Not only can you make the snowman just like you’d like him, you can design your background, plus – decide what your snowman will paint! Nana’s How to draw a painting snowman with chalk pastels is perfect for your cozy, winter homeschool art time.
Snowman Paints!
Painting with chalk pastels is such a wonderful activity for the whole family to enjoy around the homeschool table. If you have never painted with Nana before, we invite you to grab her FREE set of Get Started in Chalk Pastel Art Video Art Lessons. All it takes is 1, 2, 3! A starter set of chalk pastels, construction paper and Nana’s art lessons.
Free Art Lesson: How To Draw a Snowman for Your Winter Homeschool
Enjoy this early art lesson Nana shared with her grandchildren around Tricia’s kitchen table and recorded for you!
Suggested supplies: white or light blue construction paper. Black, red, purple, green, yellow and blue chalk pastels. Pictured: Our favorite chalk pastels and chalk pastels drawer storage.
See how Nana’s grandchildren painted their snowmen here.
Growing a love of art at You ARE an ARTiST is a multi-generational passion! Tricia is Nana’s daughter and a mama of five children. Nana shared her first chalk pastel art lessons with her grandchildren around Tricia’s kitchen table. Homeschooling since 2000, Tricia has seen the fruits of home education with three homeschool grads so far!She shares the art and heart of homeschooling at Hodgepodge and is author of the book, Help! I’m Homeschooling! She and her husband, Steve, are also owners of The Curriculum Choice.
Enjoy these homeschool resources for learning about Winter Olympics! The Games are a great opportunity for all kinds of hands on art activities and fun around a favorite sport.
Does winter make you want to burrow into a cozy nook and sleep the cold away? For some of us, that’s our reaction to the onset of cold and snowy days. But for other people, especially winter sports enthusiasts, winter is time to step into some skis, skates, or other gear and have a great time in the snow and ice!
Even if you do like to huddle close and stay warm, your family can enjoy winter sports as spectators of the Winter Games!
The Winter Games: An Overview
Much like the Summer Games, the Winter Games are held every four years, but staggered on the even years when there are no Summer Games. And in the winter, of course! The focus is on sports played on snow and ice, whether indoors or out!
Although the Summer Games hark way back to ancient times, the Winter Games were first played in 1924. They feature a variety of sports that your children may never have heard of (curling?), and can be a great opportunity to introduce your family to new favorite sports in the snow!
China is the host country of the 2022 Winter Games opening ceremonies and the ice sports competitions will be held in Beijing. The games are numbered with Roman numerals, so this is the XXIV Olympic Winter Games! Two other regions, Yanquing and Zhangjiakou will also host some of the events. You can follow along with this 2022 Winter Olympics Schedule.
The Winter games is not just fun to watch, but it’s also an educational event you can discover in your homeschool! Chalk Pastel has so many video art lessons that serve as wonderful introductions to the Winter Games. Clubhouse members can enjoy the I Drew It Then I Knew It workbook. The workbook offers a planner, questions, and fun facts and interesting details about the most popular Summer and Winter Games events.
If your family plans to enjoy watching the Winter Games, there is also a new Games Medal Count printable in the workbook, so you can track your favorite countries achievements!
Homeschool Winter Games Video Lessons
Bring out the chalk pastels and get ready to enjoy the Winter Games in the warmth of your dining room or study area. Nana’s winter games lessons cover the main ice and snow sports of the Winter Games. The various sports included in the Games have changed slightly over the years, but the fan favorites remain the ones Nana has included in her lessons.
Ice skates are a common piece of equipment in various events at the Winter Games: Figure skating, speed skating, short track skating and hockey. Nana covers how to draw a basic ice skate, and teaches kids about the different parts of a skate: boot, blade, laces. She talks about the special laces competitive skaters use.
Hockey is one sport that uses ice skates, and Nana has a lesson dedicated to this sport! My kids didn’t know much about hockey, but they enjoyed going virtually with Nana to a hockey game to learn about this sport. Nana encourages kids to personalize their drawings by giving “pizzazz” to their hockey stick and puck. I love that although Chalk Pastel lessons are step by step, there are always opportunities to get creative and make the picture your own.
The bobsledding chalk pastel lesson gives kids an opportunity to create their own four-person bobsled team and decorate the helmets and sled to their liking. Or, they can follow Nana’s lead and make a Team USA sled!
For more Winter Games fun, paint the Downhill Skier lesson. This lesson is unique in that artists will paint a silhouette of a skier. This both introduces artists to the concept of the silhouette, and makes drawing people attainable for young artists, because there are no faces or details to draw!
Painting a snowboarder is a bit more detailed and takes a little time. My oldest enjoyed working on his painting of this sport. In this lesson, Nana paints Olympic athlete Shaun White flipping through the air on his snowboard in a previous Winter Games in South Korea! This is an exciting “action shot” painting!
I love how in many lessons, Nana stresses the importance of being forgiving with your art! This is so helpful to my youngest, who wants his pictures to be so perfect. I love how Nana reassures him that even if we make a small mistake or paint outside the lines, we can be forgiving as we create! Nana’s positive influence is very helpful to me as a parent teaching my children art!
Fun Activities To Help You Learn More About The Winter Olympics
Besides drawing, there are so many winter olympics resources to help your kids learn more about the Winter Olympics!
Check out this Winter Olympics Homeschool Ideas post to find ideas for celebrating the Opening Ceremonies, the geography of different countries represented at the Games, and creating fun decorations or enjoying foods from around the world. The author also has game schooling, history, book and movie recommendations for homeschool moms to pick from and create a delightful diversion from regular lessons.
One thing we did to make our Winter Games chalk pastel time a little different than usual, was create Winter Games flashcards to learn the different sports.
I made a simple flashcard template that we used with each Chalk Pastel lesson. Each winter Olympic sport is listed at the top. The boys painted with Nana in the larger box. Then we read through the I Drew It Then I Knew it workbook pages for each of the sports. I had the boys take turns filling in the text box with a one-sentence summary of what they had learned about each sport.
You could laminate these flashcards and cut them apart for some matching fun with younger kids who are more visual.
You can get the flashcards template here to try this out in your homeschool! There is a flashcard labeled for each of Nana’s Winter Games lessons, plus a blank page for using this with other events you study.
More Homeschool Video Art Lessons For Your Family
If you’re looking for more resources to round out your lesson plans: my Ancient History Reading List can provide a literature component to your Winter Games study. It includes suggestions for fiction and non-fiction about the Greeks. Or, segue from an ancient games study to a study of ancient poetry and art with my Ancient History Classical Morning Menu set!
Sometimes it can be hard for kids to connect to sports that are unfamiliar or events that are far away around the globe. Painting the equipment and athletes of the winter games and including other art projects and hands-on activities about the history of The Games brings kids right into the moment of excitement as these athletes compete for gold medals. With these great Olympic resources, you and your family will celebrate a memorial Winter Games this year!
Julie is a teacher, writer and homeschool mom. Her blog Happy Strong Home shares encouragement for cherishing children, enjoying motherhood, and growing strong families. Discover homeschool resources, natural living tips, and family activity ideas. Julie has been featured on Million Praying Moms, The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, and the Melissa and Doug blog. She offers writing workshops and a “homeschool neighborhood” community to support parents in their homeschool adventures. Find Julie on Instagram to be the first to know when new workshops and community events are available.
This winter homeschool snowflake study combines the beauty of winter with the fascinating life of Snowflake Bentley.
In our part of New England, the arrival of the first snow is greatly anticipated. It can happen as early as October or as late as January. We watch the sky and weather reports eagerly for this delightful precipitation.
What is this somewhat magical weather phenomenon that turns ordinary dreary rainfall into a puffy playscape for kids of all ages?
It seems hard to believe it’s simply the temperature dropping! Yet, it really is that simple. Let the red line drop below thirty-two degrees and our dreams of a white winter crystalize into reality! Our breath plumes white to match the snow, and suddenly the world is renewed!
In our house, my boys have their boots on as soon as there’s a skim of snow to make tracks in. Snow angels, snowmen, snow ball fights, and sledding take up hours of their time until they’ve quite worn the snow out!
Whether you get snow in your area or not, you can create a winter snowflake study of this beautiful white fluffy stuff in your homeschool this year! Just gather a few simple materials to show your kids the wonder of these winter crystals.
“The snow crystals . . . come to us not only to reveal the wondrous beauty of the minute in Nature, but to teach us that all earthly beauty is transient and must soon fade way. But though the beauty of the snow is evanescent, like the beauties of the autumn, as of the evening sky, it fades but to come again.” ― Wilson A. Bentley
Learning About Snowflakes
There is no person better to start learning about snowflakes from than the man who dedicated his life to capturing these ephemeral water-stars.
Wilson Bentley of Vermont said, “… from the beginning, it was the snowflakes that fascinated me most.” We agree, snowflakes are simply mesmerizing!
Wilson Bentley’s website contains a rich and lengthy biography, as well as several articles about snowflakes written by Bentley himself. Bookmark this site for some “mother culture” reading time as you plan your homeschool snowflake study. Bentley’s articles are written with as much beauty as their subject matter.
Snowflake Bentley Homeschool Read Aloud
As the first person to ever capture a snowflake’s intricacy on camera, Wilson Bentley’s passion for snowflakes earned him the nickname “Snowflake Bentley.” His story is best enjoyed in the picture book by the same name.
This read-aloud book is distinctive in that it uses two side-by-side narratives to share Snowflake Bentley’s story. The narrative under the woodcut illustrations lyrically tells the story of Bentley’s life and passion for snow. The margin text adds facts and scientific details that help the reader understand the excitement and importance of Bentley’s work.
Bentley grew from a young boy who loved snow to a teenager who pursued his passions to a young man who determinedly persevered through failures. He knew there were “treasures in the snow” and he would gift these treasures to the world.
And so he did. After decades of effort, he had a vast collection of snowflake photos compiled into a book: Snow Crystals. From passionate child to “snowflake authority” figure, Snowflake Bentley’s story is both endearing and insightful.
Under the microscope, I found that snowflakes were miracles of beauty; and it seemed a shame that this beauty should not be seen and appreciated by others. Every crystal was a masterpiece of design and no one design was ever repeated. When a snowflake melted, that design was forever lost. Just that much beauty was gone, without leaving any record behind.” — Wilson Bentley
A Snowflake Bentley Study For All Ages In Your Homeschool
After reading about the startling beauty of snowflakes, children will definitely want to explore more!
My boys took turns creating chalk pastel paintings to celebrate all things snow.
We started with the lesson on Snowflake Bentley and his camera. This lesson is perfect for older students because it’s a bit more intricate.
The preschool lesson on snowflakes in Snow Clubhouse is short and sweet and delightful for beginners or younger students. Even a few minutes of painting with Nana helps kids to pause for a moment and consider the wonder of these tiny, transient winter gems. Nana’s patient instruction guides kids to wonder at the uniqueness of snowflakes as they draw.
Bird in Snow is the perfect lesson to connect snowflakes to wildlife in your backyard – plus it uses black paper like Bentley’s black snowflake tray! The contrast of the chalk pastels on different colored backgrounds is stunning.
My youngest painted Welcome Winter Snowman to celebrate the fun we can all enjoy with snowflakes!
More Winter Homeschooling Resources
These snowy treasures of Bentley’s are well-celebrated in Nana’s Chalk Pastel lessons! Check out the ideas in this Winter Solstice celebration post.
From a snowflake study, you can move easily to exploring other winter weather topics. Enjoy lessons on frosted leaves, icicles, beautiful frozen winter lakes at midnight and more with Nana. Your kids will see how snow, with its delicate, icy touch, creates beauty in all aspects of wintertime.
Along with our chalk pastel lessons, we added in a few other hands-on craft activities.
We were blessed beyond delight when the morning after painting our snow pictures with Nana, we had a suddenly snowfall! I handed out black construction paper and we rushed out to play Snowflake Bentley and collect our own snow crystals. Although I’m no photographer like he was, I managed to snap a few closeups to capture the detail of a handful of our flakes.
The boys and I studied my photos later, commenting on the shapes, edges, and variety in our small sampling. When we draw attention to the fleeting beauty of snow, we’re teaching children to pay attention to even the smallest of things. This skill of noticing is foundational to keep our children enthralled with learning.
Later in the week, the boys and I made snowflakes. Snowflake cutouts can be simple and fun to make. Since my husband’s family is Polish, every so often, we attempt the Polish paper cutting technique of Gwiazdy (or, stars). Very similar to cutting paper snowflakes, but with more detailed cut-out designs. Just like snowflakes, no two are ever the same, no matter how we might try!
We also designed snowflakes out of pipe cleaners. Extend this activity into a science lesson by making your own snow crystals! Kids can make actual crystal structures using a borax solution (especially wondrous if you live in an area that won’t have snow).
You might also enjoy a Silent Winter Snow Walk using your senses. Find out how with our sister site, Homeschool Nature Study’s Outdoor Hour Challenge Instagram post!
However you choose to study snowflakes, whether reading, painting, or crafting, there is no doubt snowflakes are one of nature’s most beautiful wonders. The melt-away beauty of snowflakes never fails to melt hearts of nature lovers everywhere.
Of all the forms of water the tiny six-pointed crystals of ice called snow are incomparably the most beautiful and varied. – Wilson Bentley
Julie is a teacher, writer and homeschool mom. Her blog Happy Strong Home shares encouragement for cherishing children, enjoying motherhood, and growing strong families. Discover homeschool resources, natural living tips, and family activity ideas. Julie has been featured on Million Praying Moms, The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, and the Melissa and Doug blog. She offers writing workshops and a “homeschool neighborhood” community to support parents in their homeschool adventures. Find Julie on Instagram to be the first to know when new workshops and community events are available.
Celebrate the winter solstice with your kids with chalk pastels winter themed art! They are easy and fun for the whole family. A perfect addition to your winter homeschooling!
For years we have made a tradition of celebrating the shortest day and longest night of the year. These Winter Solstice Activities & Books have been perfect as we learned the science behind the winter solstice while making orange pomanders, orange garland, and delicious sun bread. With the winter solstice marking the first day of winter I thought, “why not add a little winter themed art this year?”
How about making some scones and tea to go along with our winter solstice art time? My son and daughter helped me prepare the scones and steep the tea. We set the table and logged into our clubhouse membership. I simply searched for “winter” and a whole slew of options popped up! The kiddos decided to start with the frost-covered leaf.
My daughter made her frosted leaf magical. She said it was touched by the autumn and winter fairies! Can you see the magic swirling around it?
Winter Solstice Art Lessons
Next, we chose a moonlit bridge and frozen lake while continuing to sip tea and slather extra butter on our scones. It was a big hit! And nothing says winter like winter landscape scenes!
We just adore how “Nana” walks us through step-by-step in creating these snowy works of art! She always reminds us that we are the artist and that we don’t have to choose the same colors she does or add the same trees where she does. She encourages us to make it our own.
My daughter added holiday lights to her bridge and a lovely reflection of the moon to her frozen lake. Can you tell which one is hers?
I just love her creativity!
Celebrating the Winter Solstice In Your Homeschool
How about a deer standing in the snowy woods for a first day of winter creative project? Although initially, my son said his looked more like a silver-back gorilla, ha! I thought they turned out lovely.
Winter Solstice Chalk Pastel Art wouldn’t be complete without the beautiful northern lights! After creating these magnificent works of art, we watched a video all about them. It was a great way to mix in a bit of extra science and beauty!
Chalk Pastels Clubhouse Winter Art Lessons For Your Homeschool
Did you know that with the Chalk Pastels Clubhouse you have access to ALL of their winter-themed art along with 600+ other art lessons? It’s true! Here are just some of the winter art courselessons you can do with the clubhouse membership:
Fireplace (A Simple Start)
Frost (Winter)
Icicles (Winter)
Frozen lake (Winter)
Winter forest scene with deer (Winter)
Stonehenge winter solstice (World Landmarks)
Bird in snow (Winter)
Northern Lights (Essential Oils)
Stopping By the Woods on a Snowy Evening (Master Classes)
We thoroughly enjoyed our buttered scones, tea, and winter art time. My son declared that homeschool art days are his favorite days! I think that’s saying something, folks. Though winter can be cold and dreary, art, it seems, warms our hearts and souls. Why not give the shortest day and longest night of the year the warmth of art this year?
Erin is a writer, blogger, and homeschooler to two intense kids. Her blog is filled with information to help you explore a child led education while making meaningful connections with your children. Discover favorite read alouds, seasonal books, games, art projects, hands-on activities, and learn to just breathe through the ups and downs of life. She loves nature, farm life, good books, knitting, new pens, and hot coffee. Erin is a contributing writer for Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers. Her work has also been featured on Simple Homeschool and Book Shark.
Are you looking to add some cozy winter art fun for your kiddos this holiday season? Chalk Pastels are an easy way to help kids get creative! Add a little hot cocoa or a sweet treat and watch as you warm those cold snow days right up with beautiful art and lasting memories!
We have been adding Festive Christmas Chalk Pastel Art Lessons during the holidays for years. It’s become a most treasured tradition. The kiddos always look forward to our holiday chalk pastels and togetherness. This year we were super excited to partake in the Artist Express lesson! Plus, the kid’s Papa joined in as a special treat!
When Papa learned that our plan was to watch the Polar Express movie and then draw our own version of a train in the snow he asked if he could join in too! The kids were thrilled!
Winter Art Fun with Artist Express
If your children love the Polar Express book and/or movie, then they will adore chalk pastels Artist Express lesson!
But first, I like to set the table with Christmas lights, make some hot cocoa, and serve a special treat. We’ve had these chalk pastel traditions for years and the ambiance is part of the magic and fun. I want my children to have beautifully warm memories of the holidays.
It’s ok if they don’t like cocoa. Just pour a mug of their favorite beverage!
What better way to make lasting memories than by letting the children get creative and messy! That’s why I adore chalk pastels. They are so easy to use that preschoolers through adults can have the best time making art with them.
With the Artist Express chalk pastel lesson Nana takes you step-by-step on an adventure drawing your very own locomotive in the icy north!
Winter Art In Our Homeschool
And oh! What icy locomotives were made! Not one looked like any other, but each was so special and unique just like each of us. One of the things I especially love about Nana is that she ALWAYS reminds your children that THEY ARE ARTISTS and that it’s OK if they use different colors or add extra trees or mountains or whatever their hearts desire. It’s OK to have smudges and lines. These are things that make each painting special and unique. These words are so helpful for young artists or perfectionist who may struggle when they feel their paintings don’t look exactly “right.” Nana is so encouraging!
Chalk pastels and art in general have been a wonderful addition to our homeschool and our holidays.
But it was especially lovely being able to share our chalk pastel joy with Papa! It made our special winter art time even more special.
Winter and Holiday Themed Online Art Lessons
Did you know that the Chalk Pastels You ARE An Artist Clubhouse Membership has loads more Winter and Holiday themed art lessons? There are over 600+ chalk pastel lessons to choose from including these winter lessons:
Artist Express
Hot Chocolate
Mittens and a Mug
Frost
Icicles
Frozen Lake
Winter Forest Scene with Deer
Bird in Snow
Christmas and Holiday Art Lessons For Your Homeschool
You will also have access to all the Christmas and Holiday Lessons including:
Christmas Star
Away in a Manger
Christmas Tree
Winter Fun
Gingerbread Man and Holly Leaf
Christmas Angel
What’s Under Your Christmas Tree?
Christmas Ornaments
Christmas Lights
Nutcracker
Clara and the Christmas Tree
Sugar Plum Fairy
Chinese Tea Dance
Mouse King
Plus, so much more!
Winter Art Fun with Artist Express Chalk Pastels
Making holiday traditions warm and inviting plus easy on mom is a big checkmark in my book. Chalk pastels have proven themselves time and again as a fun and engaging art medium. The Artist Express lesson was a perfect addition to watching the Polar Express movie while enjoying a warm mug of hot cocoa. Chalk pastels will forever hold a special place in our family’s winter and holiday fun.
Erin is a writer, blogger, and homeschooler to two intense kids. Her blog is filled with information to help you explore a child led education while making meaningful connections with your children. Discover favorite read alouds, seasonal books, games, art projects, hands-on activities, and learn to just breathe through the ups and downs of life. She loves nature, farm life, good books, knitting, new pens, and hot coffee. Erin is a contributing writer for Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers. Her work has also been featured on Simple Homeschool and Book Shark.
Do you have some “littles” lurking around your table while you are setting up an art lesson? You know, the eager two or three-year-old want-to-be artist? Pull them up a chair, and even put a couple of books on the seat to raise them up to table level! Yep, invite them to sit at the Big Kid Art Table! I can tell you how and when this can happen at your house. Change his life with this invitation. Little person will be forever thankful! Do it today! Look, EVERYONE can be an artist! ❤️Nana
Art with preschoolers can feel a little scary and overwhelming, but it is, even more fun and rewarding. Nana is sharing some marvelous tips for encouraging your young artist.
What comes to mind when you think about preschoolers and art: crayons, markers, glitter, and finger paint? There are many different modes of art with preschoolers, but do not rule out chalk pastels.
Listen to Nana’s Podcast The Big Kid Art Table: Preschool Art Lessons for Your Homeschool
Now that Nana has given you some tips on encouraging your little artists, we want to provide some ideas to help you with the hands-on side of implementation.
Big Kid Table Preschool Art Lessons
First, Nana has some amazing preschool lessons for those littlest learners. From basic shapes to fun seasonal drawings, these are a great simple way to get them started with classes designed just for them.
Online Preschool Art Courses For Your Homeschool
Preschool Fall Video Art Lessons
Preschool Barnyard Video Art Lessons
Preschool Summer Video Art Lessons
Preschool Spring Video Art Lessons
Preschool Winter Video Art Lessons
Preschool Chalk Pastel Video Art Lessons
There are also some fun ideas for learning about sight words with chalk pastels.
Preschoolers also tend to love farms and farm animals, so you can get some more ideas from this list of 12 Delightful Farm Art Activities.
The When and Why of Preschool Art
Some of you probably think this all sounds great, but you are unsure how you will fit in art and if it is even worth the time. You might have older children that need more attention, the housework never seems to end, and someone is constantly calling your name (or maybe that’s just at my house.)
However, there are many benefits to teaching art to young children. Did you know that your children can increase fine motor and language skills in addition to art skills (valuable in their own right) through art lessons? Check out this article on Preschool Art and Music Lessons for more details on the benefits of art lessons.
When it comes to fitting art into the schedule, it is essential to remember that you do not have to do art every day to make it effective, and you can keep it very simple. You will make an impact even if you take fifteen minutes a week and set your preschooler up with one of the chalk pastel lessons at the kitchen table while you prep dinner. Check out this article from Courtney with more ways to make time for art.
I hope this post and podcast encouraged you to include fun art lessons with your preschoolers.
Big Kid Art Table Resources
P.S. If you enjoy this episode, would you please share it with a friend (there’s a handy little share button above) and/or leave a review on your favorite podcast app? Thanks!
Nana is passionate about helping you realize you ARE an artist! Not only an artist with chalk pastels but with homeschooling, creative spaces, favorite family recipes and more. Nana also enjoys chatting – especially about art. If you have followed along with any of her You ARE an Artist video art lessons, you know that. She also enjoys sharing photos and thoughts on topics while she is being creative in her studio space on her back porch. That is where she will be chatting with you – from her back porch. It’s Nana’s You ARE an Artist Podcast!
A really fun way to make summer memories together is by having Christmas in July! These ideas will get you started. Just add twinkling lights and your own fun traditions to spark some wonder and imagination!
My children and I have long loved celebrating Christmas in July. By July, the days are heavy with humidity and there are often pesky mosquitoes. So, planning something fun indoors that turns our thoughts to cooler days is just the sort of celebration we need!
Some years we have gone all out Christmas in July. Other years, we simply put on the Christmas music, added some sprinkles to store-bought cookies, and pulled out the chalk pastels.
I hope you find some inspiration for your family’s Christmas in July time!
Fun Ideas for Making Family Memories with Christmas in July
Here are some easy ideas to get you started.
Play Christmas music – all your favorites!
Bake cookies
String up some lights or a red and green construction paper chain
Pull out your stack of Christmas books
AND paint favorite Christmas scenes!
Homeschool Music and Art Activities for Christmas in July
Just one or two notes of a favorite Christmas song can transport you to the festive season!
You might like to start off with an all-time favorite – Charlie Brown Christmas! Nana has a fun lesson you can enjoy.
Christmas Tree Study for Kids – O Christmas Tree! Enjoy this Christmas hymn and learn about an evergreen tree. What a perfect study for any time of the year.
Bake Christmas Treats for Afternoon Tea Time
Nana shares her favorite, homemade cut-out Christmas cookies recipe for kids at Your Best Homeschool. All the sprinkles! Of course, you can also pick up your favorite ready-bake cookies at the store. You might prefer to make one or more of the following from Nana’s cookbook:
Online Homeschool Art Lessons for Christmas in July
Stay cool inside and let Nana lead you in an art lesson. For our family, art has been the most special of Christmas homeschool activities. Here are some really fun ways to celebrate Christmas in July:
The Ultimate List of Christmas Art Lessons – Enjoy this ultimate list of Christmas Homeschool Art Lessons! Christmas homeschooling allows us to focus on the real reason for the season. And you can do that in so many ways. We will give many resources to choose from and help you customize your perfect Christmas school day, week, or month.
You ARE an ARTiST Complete Clubhouse Christmas and Homeschool Art Lessons for the Whole Year Through!
Nana and I invite you to join us in the Clubhouse for over 800 online art lessons. There are lessons for literature, history, science, famous artists, music, maps, nature study, preschool to high school and more. There is even a daily art calendar with ideas to match the lovely learning in your homeschool.
Growing a love of art at You ARE an ARTiST is a multi-generational passion! Tricia is Nana’s daughter and a mama of five children. Nana shared her first chalk pastel art lessons with her grandchildren around Tricia’s kitchen table. Homeschooling since 2000, Tricia has seen the fruits of home education with three homeschool grads so far!She shares the art and heart of homeschooling at Your Best Homeschool and is author of the book, Help! I’m Homeschooling! She and her husband, Steve, are also owners of sister sites Homeschool Nature Study and The Curriculum Choice.
Thinking on your childhood days, what brought you joy on Mother’s and Father’s Day? Was it the heartfelt smile on mother’s face while you fluffed the pillows to prepare her for a hearty breakfast in bed? Was it father’s proud expression as you watched him close his eyes, make a wish, then blow on the puffy dandelion you handpicked, just for him? These Mother’s and Father’s Day art activities are perfect for making lasting memories.
Mother’s and Father’s Day is such a special time for children and parents. Moms and dads are honored for the daily sacrifices they make for their children. Children have the opportunity to give thanks, and share how much they appreciate their parents. The joy given and received on this wonderful day is a life-giving experience.
Mother’s And Father’s Day Art Activities
Here at You Are an Artist, we offer creative ways to make this day special. Master Artist, Nana, has created bundles of praiseworthy lessons that will stir love, a lot of laughter, and bring color to your next Mother’s and Father’s Day.
Mother’s Day Activities For Kids
“It is woman who rocks the cradle of the world and holds the first affections of mankind. She possesses a power beyond that of a king on his throne.”
~ Mable Hale, Beautiful Girlhood
A mother’s unconditional love has impacted our world from generation to generation. Mothers have a strength that shine through their unwavering faith, sacrifices, and devotion to their children. Let’s bring her honor by using our creativity. All you need is a few art supplies and a whole lot of love!
Paint Mother’s Day mailboxes with Nana! Fold your paper in half to create a fun card! You can even leave a little handwritten note inside. Green construction paper and a few chalk pastels is all you need. Watch for mother’s smiles as she opens this handmade card with joy!
Mother’s Day Gifts in a Mailbox
Does Mother love flowers? Nana paints fresh blooms mom will surely treasure. Add a favorite Bible verse or a letter on the back of your painting. Mother will cherish it forever!
Geranium Flower Art Lesson
Discover Nana’s family member whose favorite flower is the Geranium! Create buds and blossoms with beautiful red hues, browns, and greens.
Give a Hydrangea Garden Flower Gift
You will need those purple and blue pastels for this one! I love the twin like flowers standing so graciously side by side.
Queen Anne’s Lace and a Virtual Flower Bouquet
The Queen Anne’s Lace is a very detailed painting. Paint four blooms and learn the term “under painting” with Nana. These glorious lace like flowers make a charming painting and gift for mother.
Are you interested in more beautiful blooms for Mother’s Day? Check out Nana’s gorgeous Georgia O’Keiffe painting. The lily and it’s delicate white petals will surely brightens mom’s day!
Did you know Nana offers lessons using acrylic paint? My children adore her acrylic lessons. They also make stunning gifts perfect for Mother’s Day.
Summer Tree Acrylic
This is a pleasant painting called “Pavement Ends”. It’s bursting with green pastures and healthy trees. Looking upon the serene countryside brings peaceful thoughts of running barefoot in the green fields or taking a nice summer nap under a still tree. This is one of my favorites.
Sunflower Acrylic
Join Nana and her beloved paintbrush to paint this simple, yet bright yellow sunflower with a darling little ladybug. All you need is three simple colors and a tiny spec of black.
Fall Tree Reflection Acrylic
Sweeping leaves, a forest, and quiet waters speak softly of the reflections of fall.
Goldfinch Acrylic
This is the most adorable Goldfinch! Another simple painting using simple colors. Great for beginners.
Backyard Birds Nuthatch
A squirrel hole, spots of snow, and “tiny birds with a big personality” take the heart of this painting. Nana not only does a wondrous job of teaching this lesson, but also describing the Nuthatch and their personalities.
My children either hand wrote a Bible verse, quote, or poem on the back of the acrylic paintings. Then they signed and dated it. What an absolute delight!
Proverbs 1:8-9 “Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction; don’t neglect your mother’s teaching; for they are a graceful wreath on your head, and beads for your neck.”
Proverbs 31:25-28 “Strength and honor are her clothing; she is confident about the future. Her mouth is full if wisdom; kindly teaching is on her tongue. She is vigilant over the activities of her household; she doesn’t eat the food of laziness. Her children bless her; her husband praises her: ‘Many women act competently, but you surpass them all!'”
Proverbs 31:31 Charm is deceptive and beauty fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Let her share in the results of her work; let her deeds praise her in the city gates.”
Psalm 127:3 “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.”
Father’s Day Art Activities For Kids
“A good father is one of the most unsung, unpraised, unnoticed, and yet one of the most valuable assets in society.”
~ Billy Graham
Fathers are incredibly important to the family unit. A man’s willingness to provide for his family, love his wife, and train up his children in godly principles is worthy of honor. His desire to walk closely with Christ and lead his family deserves praise. Let’s show our dads just how much they are respected and appreciated!
Do you have a dad that is simply incredible? Nana created a Mr. Incredible lesson perfect for Father’s Day! My children wrote “You are INCREDIBLE!” on the back of the painting and signed their names. We used 9×12 construction paper for this one.
Is Dad into nature, hiking, or hunting? Chalk Pastel Art offers many art lessons that reflect scenic country sides and peaceful wildlife. All of the chalk pastel paintings listed below make charming cards. Simply fold your paper in half and follow Nana’s art lesson. We chose a couple to make into cards and created haiku poetry to place inside. The rest of the paintings served as memorable Father’s Day gifts.
Draw a Winter Forest with Chalk Pastels
Do you see the proud buck standing tall among a wintry forest. Share this one with Dad on Father’s Day and ask him about his hunting experiences. I bet he will love to share his stories!
Bob Ross Art Lesson for Your Homeschool
Learn about one of Nana’s favorite artist, Bob Ross. We found it interesting he used to be a drill sergeant in the military. Paint this grand mountain scene with Nana and watch the “happy little trees” come to life. You can also listen to Nana’s Bob Ross podcast.
Grand Teton and Yellowstone Park Art Lessons
This is an American Landmark painting found in your Clubhouse membership. This is only one of many other amazing landmarks lessons that are available. Grab the colors of the sunset and set off with Nana to the Yellowstone Falls in Wyoming. Nana describes the falls “thundering down the mountain pass” and a wondrous place called Artist Point. A stunning painting!
Winter Tree Reflections Acrylic
Paint a night time wintry scene with freezing cold water and a tree dressed in snowy white layers. This is a similar painting to the Fall Tree Reflection. Our little artist wrote Psalm 1:1-3 on the back of his canvas just for Dad!
Bible Verse Ideas for Father’s Day:
“Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.” Psalm 1:1-3
“But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
In the very heart of your house,
Your children like olive plants
All around your table.
Behold, thus shall the man be blessed
Who fears the Lord. Psalm 128:3-4
As a father pities his children, So the Lord pities those who fear Him. Psalm 103:13
Make a Hobbit Themed Breakfast for Father’s Day
Is Dad a J.R.R Tolkein fan? You know hobbits love to eat…even up to seven meals a day! Make a Hobbit themed breakfast for dad, invite a few hairy footed halflings, and present your Lord of the Rings chalk pastel art with his favorite Tolkein quotes written on the back!
The Hobbit Art Lesson
Go on an adventure with Nana and visit a halfling’s home. Paint luscious green grass, and a hobbit home among the meadows…and maybe you’ll make it time for Elevenses or an Afternoon Tea! More on this favorite Homeschool Hobbit Art Lesson.
Going on a Lord of the Rings Adventure
Are you ready for an adventure with the Fellowship? Paint silhouettes of prominent characters and watch mighty Gandalf lead the way as they trudge through the snow among icy mountains.
The Ring, My Precious!
Nana sure has a love of reading and loves to visit many places through books! Join Nana on a long journey as you paint the renowned Ring and a vintage map.
Father’s Day Gifts for Star Wars Fans
“I am your FATHER!”…..does Dad love all the old Star Wars movies? Nana shares a colorful Darth Vader Abstract that dad would love for Father’s Day! That’s not all! Chalk Pastel Art offers even more Star Wars themed art!
The Gift of Art will forever sprinkle our hearts with joy. Some of the most cherished gifts are handmade with thought and love. Through Nana’s artistry, your child has an opportunity to create and give in a meaningful way. We hope we have given you wonderful ideas to make Mother’s and Father’s Day special for you and your dear children.
More than just Mother’s And Father’s Day Art Activities, Chalk Pastel Art offers many creative resources just for your children of all ages! From Preschool learning to Summer Camp to Shark Week, and Hymn Studies! Check it out!
Jamie is the author of A Brown Bear’s Language Arts Study, a literature-inspired homeschool mom of eight, and a former educator. She enjoys a bookshelf bursting with colorful picture books and children’s stories of all genres. Indulging in a read aloud with all of her children around her is one of Jamie’s favorite moments of her days. Be sure to find Jamie on Instagram and visit her blog, Treasuring the Tiny Moments Homeschool, to be encouraged by all her learning adventures with her wonderful family.
Combining poetry and art in your homeschool is a wonderful way to help your child learn. Enjoy these tips for getting started and a free worksheet!
I believe poetry paints beautiful pictures. Poems are descriptive. Emotional. Word art for the ears. But if your student isn’t an auditory learner, poetry can be heavy, confusing, and just a bunch of jumbled metaphors. This is why I believe it’s wise to start combining poetry and art in your homeschool!
My oldest son needed to “see” everything. He is a visual learner. I decided to let him practice listening by sketching what was being read. Of course we had to incorporate some rules – no superhero drawings. After he got a few good Batman sketches out of his system, we finally hit our poetry and art stride. Some days he sketched the literal words, some days the metaphors. Some poetry left him feeling like drawing a wildfire of colors. While other poems lead to science lessons and nature walks. But that’s homeschooling. Exhausting a subject and learning all the things!
The Value Of Combining Poetry And Art In Your Homeschool
You might feel overwhelmed trying to combine art and poetry. I’m not a fan of sketching any of Edgar Allan Poe’s poor victims. But a clock or raven isn’t too intimidating. My husband asked me the other day …
Q. What happens when Edgar Allan Poe paints his rhymes? A. He makes Poe-ART-Ry.
Maybe we should just stick to drawing. If you’re wondering how we paired Nana’s great tutorials with poetry, it’s easy! You ARE an ARTiST Clubhouse Members can head to their dashboard and use the SEARCH function. If you’re reading about nature, seasons, animals, etc. you can search all the tutorials by topic! Here are a few of our favorites:
Nothing Gold Can Stay by Robert Frost & Fall Aspen Tree
Robert Frost wrote Nothing Gold Can Stay in 1923. Did you know Robert Frost never graduated college, but received over 40 honorary degrees?
Nature’s first green is gold, Her hardest hue to hold. Her early leaf’s a flower; But only so an hour. Then leaf subsides to leaf. So Eden sank to grief, So dawn goes down to day. Nothing gold can stay.
I am a huge Emily Dickinson fan. The fact that she hid her poetry away in a trunk because she didn’t think it was any good … I think as moms we can all relate to doubting ourselves. Am I good enough to homeschool these children? Are we doing the right thing? Yes sweet mama, you’re doing an amazing job! Thankfully shortly after Emily’s death her sister found 1,800 poems and had them published. Hope is my very favorite poem. It is believed to have been written in 1861.
“Hope” is the thing with feathers That perches in the soul And sings the tune without the words And never stops – at all – And sweetest – in the Gale is heard -And sore must be the storm That could abash the little Bird That kept so many warm – I’ve heard it in the chillest land And on the strangest Sea Yet – never – in Extremity It asked a crumb – of me.
Did you know hummingbirds migrate in the winter? They are the only birds that fly backwards and have no sense of smell. Things you learn while reading poetry.
The Mountain & The Squirrel by Emerson and a Squirrel
The mountain and the squirrel Had a quarrel, And the former called the latter “Little prig.” Bun replied, “You are doubtless very big; But all sorts of things and weather Must be taken in together To make up a year And a sphere. And I think it no disgrace To occupy my place. If I’m not so large as you, You are not so small as I, And not half so spry: I’ll not deny you make A very pretty squirrel track. Talents differ; all is well and wisely put; If I cannot carry forests on my back, Neither can you crack a nut.”
Our favorite Emerson line has become our family motto: Live in the sunshine. Swim the Sea. Drink the Wild Air.
The Beauty Of Combining Poetry and Art
Poetry is much more than reading some ridiculous rhyming words. Unless you’re Dr. Seuss and then it’s just cool. The poets behind these stories have stories of their own! You ARE an ARTiST Complete Clubhouse Memberswill find Poet Biography Pages (20 total, plus a blank page and the My Favorite Poem Worksheet) in their membership dashboard. These pages give your students an opportunity to learn more about the people behind the prose.
Poet Pack includes:
Mark Twain
Sara Teasadale
Christina Rossetti
Emily Bronte
Sarojini Naidu
Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Maya Angelou
Emily Dickinson
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Henry David Thoreau
Lord Byron
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
T.S. Eliot,
John Keats
Langston Hughes
William Shakespeare
William Butler Yeats
William Wordsworth
ee cummings
Edgar Allan Poe
and Robert Frost.
Free Favorite Poem Worksheet
You can download this free Favorite Poem pdf now. Sometimes we (maybe just me?) harp on the reading and memorization of poetry. But we forget one of the most important questions: why do you like this poem. How does this make you feel? Which line is your favorite?
Memorizing dozens of lines can be a lot for a student. Rather than memorizing the entire poem, ask them to memorize their favorite lines. Full disclosure, I only have the first 4 lines of Hope memorized. And I’m okay with that.
Maybe you have a student like mine who hates poetry. He is a bit more logical and didn’t appreciate all the metaphors. Go ahead and cross out “Like” and write “Dislike”. Those opinions are valid too!
Stef started homeschooling her boys in 2008. She quickly adopted a hands-on learning homeschool style and graduated her oldest tactile learner in 2021. Stef started the Hands-On Learning column in Homeschooling Today magazine. The Laytons currently reside in the foothills of Colorado where Stef also teaches yoga. The family loves to hike trails, stand-up paddle board, and chase sunsets. Stef shares travel and homeschool tips on IG at @LaytonAdventures.
This guide will help you get started with art and music appreciation in your homeschool. My hope is to help you overcome all the normal excuses. I hope it encourages you!
I don’t have time to teach art. I am so far behind in my core subjects. I have no talent in art. We will do some projects over the summer.
Sound familiar? In my years of homeschooling, I have heard many excuses from my friends on why they do not include art and music in their weekly routines. Truth be told, I thought some of the very same things until I realized that these two subjects are easily incorporated into our daily lives.
Why Include Art and Music Appreciation in Your Homeschool?
No matter what style of homeschool you use – textbook, classical, unschooling, or anything in between – art and music can be woven into your year. The study of great works of art, the listening to uplifting pieces of music, and the freedom to be creative in any subject can enrich and expand what we already offer to our children.
If this is your first time to journey into this world of art and music appreciation, you can find joy experiencing these subjects with your children and growing alongside them. I will share how we have done this in our family and how I have encouraged others to do so in their lives – homeschooled or not. Be open to the possibility that you can add some art and music into your homeschool day.
How To Make Time For Art and Music Appreciation: “I Don’t Have Time”
Music Appreciation
Music appreciation can easily by accomplished by picking two or three composers a year and pulling them up on your favorite digital listening platform. Start with the well-known masters such as Bach, Beethoven or Mozart. Choose a playlist and then regularly listen during your homeschool day or as your drive in the car to other activities. Each time you listen, you will quickly become more and more familiar.
Many times the children will easily recognize a composer and they will shout out how they heard this piece in a movie or during a cartoon. Some composers will not immediately be liked but you will find that after you get a ‘taste’ for a certain composer, their music will grow on you. If your children have not been exposed to classical music, it may take some time before they will enjoy the sound of it. Don’t give up. You might also like: The Best Way to Add Music to Your Homeschool.
Art Appreciation or Picture Study
Art appreciation, or picture study, can be a complement to your other subjects. I start by choosing an artist that goes along with the period of history we are studying. After selecting the artist, I find a source for viewing that artist’s work. The internet is a valuable an efficient source for finding a great quantity of artwork.
My two favorite choices are Mark Harden’s The Artchive artchive.com and Olga’s Gallery abcgallery.com. Another source is the library where we find art books, children’s biographies and videos that supplement our picture study. We study four to five different artists a year this way. It will not take long before your children are recognizing famous artwork when you are going about your daily life.
Set Aside Fine Arts Fridays!
Who doesn’t love themed days? Certainly not Taco Tuesday!! I’m sharing 5 Tips to Start Fine Arts Friday without overwhelming your homeschool schedule. Don’t miss Stef’s post full of Fine Arts Friday tips!
The Ultimate Guide to Fun Friday Activities for Kids – Enjoy these fun Friday activities for kids! By making memories having fun, learning can be so very rewarding! We are BIG fans of this type of homeschooling.
How to Include Fine Arts When You Are Behind in Your Homeschool
Still wondering how to include fine arts in your homeschool? I will answer the reasons families put off a study of art and music appreciation. Here are some practical suggestions for weaving art activities into your more academic subjects.
Fine Arts Curriculum is an instant pdf download with helpful notebooking pages, links to resources, and an opportunity to earn High School credit!
Art and music need not be separate subjects or boxes to check off on your homeschool schedule. In our family, the art supplies are easily accessible and that reminds us to use them in many of our core subjects. Try some of these ideas and see how easy it is to be ‘art aware’ when you are working in language, math, science and history.
In the early grades, my children always enjoyed drawing a picture and then writing a story to go along with it. As they grew through the grades, their writing pieces would include an illustrated cover or a picture to illustrate the story.
Ideas for Math and Literature
To supplement our math lessons, we used picture books with colorful illustrations as a gold mine for things to count. As your read children’s literature, make sure to point out the beautiful illustrations and allow them to use that artwork to copy on their own. Copying great artwork is fun for children. Literature is full of inspiring artists like Eric Carle and Tomie dePaola.
Ideas for Science
During your science time, have you started a nature journal? We start a new one each year and fill it with sketches of objects we find outside or animals we observe in our yard and from our window. Any topic in science can be made more interesting by drawing what you are learning, making diagrams of experiments, including sketches of concepts and cutting pictures from magazines.
Ideas for History
History gives you the opportunity to draw maps, sketch an event, and draw, paint or color illustrations for reports. My younger students would draw a picture of a historical account. I would write a caption that my little ones dictated to me to go along with the artwork for their journals. You might also like Fun Activities for Your History Class.
I hope this helps you with some practical ideas for including artwork in your homeschool day.
If you think you have no inborn talent for art, we are here to help! This is the easiest objection to overcome. Very few of us are blessed with a background in art and music that would make us ‘experts’.
I Have No Talent in Art
Honestly, you do not need to be an expert. Just like any other homeschool subject we teach, if we don’t know about something, we find a resource and learn right along with our children. My best suggestion is to get out the paints, the colored pencils, the chalk pastels or what you have on hand and to play with the materials alongside your children.
It actually is a great experience for children to see their parents learning along with them. Model how to “mess up” and how to give new things a try. You may surprise yourself. View artwork together and share what you feel when you look at each piece.
I Am Not Familiar with Many Composers
Learn to enjoy classical music with your children. Share with then which compositions you like best and which ones you don’t care for. My children love to see me pretend to play the organ every time Bach’s “Toccota and Fuge in D Minor” starts playing. As time goes by, you will become your own expert and you will know what you like and don’t like. I have learned not to be intimidated by others and their opinions.
This is an area where there are no right and wrong answers. You have lots of freedom to just enjoy the experience.
We Will Do Some Projects Over the Summer
This excuse is really just a form of procrastination. How many summers roll by and you still have not done a single art project or viewed a single piece of artwork? What you waiting for? Sit down and make a short list of artists and a short list of composers for the year. Take it one step at a time and stay flexible.
It takes very little planning or time to give your family the opportunity to be exposed to great art and music. The effort you put into finding ways to use your art supplies in your every day routine are well worth it.
Incorporating art and music into your child’s life reaps immeasurable benefits. Problem solving skills, heightened awareness to the world around them, a sense of well-being, and increased motivation are all gained when you expose your child to great music, artists and creative opportunities regularly.
You need to provide the opportunity, the inspiration, and the enthusiasm. If you do, your children will be greatly rewarded by becoming well rounded in life as well as their homeschool subjects. Don’t let another year go by! There is no excuse.
We have so many resources here on the blog, in our fine arts series and in our membership. You can pick a grade and follow the flexible suggestions for each week.
Check out our art and music appreciation plans for homeschool!
Playlist for each grade can be found on Spotify and YouTube
Homeschool Fine Arts Curriculum for All Levels
You ARE an ARTiST Homeschool Fine Arts lesson plans organize great art and music appreciation resources into the classical four-year cycle of history and seasons each week with a Charlotte Mason flavor. Here you will find homeschool fine arts curriculum for the whole family!
These lesson plans are available for Grades 1-12 and will offer families three different options for art study and a detailed plan for music appreciation.
If you don’t feel that a full year of fine arts appreciation is for you, you can also choose from a collection of unique art and music appreciation unit studies which typically last 6-9 weeks.
Each flexible and easy to use 32-36 week plan includes notebooking pages, coloring pages plus both Spotify and YouTube links for art tutorials and listening to classical music.
Homeschool Fine Arts Q&A: How Real Families Make It Work – We have received many questions, comments, and praise regarding the Homeschool Fine Arts curriculum. But you know what it’s like buying homeschool curriculum! Us homeschool moms value word of mouth endorsements from our closest friends. Well we pulled together some of our Members (aka close online friends) for a little help answering questions. We hope these homeschool friends can shed some more light on the Fine Arts Curriculum and how it fits in their homeschool! So grab a cup of coffee and enjoy the Q&A session.
Fine Arts Fridays: Homeschool Lessons with Nana – Fine Arts Fridays and homeschool lessons with Nana are a creative way to add joy to your homeschool! Integrate homeschool art appreciation, music appreciation and hands on art lessons into your learning in a fun way.
The Beauty of Art, Music and Nature in Your Homeschool – My children have become acquainted with winter nature study, Vivaldi, Corelli, and Giotto within a few short months! Our Fine Arts Friday has become a fun and hands-on way of learning about great art and exciting time periods. Afterward, we head outside for our nature study and #outdoorhourchallenge. Fridays have become a rich, full day of beauty and learning like never before! Won’t you join us?
Homeschool Fine Arts Sample
Get your FREE sample of homeschool fine arts, below:
More Fun With Homeschool Fine Arts for the Family
Your time learning about famous artists and composers can be some the best of your homeschooling. Here are some more resources to encourage you:
Composer Biography Pages by Stef Layton of Layton Adventures
In addition to discounted fine arts titles, our You ARE an ARTiST Clubhouse members receive a fantastic pack of Composer Biography pages by Stef Layton. These printable pages include sections to add interesting facts, most famous works, your favorite piece and how the composer’s piece makes you feel.
Includes these composers: Vivaldi, Bach, Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, Schumann, Liszt, Wagner, Verdi, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Debussy and a blank page to fill in for any other composer you are studying.
Growing a love of art at You ARE an ARTiST is a multi-generational passion! Tricia is Nana’s daughter and a mama of five children. Nana shared her first chalk pastel art lessons with her grandchildren around Tricia’s kitchen table. Homeschooling since 2000, Tricia has seen the fruits of home education with three homeschool grads so far!She shares the art and heart of homeschooling at Your Best Homeschool and is author of the book, Help! I’m Homeschooling! She and her husband, Steve, are also owners of sister sites Homeschool Nature Study and The Curriculum Choice.
Nana is passionate about helping you realize you ARE an artist! Not only an artist with chalk pastels but with homeschooling, creative spaces, favorite family recipes and more. Nana also enjoys chatting – especially about art. If you have followed along with any of her 
