors to use, and they are affordable too! I’m so thankful for this wonderful opportunity to observe my children’s first learning.

little house drawing
little house drawing

LINCOLN LOG LITTLE HOUSE

Finally, my children constructed a log cabin out of Lincoln logs. They added a horse barn and created lots of rooms inside for play. This story has sparked several discussions about moving our house from the country to the city. I hope you read the story with a beautiful ending.

log house
log house

NATURE FINDS

Next, since we use Exploring Nature with Children, we gathered nature treasures from our yard. In the hill country of Texas, we mostly have cedar trees so we were able to see the colorful change happening to the leaves that had fallen off the trees. We sorted our nature finds and counted them.

I love to read a seasonal poem for the change of the months. Be Blest: A Celebration of Seasons is a beautiful story with a poem and lovely illustrations for each month. We typically begin and end the month reading from this book.

leaves
leaves

Then, we read the Little Red Hen from my childhood and also this version from Paul Galdone. I have heard my children act out the Little Red Hen story numerous times over the last couple of weeks. I found some felt at Michael’s for a few dollars and they helped me cut out the characters and use them to tell the story back to me.

little red hen
little red hen

H IS FOR HEN

Keeping with the hen theme for letter H, I found several hen books at the library. Henny Penny is another great classic story about a hen who thinks the sky is falling. Hedgie’s Surprise is a cute story about a hen who wants to be a mother hen and a hedgehog named Hedgie who helps her. Finally, Hattie and the Fox is a simple barnyard story that my children love to retell to me.

h is for hen
h is for hen

LETTER H REVIEW

We stamped our letter H template from Simply Learning with our alphabet stamps. We are super excited to try the lowercase ones too!

letter H
letter H

I often leave this beautiful alphabet board out in our homeschool space for the boys to find, since it is so beautiful. They practice drawing the letters on it and its another great quiet activity.

alphabet review
alphabet review

H IS FOR HONEY

We read through Are You a Bee? I loved this book so much that I can easily see purchasing more by the same author and illustrator.

We made bee cards on white card stock using our Nature Anatomy book as a template for the bee. Finally, we made homemade beeswax candles which were a great purchase. This was my children’s first experience with candles. I think it was also one of their favorite crafts we have made together.

h is for honey
h is for honey

Next, we read the Honeybee Man and drew an outline of a bee. My children are three and four, so normally I draw an outline for them, and they color it in. I love to provide choices of different art options and witnessing which ones they choose. These oil pastels are a great favorite of ours!

honey bee
honey bee

H IS FOR HORSE

Then, we read through The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses. Another story I read growing up, it was great to read it to my children. We used a q tip to watercolor our horse templates from Simply Learning.

h is for horse
h is for horse

This was one of the more engaged times for my youngest son, at three years old. I love how he used several colors and mixed them together to paint his horse.

h is for horse
h is for horse

H IS FOR HAROLD

Finally, we read through Harold and the Purple Crayon. This book really brought me back to my childhood favorites. My boys also love Harold and the Purple crayon and we read it often before bed!

Harold and purple crayon
Harold and purple crayon

They choose different drawings which was fun!

Harold
Harold

H IS FOR HARVEST MOON

Finally, we did a moon craft of the Harvest Moon.

harvest moon
harvest moon

We used white paint mixed together with flour to make a paste. Then we painted in the moon which was drawn on black construction paper. This was super fun because of the textures!

harvest moon
harvest moon

SUPPLIES

Nature Anatomy
The Little House
The Little Red Hen
The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses
B is for Bear
Harold and the Purple Crayon
Watercolors
Cardstock
Felt Fabric Squares
Chalk Pastels
Crayons
Candlemaking Kit

OUR PICKS

Interested in more preschool curriculum? Here is how we enjoyed the letter A unit. We had so much fun with letter A and can’t wait to share the next letter with you!

Letter D Preschool Unit

Letter D Preschool Unit

nourishedchildren 2 Comments

I’m so thankful I get to spend time with my children for their preschool years. First, I share our curriculum choices and why we use them. Keep reading to find out how we explored the Letter A. Finally, at the bottom, we list our favorite supplies for the preschool years.

Letter D Preschool Unit
Letter D Preschool Unit

PRESCHOOL CURRICULUM

SUPPORTS AMPLE NATURE TIME

  • The Peaceful Preschool – The schedule is amazing because it sets aside one day per week for field trips
  • Exploring Nature with Children – This works well for my family because it is centered around being outdoors
  • The Abundant Gardener – We are learning more about gardening together so this will naturally provide chances to visit gardens, plant stores, and be outside on our land

THE PEACEFUL PRESCHOOL

We currently follow the Peaceful Preschool curriculum by Jennifer Pepito and we love it! The content is full of rich literature, therefore it is a perfect fit for my book-loving family.  We read through many rich, classic stories. We also complete playful projects to go with the literature theme or letter. Download Unit A for free to try it out with your littles in order to see if you like it.

The community she has created is such a beautiful resource and I’m grateful to be a part of it. Jennifer has included a wonderful preschool e-book which helps you prepare to guide your child in early learning. We have found her curriculum perfect for our homeschool preschool. The curriculum is comprised of Read Aloud, Phonics, Counting Skills, Fine Motor Skills, Large Motor Skills, Practical Life Skills, and Art Skills. Also, here is how we enjoyed the letter E unit.

Letter D Preschool Unit
Letter D Preschool Unit

LETTER D REVIEW

We loved the letter D unit! The focus was on ducks and doughnuts. We began by creating our glitter glue alphabet letters and read through Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey. The Peaceful Preschool recommends glitter glue in order to create the finishing touches on sensory, textured alphabet flashcards. We have used them with all of the letters so far. It it is really one of my children’s favorite parts.

My boys also added these yellow sprinkles to their letter D template. We choose yellow sprinkles since they reminded us of yellow ducklings and doughnuts. My youngest son enjoyed completing the letter D duck project by Simply Learning Kids because it was simple and and adorable. He remained so focused.

Simply Learning Kids Duck Craft Letter D
Simply Learning Kids Duck Craft Letter D

I found a life cycle of a duck template on Pinterest. My oldest son determined the sequence, cut the pieces and glued them on. I love to see my son’s hands at work, especially when he is so interested in the activity.

life cycle duck
life cycle duck

D IS FOR DOUGHNUT

Perhaps the most fun part of the unit was baking and eating homemade doughnuts! Find my healthy Paleo doughnut recipe here. My boys helped gather ingredients, stir the batter, fill the doughnut pan, spread the icing, and add sprinkles.

letter D doughnuts
letter D doughnuts

We also made healthy apple “doughnuts” and topped them with nut butter, cream cheese and rainbow sprinkles for a delicious snack. My children loved to spread the nut butter and cream cheese on the apple slices and I loved it because they are learning great kitchen skills.

apple slices with cream cheese doughnuts
Next, apple slices with cream cheese doughnuts
Healthy Snack Ideas
Healthy Snack Ideas

We shaped doughnuts out of homemade play dough and reviewed the letters of the alphabet. My oldest child also played with a moveable Montessori alphabet. Next, he matched letter pairs together.

play dough alphabet review
finally, play dough alphabet review

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES 

I have created a Preschool Letter Unit for each letter on Pinterest. Pinterest provides a wealth of inspiration for extension ideas to go along with the Peaceful Preschool. We also use Simply Learning Kids to add additional learning activities.

Simple learning. Preschool homeschool.
Simply learning kids with Preschool homeschool
Preschool Planning
Preschool Planning for Mama

In conclusion, the boys painted some recycled cardboard doughnuts. We enjoy these watercolors from Amazon, however, you can find some at Target. I’m so thankful for the Peaceful Preschool curriculum because it provides the boys with many skills they need. Most of all, we are having a blast while we are learning.

Water Color Art Donut Craft
Finally, a Water Color Art Donut Craft

SUPPLIES

Make Way For Ducklings
Glitter Glue
Yellow Sprinkles
Rainbow Sprinkles
Doughnut Pan
Play Dough
Watercolors
Moveable Alphabet
Recycled Cardboard

Please let me know if you have any questions. Finally, we hope you enjoy nourishing your children! 

OUR PICKS


Also, here is how we enjoyed the letter E unit. I can’t wait to show you the next letter we are working on because we are enjoying it so much!

Simple learning. Preschool homeschool.

Five Amazing Art Supplies for Preschoolers

nourishedchildren 1 Comment
5 Amazing Art Supplies for Preschoolers
5 Amazing Art Supplies for Preschoolers

FOCUS ON GOOD QUALITY ITEMS

Homeschooling is a blessing. We spend quality time together, read classic books, and play with art! My boys are spontaneous and creative working with various art supplies.

HOMESCHOOL STYLE

Our homeschooling style is a mix of Charlotte Mason, Montessori, and Waldorf. Probably, you will notice emphasis on beautiful and natural materials when following a Waldorf homeschool style. We seek beauty in our surroundings. We value nature outings, a minimal home atmosphere, and quality children’s toys and materials. We prioritize beautiful and nourishing foods. However, it can be expensive to choose quality! Therefore, we include both quality items and affordable items.

Top Preschool Art Supplies
Top Preschool Art Supplies

CREATIVITY WITH WATERCOLORS

First, we used watercolors. My oldest son made a rainbow. He is very curious about rainbows. Together, we choose different colors paints and therefore, he had a great time creating art! He enjoys painting his name, and creating different shapes. He has re-created watercolor pictures from books.

Our boys are pictured below. I created some donuts with a piece of left over cardboard and my younger son is intensely focused while he paints frosting.

Water Color Art Donut Craft
Water Color Art Donut Craft

GLITTER GLUE PENS AND FUN LEARNING THE ALPHABET

We began our preschool learning with the Peaceful Preschool. The Peaceful Preschool recommends glitter glue to create sensory, textured alphabet flashcards. At first, I thought the glitter glue ran out too quickly. However, we have used them with all of the letters thus far. The glitter glue is one of my children’s favorite parts.

I have witnessed their fine motor skills improve. Their hand writing skills have begun to emerge by using these glitter pens. They love picking and choosing different colors to trace their letters. My oldest son has recently taken an interest in writing!

watercolor of brown bear
watercolor of a brown bear

ALPHABET LETTER STAMPS AND LEARNING

Simply Learning Kids recommends these alphabet letter stamps. I ordered some from Amazon. The boys have loved using them to stamp the letters they are focusing on.

We have some other alphabet stamps from Michael’s also, but these particular ones above have a great shape and structure. They are perfect for little hands to hold onto while stamping letters. My children also have fun putting these away. They find the correct place holders for them and put them back in the box when they are finished using them. We were so excited to discover this item since its a great practical life skill!

watercolor and art
Finally, Watercolor arts

CREATIVITY AND BEAUTY WITH OIL PASTELS

SaltyTribe recommended these oil pastels. We have so much fun using them! I have created simple Winnie the Pooh drawings with them and the boys love to use them. My boys love to freely draw with the pastels and usually make a big mess. I don’t mind the mess since they are creative!

My children make large, sweeping shapes with the pastels and add various colors on the page. They are the best crayons we have every used. We decided to purchase them since they were so affordable. We are thankful we have these amazing pastels since they have turned into so many interesting art projects.

WATERCOLOR GLASS JAR HOLDERS

The glass jars and cherry wood holder are on my list of future purchases since they are beautiful! They are a beautiful addition to any child’s work space (or adults for that matter). They would store the paints very well and also be a beautiful and functional item. It seems like nice quality Stockmar paints are often paired together with these.

Finally, what are you favorite preschool art supplies?

OUR PICKS

Lowercase Alphabet Stamps
Watercolor Paper
Modeling Clay
Natural Eco Dough and Tools
Chalk Pastels

Need quick art supplies all in one spot? Check out our Nourished Children Amazon Shop!