Teaching Kids Art Through Picture Books

I am interested in Space...but my husband, kids, and granddaughter are REALLY interested in Space! Since my granddaughter was visiting, it was fun to think about doing some glow in the dark Space art to share with her and other children this past weekend. If you want to take your kids' art out of this world, try this with us. 

You will need scissors and glue and about 30 min. to do this project.

Grab your glow in the dark art supplies. If you don't have any, just grab any art supplies you have. Kids will still get to make a fun space picture, it just won't be glow in the dark. Not sure what I'm talking about? Read what glow in the dark art supplies I recommend here. Here's one more recommended by reader Debbie R: Elmer's Glow in the dark glue!

You'll also need a piece of black or purple paper and a piece of any other color of paper, plus some different sized circles to trace. I used a canning lid, a plastic tub, and a spray can lid. Use a variety...

When the weather outside is frightful, drawing and reading is so delightful! And what better subject to draw than a polar bear! Polar bears never fail to fascinate, with their size, power, and ability to survive and thrive in bitter cold climates. So let's explore reading about and drawing polar bears today.

First, I'd love to tell you about two of my favorite picture books. Gail Gibbons, a favorite author of non-fiction for kids, has a good book called Polar Bears which I have in my collection. It's fun for kids and adults to learn all the interesting facts about these animals. 

Chitra Soundar and Poonam Mistry wrote and illustrated a lovely book called You're Snug With Me, which has unusual and beautiful illustrations that you and your kids will want to examine closely. This book is written poetically as if a mother polar bear is talking to her two cubs. 

Are you ready to try drawing polar bears? Get some paper and your favorite marking tools--crayons, colored...