Art for the Homeschool Mom

Art for the Homeschool Mom ~
Written by Erin Vincent of Nourishing My Scholar

Art has always been special to me. I remember sitting at my mother’s knee as a child coloring in my sketchpad while she sketched a landscape. I don’t know what I was coloring or how it looked, but I remember what I was feeling.

With the sunlight streaming through the window and my mom humming lightly, I felt happy; I felt a connection to my mom that was rare. This early memory is unique from a childhood that did not contain much happiness, and I’ve always held it close to my heart.

As a teenager dealing with loneliness and bullying, I sketched animals, flowers, and doodles into my notebooks. Art was an escape, but I didn’t take an actual art class until I was a senior in high school. That’s when I was introduced to the full power of art and the master artists.

Perhaps that is why I want to share my love of art with my children. It’s a way to bring us together to enjoy our interests and express ourselves in a shared moment.

Sometimes the children and I lay outside in the grass, staring up at the clouds looking for animals and shapes in the vastness of the sky. It’s a lovely break to take during our homeschool day, especially when it is a beautiful sunny day or in the cool of the evening.

But often, I’ll look up and marvel at that perfect shade of blue or that exquisite rainbow of sunset colors that crescendo into a brilliant orange. I’ll draw the children’s attention to those masterstrokes of magnificence. Then I wonder if I could recreate that perfection with my art supplies.

I’m not a professional artist, but I love color. Sometimes I feel drawn to lines and forms while using a rainbow of colors. It’s therapeutic for me. I can feel my heart sing as the reds, blues, yellows, and greens begin to take on a life of their own. They begin to blend, mix, and swirl to create varying shades of new colors, and the joy I feel cannot be understated.

It is good for my soul and my kiddos to see my happiness in those moments.

How to Add More Art to Your Day

Are you wanting to add more art to your day? Here are a few tips for working in art for the homeschool mom – and they apply to any other passion/interest you might have as well!

Keep it short. I try to carve out 10 minutes of art for myself while the children are doing their quiet reading in the afternoon. I may go longer if my husband is home and can look after things for me while I get this much-needed self-care. If you have smaller children or babies that nap, then nap time can be a great time to sneak in a bit of art.
That means setup and clean-up need to be short too. As much as I love to paint with acrylics, it’s much harder to accomplish in the short time frame I’ve scheduled unless the kids are doing it with me. I’ve found chalk pastels, colored pencils, and watercolors take much less time than other forms of art.
It’s OK to incorporate the kids! If you can’t carve out time for yourself, then it’s okay to let the kids be a part of your art if they want.
Have Fun! Remember to keep this moment special. Make yourself a cup of tea or coffee. Maybe have a favorite snack. Make it an art teatime! Enjoy yourself!

Homeschool Art Lessons

Art has evolved in our home over the years. Instead of being an occasional addition to our homeschool, it has become a weekly joyful teatime event based on current interests!

That’s because we’re child-led and delight-directed in our homeschool. There are many homeschool art curriculums to choose from, but one of our favorites is the You ARE An Artist Complete Clubhouse Membership.

With my children’s vast array of interests, from history to animals to mythical creatures, literary favorites, the master artists, and everything in between, we need resources that provide loads of interests. The You ARE An Artist Clubhouse does just that and gives us 700+ online chalk pastel art lessons!

Plus, the lessons are short. Usually 10-15 minutes in length. Perfect for a busy homeschool mom! Setup and clean-up are super easy too – Just keep some damp paper towels on hand.

My children and I can choose to follow the lessons exactly, or we may choose to do our own thing, which happens more often than not with my daughter. She’s my artistic maverick, and I love that about her!

I want her to express herself and her feelings, even if that means her version of art is entirely different. After all, she IS the artist.

Homeschool Art

It’s okay if you aren’t interested in making art a part of your homeschool mom’s self-care, you can still make art an easy part of your homeschool. Set the table with your children’s favorite beverage and snacks and keep the mood light and fun.

It doesn’t have to be perfect. Art isn’t about the end product so much as it’s about being expressive and imaginative and the creative process it takes to get there.

I’m thrilled to say that art has grown in our home from a simple appreciation into a way to follow our interests delightfully.

For me, it is a form of self-care as well as another way to build connections and memories with my children. Hopefully, my kiddos will look back on their homeschool art education with happy memories of color, fun, warmth, and love.

How have you managed to fit in time for art or another passion into your homeschool? What are some of your favorite resources for homeschooling art?

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