Finding Time for Beauty in Homeschooling Including Fine Arts
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The last week of January is here and it is also the last post in this year’s Virtual Curriculum Fair. The theme is “Seeking Beauty: the Arts and Everything that Brings Beauty to Our World”—includes any of the arts, handicrafts, but really ANYTHING at all that adds beauty to your homeschool. I’m sharing about finding time for beauty in homeschooling including fine arts.
When I hear the term fine arts I automatically think about painting and music. However, you could also include things like drama. What I do know is that we have done some in spurts and then neglect it at other times when life is busy and all focus goes on the ‘core’ subjects. All links in this post go to past reviews so you can read more about it.
Fine Arts ~ Art
My boys love to doodle, so when it comes to having time to be creative with pen and paper there is no shortage of exposure for them. However, we have only done more organized studies in spurts. Below are some reviews we have done on art programs at some point in the past few years.
Artistic Pursuits is one that we reviewed for the Schoolhouse Crew a few years ago. The boys and I liked it so much that we purchased a few more levels the next year to use. Since then, she has launched an updated curriculum. The only ‘challenge’ I had was finding all of the needed supplies in a local store. Thank goodness for internet shopping! The boys did not fully complete the levels we had, so I am thinking of having some ‘fun’ in our days this spring semester using what is already in the house.
Spears Art Studio is one that I want to use a bit more this year as well. The projects are broken down by grade level, yet everyone is working on the same theme. And, I can pick and choose what projects to do by what month we are in. I am still impressed at my own attempt at art while doing the review with the boys.
Simply Draw is one that my eldest son reviewed a few years ago. One thing I liked about this program is you just need pen and paper. Very budget friendly for the penny pinching homeschool mother! I need to dig it out as an alternative for the boys to use and maybe improve their drawing ability.
Finally, Pick and Draw is a card set that provides some fun drawing with little preparation needed. I brought this set to our standardized testing this last year and the kids waiting for siblings to be done had a blast using it.
Fine Arts ~ Music
Having spent years in piano lessons and time in choirs, I have a real love for ‘making’ music. However, that has not fully translated over to the boys. We do all enjoy the art of music appreciation and they will sometimes try to come up with their own parodies of popular songs.
J is tickled that he gets a turn learning music with Kinderbach this Spring. We started our journey this past week and I am eager to see how it goes. D was the official reviewer when we had Kinderbach a few years ago as part of the Schoolhouse Review Crew. J used to sit in on the lessons, but he does not fully remember it. He loves that we move to music and that there’s even coloring involved. Plus, it is an excuse to sit at the digital piano and pluck at keys.
Last year, we reviewed MusIQ HomeSchool from Adventus. The boys were starting to respond well to it when we took off on our grand adventure around part of the United States and Canada. When we returned home, I just forgot to get them back to it. Depending upon how J responds to Kinderbach, I am seriously thinking about a subscription to this program for the future. It is not cheap, but compared to paying $20+ per lesson it would be worth it.
Music Together is another review we did which fits well with my younger boys. J enjoyed the time we spent doing it and I think we’ll be dusting it off again in a few month. He loved banging on pots, although after this photo was taken I realized he’d broken my husband’s brand new wooden utensil. Oops!
Fine Arts ~ Theater
For this category, I would include both attending performances and being IN a performance. The acting doesn’t have to be in front of a live audience beyond family members to reap some benefit. The boys are not particular drawn to the theatre as I am, but they have all had their share of performing (in a group setting) for others. Most of it has been in Cub Scouts, but the older boys also had the chance to be on stage in front of a live audience when we lived in Maryland.
The co-op we were in decided to do Hamlet for the stage and the kids had 2 performances. One performance was family and close friends and the other was for a senior center. Even though they were not the most enthusiastic participants, P and R still had fun in the process and were quoting from the play for months to come.
Fitting in the Arts When Homeschooling from 2012 shares a bit of what we were doing at that point in time, including a sewing class that one of the boys enjoyed.
Do you find it challenging to include beauty in your homeschool through a study of the arts?
Any favorite products or curriculum that you absolutely loved?
Check out all of the other great ideas for how homeschoolers are Seeking Beauty.
(note all links will be live by noon 1/27)
44 Awesome Free Resources to Study Art and Music! by Susan @ Homeschooling Hearts & Minds
Finding Beauty with Classical Composers Monthly by Kristi K. @ The Potter’s Hand Academy
Art and Music Appreciation Resource Lists by Chareen @ Every Bed of Roses
Easy Guided Drawing: Benefits and Resources by Tauna @ Proverbial Homemaker
A Peek into our Homeschool: Seeking Beauty by Brittney @ Mom’s Heart
All Things Lovely by Michele P @Family, Faith and Fridays
Virtual Curriculum Fair: the Arts by Jennifer @ a glimpse of our life
You Gotta Have Art! by Lisa@GoldenGrasses
Classical Crochet… Or Something Like That by Laura @ Four Little Penguins
The Art of the Matter by Chelli @ The Planted Trees
Art Curriculum For Homeschoolers by LynnP @ Ladybug Chronicles
The Arts: Creating and Appreciating Beauty by Leah@As We Walk Along the Road
Our Curriculum Choices 2014 ~ The Arts & PDHPE by Renata @ Sunnyside Farm Fun
{Virtual Curriculum Fair 2014} Seeking Beauty: The Arts in Our Classical Homeschool by Sharra @ The Homeschool Marm
Learning Crafts For Kids & Adults by Kim @ Homestead Acres
Arts & the Extras ~ These Are Some of Our Favorite Things by HillaryM @ Our Homeschool Studio
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