Teaching Kids Art Through Picture Books

While I like cats and was very excited about this month’s theme, I actually don’t own one and never will. Both my husband and I are allergic to cats so our eyes and noses quickly alert us when one is in a closed room. However, I enjoy reading about them and drawing them. This week we will create a cute cat collage.

The first cat Mike and I found on our trip to Italy was sitting outside (thankfully!) on our balcony in the town of Assisi. It was a beautiful gray and white striped tabby cat with green eyes. Tabby is a kind of cat with distinctive stripes on its forehead, body, and tail. 

Another cat can be found in a tapestry in the Vatican. I don't remember seeing this tapestry, but I probably walked past it! It was woven between 1524 and 1531. The artist chose to put a cat and dog at the feet of the table in the story of Jesus at Emmaus.

This month it's been all about cat art--how to draw a cat, how to use that drawing to create a dot cat art piece, and today we’ll do one of my fav...

Most kids that come to Storygalorey tell me about their interesting pets-or the pets they wish they had. Kids especially love their cats and dogs. That’s why, when Mike and I were on a recent trip to Italy, I was on the lookout for cats. Amid the magnificent art, the ancient buildings, and the fascinating people, I had read that Italians like cats and protect them and that I might encounter lots of them. “Kids would love this,” I thought. So I brought cat photos back to you and we are going to read and do art with cats this month.

If you are new to Storygalorey, you need to know that we almost always start art creation with a good book. Reading to kids inspires creativity and comprehension skills, as well as increases the bond between reader and child. Just for fun, pick up this popular Caldecott Medal winning book and read it to your kids: They all Saw a Cat by Brendan Wenzel. 

You will want to read and reread this book to take in the intriguing way the book is illustrated and t...