The Old Schoolhouse� has MORE for you!

Check out these resources:

Who We Are:

• About Us
• Contact Us
• Advertise With Us

  Take a look at what we have in the Schoolhouse Store!  

Greetings!

Deborah Wuehler and family

Art . . . really? I can imagine your thoughts--that it can be messy and time consuming or that you have too many other academics to cover. What's the big deal about art?

Believe it or not, art is amazing in how it benefits other academic areas. We asked many authors to tell us about how art benefits the child and the homeschool. Here are their answers:

• Art Education: More Important than One May Think

• Helping Children Learn About Art: Process vs. Product

• Beauty is Truth: Fine Arts at Home

• Art as a Family Affair---The Legacy of the Wyeths

• Mendelssohn & Millet

• 6 Essentials to Inspire your Young Artist

• Gospel Chalk Art: For Such a Time as This?

• Keeping Art Simple and History Alive

• Painting for Kids (and Others) With Tux Paint

• Speaking of Art (Academic Spotlight on Art Products)    

As a side note, I never set out at the beginning of homeschooling my oldest son with the goal of making him an artist. I set out to give him a good Biblical, academic foundation. Part of that included art, and that was the part that God used to bring forth the gifts and abilities He has placed in my son.

If you haven't found time for art during the regular school year, summertime is the perfect time to start this important and beneficial subject for your homeschool.

Remember, our great God is an artist, and we want our children to be like Him. He shaped each child, and He has good works for each one to do. Let's get them creating art and copying the Master Artist Himself and bring Him glory in all we do.

"But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand." Isaiah 64:8

Diana Waring

When it comes to the arts--and how to nurture your child's inner artist--I have some opinions.   You see, of my three children, one studied classical ballet at college in the South, another studied classical piano at a conservatory in the Midwest, while the third graduated with a theater degree from a conservatory in the Northwest. 

How does this sort of arts-loving, beauty-making thing happen in kids?  Obviously, there are natural gifts and talents that come into play.  You already know that.  But beyond what is hard-wired into them, there are two suggestions I would make that can inspire and nurture your child in the arts.

The first is to recognize the wonderland of opportunities moms and dads have for exposing their children to greatness in art. My husband taught me this when our kids were 9, 7, and 5.  He knew we would be driving through Helena, Montana, and was aware that this city boasted a number of Charlie Russell paintings.  To prepare our kids to really "get" this great American painter of the West, he went to the library and found a children's book of Russell paintings.  As we traveled, my kids--especially seven-year-old Michael--pored over the pages.  When we actually arrived at the museum, I was stunned to see my elementary-aged son stand mesmerized before one of Russell's paintings, "When the Land Belonged to God," which depicts vast herds of American bison on the plains.  After many minutes of his absorbing the painting, I tentatively suggested that we leave.  Michael turned to me with shining eyes and said, "Mom, that's MY painting!"  He was noticeably moved by the greatness of what we had seen.

So, think about it.  What can you see, hear, or watch in your local area--or on your upcoming summer vacation--that displays the beauty of a master painter, composer, dancer, or playwright?  If at all possible, prepare your children beforehand for what they will see, using books, CDs, or DVDs.  It will help your kids "own" the actual art as something uniquely special for them.

Secondly, consider your own approach to the arts.  If you want to nurture your child's "inner artist," how do you personally respond to art?  Whether or not you find that music, painting, dance, and theater touches your heart, you can still be supportive as you intentionally begin to appreciate the beauty, power, and expressiveness of the creative arts.  Your children learn a lot from your responses.  If you are interested, chances are they will make a note of it.  If you are bored, they will pick up your cue.

Art is a very relational subject.  The way you expose your children to its greatness, and the way you respond yourself, will be the most significant ways you can help your children develop a love for the arts.

Stay relational!

Diana

P.S. We'd love to have you share on our wild adventure of moving from Seattle to Anderson, Indiana, by following us on Facebook--www.facebook.com/dianawaring