Teaching Kids Art Through Picture Books

Thanksgiving is upon us! I'm going to share some ways to help your kids celebrate...but before I do that, a reminder:  Avoid the whiplash turnaround from Thanksgiving to Christmas preparation by being ready to go with a meaningful story and activity for your kids! Check out the Christmas Box here-accepting orders only until Nov. 30-boxes ship Dec. 1!

Do you remember a time this year when you felt profoundly thankful? Beyond just the general "I'm so thankful for food and for my family," but a moment when you either felt a rush of relief or a slow realization of God breaking through into your life in a way that you felt like crying with gratitude? Or are you like I was so many years...not really coming up with something beyond the obvious when the 4th Thursday of November rolled around?

What are some easy ways to teach your kids to practice gratitude?

Here are two ways to begin, first immediately this Thursday, (hey, if you are reading this on Monday, you and your kids have 4 days to ...

This is a great week to pile up the Thanksgiving books, read with your kids, and discuss gratitude and the history of the holiday. (Hint: it's not about football!)
Here are some of my Favorite Thanksgiving Books to get you started. 
Here is one book that you could look at every day up to Thanksgiving break and incorporate an art study with history. You want to do that because:

a.) It's an effortless way to teach art appreciation and art history to your kids, making them more art literate and well rounded

b.) You can read one book to accomplish 4 things: teaching art, creative expression, history, and fluency/listening comprehension--all with one read aloud. 

The book is N.C. Wyeth's Pilgrims, with text by Robert San Souci. I love the book for pointing out the glorious colors N.C. Wyeth uses. He was a famous American painter and illustrator. Reading this book is like taking a short trip to an art museum without leaving your home! 

Rather than describing this book in my own words, I fo...

October is a special month in our family--both my husband and son celebrate in October, so a few weeks ago I made a video tutorial of a cake drawing for you and your kids. 

Today I want to encourage you to invest in something that lasts for the birthday loved one, whether it is an experience, a physical gift, or both.

What gifts do you still have (and value) from your childhood? What good gift memories do you have from your childhood?

My birthday is a week after Christmas, so the gifts I receive are sometimes both Christmas and birthday gifts. One of the most memorable gifts that I still have and value I remember receiving as a little girl. We had some gifts under the tree that were covered with a sheet so we couldn't see them until after we had eaten breakfast and had a family worship service. There we were, tantalized by the sight of the sheet, getting more and more excited for the big reveal. At last it happened--the sheet was lifted and my sister and I saw the gift for both of u...

Birthdays are pretty exciting to kids, and it doesn't have to be their birthday for them to eagerly anticipate the celebration. Mom's birthday, Dad's, a sibling's, or a friend who has invited them to a party all are reasons to get really happy about birthdays. 

At our house, birthdays were always celebrated whether you were a child or a grownup. We still decorate with streamers and balloons, funny hand-made signs ("Happy Birthday," proclaimed one written by my teenaged son to his sister, "23 is such a prime number!") a selected meal, presents, and a birthday cake of the birthday person's choice. I wanted our kids to know they were dearly loved and an important member of our family and God's family. It is my prayer that these birthday traditions helped them feel seen, known, and loved by God and also loved by us.

Cake decorating is NOT my forte, but one year when I was feeling particularly ambitious, I made a princess castle cake for my daughter, which she in turn improved on and made...

With Storygalorey in person classes starting up last week, I wanted to give you a sneak peak into the artists we will be getting to know this year in case you wanted to read about them at home with your kids. Most of these artists are very well known, like Van Gogh, Picasso, and Monet. But while some recognize the art, many don't know about the artist or how the art came to be. Reading picture books is a great way to enrich your kids' art education.

I have more suggestions than we have time to read at Storygalorey, so whether or not your kids are able to participate this fall, you can enjoy reading with them and see their creativity take off. I sent this booklist a few years ago. I'll add a few new additions, too...good books are always appearing! 
Download now
Here are a few more to add to your list: (Amazon associate links)

Breaking Waves: Winslow Homer Paints the Sea by Robert Burleigh and Wendell Minor-this one made me want to board a plane and immediately take a trip to Maine...

Who was the most influential person in your life, as a mom?

Was it your own mom? An older friend or relative? A teacher?

For me, I was blessed to have my own mom model parenting--not perfectly, but certainly meaningfully. She modeled service to our family and to others. As the pastor’s wife, she was constantly having people over or counseling someone on the phone. She led the PTA. She exuded enthusiasm and joy in life. And, by the way, she loved to read. If the door to the small downstairs room we called 'the den' was closed, we knew she was having a moment to herself to either take a nap or read one of her beloved romance novels!  

As parents, all of us are actually influential leaders. We are pretty unrecognized in the culture, but with or without social media, we are the influencers. Leaders lead. Leaders serve. Leaders model. We are highly influential within our families, hopefully for their good. The best leaders serve those around them. They aren’t flashy or demand the spotlig...

Today I'm going to share a special book and art project perfect for the beginning of the school year. It is art illustrating names, and since your child's name is as special and unique as they are, I know they will have fun drawing their names. Even if your child shares a name with a million other kids, there is only one of them. They are unique and precious to you and to God, and they are created in His image. He or she is the only one of them there is!

Do you ever talk to your kids about their names? I mean, do you tell them the story of how you picked out their first and/or middle names, what they mean, or why you chose it?

My husband and I, like most new parents, debated for months over name choices for our kids. As our family grew, of course the siblings weighed in on their opinions for name preferences--sometimes with hilarious ideas. We wanted our firstborn to be as imaginative as Calvin from Calvin and Hobbes, plus we felt it was different without being weird. We thought we w...

I hope you are enjoying each day of the glorious season of Spring-flowers! sunshine! warmer weather! At the same time, I know the end of the school year for moms brings so many end of the year activities. There are concerts, sports games and tournaments, and award ceremonies. It's fun...and crazy at times. Keeping up with fitting it all on the calendar can feel like you need a degree in something other than what you actually got your degree in!
But when the craziness of May dies down, it's great to have a somewhat intentional plan going into the summer.

Here are four tips for transitioning from school to summer:

• Plan some downtime for everyone to rest. Even if it is just a day, it is important to have some unscheduled time to allow for you and your kids to decompress, to rest, to play.
• Celebrate as a family. Take time to go out for ice cream or whatever your family considers special, to celebrate the end of the year. Each family member can share a highlight or a thing they are than
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🌸Happy Mother's Day !🌸 to all you mamas and grandmas whose work often goes unseen, but yields fruit forever in those children you are pouring into with love day after day after day. You are doing good work! I love meeting your kids and getting to see the next generation being shepherded and loved so well. Thank you for the work you do. I see you; I honor you, and I am honored to stand with you as a mom and grandma--awed by the scope of this calling.

 To celebrate moms, I wanted to give your kids some help making cards--which ironically, you probably will have to help them make! But maybe you can use this idea to help your kids make cards for your own moms or a person you want to honor who is like a mom to your kids.

You will need these supplies:

• a blank card or piece of paper and an envelope (if you intend to mail the card)
• colored scrap paper like an old catalog, construction paper, wrapping paper, old cards
• scissors
• glue

Step 1: Gather your supplies

Step 2: If you are mai...

You know how when the seasons change, it feels like suddenly none of the kids has the appropriate clothes to wear that are big enough or small enough or cool enough or warm enough? Besides the change of clothes, some of us change our homes. A warm day comes, and we look up and realize the snowflake pictures no longer seem right. At this time of year, I like to put decorations around my home that say Spring is almost here! 

Those visual cues are important to you and your families. Here's a way you can help your kids get in step not only with the change of seasons, but the reality behind the season of new life--the resurrection celebration is the reason for hope. The seemingly dead flowers and trees burst into life to re-enact the resurrection truth that Jesus defeated death.

Helping kids understand Easter is easier when you use picture books. Just like at Christmas time, you can show your kids the reason for the Easter celebration by reading aloud. Here are a few to get you started. F...