Workbox Art

In a recent post I talked about the workboxes we have started using. They are still working out great. With the workbox system, I am able to include more art in the kids day and they are really enjoying that. My problem is thinking of enough projects for them! I am not artistic myself so a lot of what I see on line is too overwhelming. I've decided to keep it simple so I don't skip it all together. In order to simplify, I've decided that some of the basics will be covered on a weekly basis. So, Monday will be drawing day, Tuesday will be clay or playdough, Wednesday will be painting, Thursday will be coloring, and Friday will be a project of some sort.

For drawing, I have lots of drawing books that the kids enjoy using. One of the favorites is called Draw Write Now (http://http://www.amazon.com/Draw-Write-Now-Book-Animals/dp/096393077X/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1241797012&sr=8-4 ) It uses very simplified drawing techniques so that even a young child, like Builder, can have some success. Social Butterfly prefers her drawing books by Mark Kistler.

The kids always enjoy working with clay or playdough. There are several books out that teach techniques, but I'm thinking I might just let them use the clay tools and have fun with it. I know the art classes they will take from Art Reach will get into more technique, so I'll leave that up to the teacher there.

I'll handle painting the same way. I do have different types of paint the kids can experiment with - water colors, tempera, acrylic - but the technique will come from the art classes. I'm hoping they will all get to go to Art Camp again this summer. They will learn techniques for various mediums that they can apply through out the year.

Finally, there is coloring and we have quite a few of the wonderful coloring books from Dover. They are great! Lots of detail, so the older kids enjoy them as much as the younger ones do. Jetter is particularly good at coloring all the details. Whatever the kids are interested in - cowboys, knights, the Revolutionary War, Civil War fashion, flowers, birds, bugs, etc., there is a Dover coloring book for it. http://store.doverpublications.com/by-subject-children-coloring-books-standard-coloring-books.html

That leaves art projects. It has been difficult to come up with a different project each week since I am dealing with 3 different ages and since I am art handicapped. To make this easier for next year I took some time and went through all the art supplies I had stored from 7 years of homeschooling. Then I brainstormed a list of things I could easily teach them and that I already had the materials for, or could purchase somewhat inexpensively. Here's the list: (Please excuse the links. They make this somewhat difficult to read, but they are for my own information.)

~pastels on dark paper
~wet pastels on light paper
~Chalk drawings with stencils, smeared to give a cloudy affect
~Sculpy clay
~marble painting (paper in a box, dip marbles in paint, let them roll around)
~string painting (dip string in paint, coil between two pieces of paper, pull it out)
~Valentines in February
~Easter Egg painting end of Lent
~Christmas cards
~Stations of the cross
~Grotto kits in May (Emmanuel)
~sponge stamping patterns
~Make place mats with large construction paper and clear contact paper. Use glitter, stickers ...
~Make tea lite candle holders with glitter clue on baby food jars (or something similiar)
~Rubbing plates
~Thumbprint painting http://www.amazon.com/Ed-Emberleys-Drawing-Book-World/dp/0316789720/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1241800754&sr=8-2

~Weaving
~Do- a- Dot markers and books https://glammatoys.com/display/6281

~Indian head bands http://www.emmanuelbooks.com/product_detail.cfm?ID=1484&OID=3257
~Tomahawks or a coin purse http://www.emmanuelbooks.com/product_detail.cfm?ID=1482&OID=

~Rosary making kits http://www.emmanuelbooks.com/product_detail.cfm?ID=1946&OID=

~Fold Up Fun Masks http://www.rainbowresource.com/product/Folding+Fun+Masks+(Set+of+40)/033050/1241799322-1471568

~Wooden birds to paint or wood tops to paint http://www.rainbowresource.com/product/Birds+-+Small+Wood+Shapes/041441/1241799322-1471568

~Beeswax candles http://www.rainbowresource.com/product/Beeswax+Candles/038099/1241799322-1471568

~Japanese Marbeling set (Social Butterfly) http://www.rainbowresource.com/product/Marbling+Set+(Japanese+Suminagashi)/041357/1241799322-1471568

~Hand Prints (Plaster of Paris)

~Collage

My list isn't complete, but it's a good start. My second dilemma is what to do with all the art the kids are generating! My fridge is full and the walls in the classrom are filling up fast! We might have to work our way down the hall with it!