The Artful Parent

Guest Post: Teaching Children How to Mix Paints (While Making Valentines)

I am excited to share a series of guest posts with you by other Artful Parents and teachers while I step back from the blog a bit this month! I hope you enjoy the new perspectives, different ideas, and fresh energy that each brings to this space. And I encourage you to leave a comment to continue the discussion, add your own viewpoint, or simply say thanks!

Guest Post by Amy Broadmoore

If you would like to encourage your children to mix paint colors, then Color Dance by Ann Jonas is the book for you. Color Dance not only teaches children that they can mix red and yellow to make orange, but also that by varying the amounts of red and yellow they can make “vermillion” (a shade between red and orange) and “marigold” (a shade between orange and yellow).* Furthermore, Color Dance teaches children to make pale colors, by adding white, and dark colors, by adding grey or black.

Guest Post: Celebrating Black History Month with Kids

I am excited to share a series of guest posts with you by other Artful Parents and teachers while I step back from the blog a bit this month! I hope you enjoy the new perspectives, different ideas, and fresh energy that each brings to this space. And I encourage you to leave a comment to continue the discussion, add your own viewpoint, or simply say thanks!

Guest Post by Rachel Garlinghouse

February is Black History Month. I never gave much thought to it until my husband and I, both of us Caucasian, adopted two African American children. We quickly realized how white our world really was and we worked to surround ourselves with new experiences, people, toys, books, Christmas decor, art, and more. Black History Month is another opportunity for us to provide our girls with the necessary experiences they need in order for them to feel confident in their own skin.  

Japanese Brush Painting Activity & Giveaway

We had the opportunity to try out a Japanese brush painting activity yesterday. A rather magical one, in fact, with "disappearing ink." Maia kept asking if it was magic, anyway, even though she knew it was just water she was painting with. I could understand her awe, though, as the effect of the water painted on the special paper-covered sumi-e board was just like that of black ink until it disappeared and left us with a blank slate to start all over again (and again).

Guest Post: Four Picture Books to Inspire Your Young Artist

I am excited to share a series of guest posts with you by other Artful Parents and teachers while I step back from the blog a bit this month! I hope you enjoy the new perspectives, different ideas, and fresh energy that each brings to this space. And I encourage you to leave a comment to continue the discussion, add your own viewpoint, or simply say thanks!

Guest post by Mindy Rhiger

Sometimes I read for the story. Sometimes I read for the inspiration. Here are a few particularly inspiring picture books that just may spark your imagination like they did mine.

You may recognize Marcus Pfister from his Rainbow Fish series, but his latest book is a bit of a departure for him. Questions, Questions is a poetic look at the natural world that may have your children wondering about the world around them. The deceptively simple illusrations work well with the rhyming couplets, and the author's note at the end of the book describes Pfister's technique for creating the unique textured prints. Visually creative families may enjoy creating their own nature inspired prints.

Giveaway for an Apple n Amos Magic Beans Scoop Toy

Today's giveaway is for a wooden "Magic Beans" scoop and transfer toy by Etsy seller Apple n Amos.

Can your child transfer the colorful beans from the bowl to the covered pot and back using the scoop provided? This would make a lovely addition to a play kitchen or simply a fun toy for a little one to play with (while improving fine motor skills, of course...). For more information, including ideas on other ways to play with this scoop toy, check out the description for Magic Beans on Etsy.

My Own Barefoot Books Giveaway!

 

Today's giveaway is for four of our family's favorite Barefoot Books products. I couldn't run a series of giveaways without doing my own!

I have been loving all these artful giveaways, by the way! Besides sharing wonderful companies, products, and people, the excitement generated is so much fun for me. I especially love e-mailing people to let them know they won something on my blog! Everyone is so thrilled and most say they usually never win anything. This series of giveaways to celebrate my four year blogiversary will continue through the end of the month so two more to go, plus a few that are still open. Enter! It may be you whom I e-mail with congratulations on winning!

Guest Post: Punch & Paste Easy Heart Valentines

I am excited to share a series of guest posts with you by other Artful Parents and teachers while I step back from the blog a bit this month! I hope you enjoy the new perspectives, different ideas, and fresh energy that each brings to this space. And I encourage you to leave a comment to continue the discussion, add your own viewpoint, or simply say thanks!

Guest Post by Amanda Bridle

In the past, my valentine projects have been entirely of my own doing or they have incorporated my daughter's artwork but still were mostly an adult project. This year, with my daughter now being 3 years old, I was hoping to give her a little more creative control.

I had previously purchased a circle Fiskars squeeze punch for use in creating ornamental balls. The large handles make it very easy to use and we recently discovered that even my preschooler could successfully manage it. This inspired me to purchase a heart-shaped punch for our valentine creating!

A Giveaway of Bella's Casa Animal Art Cards

Today's giveaway is for a set of 6 black and white contrast animal art cards by Jae Jun of Bella's Casa.

Jae Jun is a Montessori teacher and mother who runs the website Bella's Casa, a resource for parents who want to "create at-home learning spaces and activities that will grow a child's mind and instill confidence." Sounds like what we all want, right? She also has an etsy shop where she sells mobiles and learning tools, including this lovely set of animal art cards.

Guest Post: Drawing to Music with Children

I am excited to share a series of guest posts with you by other Artful Parents and teachers while I step back from the blog a bit this month! I hope you enjoy the new perspectives, different ideas, and fresh energy that each brings to this space. And I encourage you to leave a comment to continue the discussion, add your own viewpoint, or simply say thanks!

Guest Post by Mary L. Christensen

As a faithful Artful Parent reader, I often hear a soundtrack of music running through my head as I read the blog. I can usually hear the folksy tunes of Elizabeth Mitchell or the energetic music of Dan Zanes as I scan the most recent posts for inspiration. At our house music plays a big role in our day-to-day life. Not playing it, although my husband does play the guitar and compose (usually sweet and silly) songs for our girls, but listening to it. Music helps us keep calm and carry on. It helps us focus and daydream, sleep and dance, and especially it helps us make art!

SouvenarteBooks Giveaway: Win a Book of Your Child's Art

Do you wonder what to do with all the art your child creates? You can store it, yes, but have you thought of preserving some in book format?

SouvenarteBooks, a design studio in New York City, will work with you to create a one-of-a-kind book of your child's artwork that you and your family will surely treasure for years to come. What a lovely way to save and honor children's creative work! And the artist in question will no doubt be proud to flip through the pages of his or her very own art book.