Whether it's the weekend, or summer vacation, it's important to schedule in some fun time. In the year 2020, if you leave children unattended for long periods of time, you'll find many of them content with playing games on their phones, or browsing the internet. There's nothing wrong with smartphones, games, or other devices, but nothing can replace the sensory experience of playing in real life!
Arts and Crafts Education History
Have you ever wondered where the idea of an art (and craft) education came from? Since when was this deemed important for children to learn? History is often full of details that lead to the next, but to reiterate a synopsis, during the New Education Movement in the late 1800's, Europe adopted many ideas from a man named William Morris and his colleagues. Morris argued that the value of decorative arts and the importance of developing craftsmanship skills using simple objects was essential for individual fulfillment and social well-being. While not aimed at children, the ideas flourished and were picked up by the New Education Movement, which introduced handicraft teaching in schools in Great Britain. Shoot forward a hundred years or so, and you'll find these ideas about art education (as well as fostering industrial skills early on) having lived and spread on throughout the world. Most schools offer an art education as part of their general curriculum, and a focus on making things through arts and crafts or woodshop as their education progresses. Parents who homeschool their children understand that it's not just purely academic things that are important for their children to learn. They should also experience things that children look forward to the most, which are arts and crafts!
Here's a few arts and crafts activities you can do at home to get you started:
Imagination Projects: Blank Books for Coloring
This is, in some ways, the epitome of what the arts are about for children. An enticing and colorful blank book to present to your child. Give them some crayons, let them run wild, and see what kind of expressive art pieces they create. It's important to really understand the value of artistic expression and freedom. With learning to spell or count, there are only right or wrong answers. There is no in between. You either spell a word correctly or add numbers correctly or you don't. With Hygloss Blank Books, there are no rights and wrongs. Children are free to explore their interests without boundaries and see where their imagination takes them. In a way, this is learning how to dream.
Construction Projects: Make Your Own Telescope Kit
It's not just arts, it's arts AND crafts. Coloring and drawing are great artistic acts, but there's something about making an actual object that really widens children's eyes. The ability to make something, and then use it, is only just the start to what the human mind is capable of.
We're talking about kids here, though! So, forget all of that. This Make-Your-Own-Telescope Kit is a great tool to feed your children's artistic hunger. This telescope is made from sturdy corrugated cardboard, which is sure to hold up to pressure. Inside the package contains a sheet with 80 stickers that your child can use to decorate their telescope to make it uniquely theirs! They'll have fun running around spotting things with it, but you'll also be fostering a love for science.
Paper Projects: Paper & More Treasure Box
Sometimes, you just need a huge platter of items to really add some flavor to your life. This Paper & More Treasure Box accomplishes that and more! With a variety of specialty craft papers and other popular craft items, for a couple of hours, your children will forget about their smartphones and tablets, and they will discover the joys of working with their hands. Paired with our Snippy Scissors that come in both blunt and sharp tip varieties, they'll have no issue cutting and snipping through paper to create interesting projects. If I remember being a child correctly, cutting through paper with scissors was really satisfying.—Aw, who are we kidding? It's STILL satisfying!
Arts and Crafts Supplies Online for Homeschooling
Hygloss Products is a national provider of arts and crafts, as well as educational supplies.
Whether your children go to school, or are taught at home, they will always be want to be entertained. These arts and crafts activities are perfect for young children to continue their education at home without ever feeling like they're doing homework!
Contact us if you have any questions about our products or have any questions for us!