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Art enriches children's lives and their learning. Whether they are experiencing the joy of creating their own unique work or are learning about artists, children build skills and knowledge from having artistic opportunities.

Homeschool families have the opportunity to explore art in so many ways. You can encourage your kids to:

• Make art for art's sake—so they can experience creating!
• Make art as a way to learn about other subjects
• Make art as a lead-in to building handwriting skill
• Learn to use common art techniques in their own artwork
• Learn about artists, media, techniques, art history, and the current art world—"art appreciation!"

Homeschool Art Activities

Free art curriculum & lesson plans, art museum resources, art history curriculum, art projects, additional reading about teaching art.

Try these ideas to incorporate more art into your homeschooling:

• Make art together. Practice basic art techniques alongside your children, and sit down with them to create art at the same table together. For example, this video has three fun and easy watercolor techniques to try with kids . Watch the video, gather some basic art supplies, and set aside time to create with the kids.
• Add drawing to read-alouds. When you read aloud, encourage the kids to draw a scene based on what you're reading. Or you can all listen to an audiobook, and you can draw a scene, too. This practice builds comprehension and attention to detail, and it keeps hands busy during read-alouds. It might even be an early precursor to "taking notes." Consider giving each child a sketchbook just for their read-aloud sketches—think of all those book drawings in one place! (These are great to share with an evaluator if annual assessments are required in your state, too).
• Encourage kids to create drawings or other art pieces to go with history lessons.
• Help kids learn about an artist who lived during a historic time period you are studying. They could even learn about artists' depictions of historical events.
• Create a history timeline, and have kids add drawings to the timeline to illustrate the history.
• Study the folk art and crafts of the historic time period you are learning about with the kids.
• Explore an event or period through its art. Picturing America from PBS LearningMedia explores seven periods of American history through art.
• Ask your kids to create colorful maps for the places they are learning about.
• Learn together about the artists and artistic traditions of specific countries and regions around the world.
• Science:  Help your kids learn about the practice of nature journaling  and begin spending more time outdoors with them, chronicling observations together.
• Math: Do math-related art projects, such as those suggested by What Do We Do All Day?  Tessellations, patterns, symmetry, fractals, and Möbius strips can all be both mathy and artistic!
• Visit art exhibits and meet artists. Art museums and galleries can be a revelation to children. Museums might arrange a discount for your homeschool group. Have kids take their sketchbooks in case they want to try to sketch some of the artwork they see displayed. Take your kids to talk and listen to local artists, artists who are in residence at a university, and artists who may be exhibiting their work nearby.
• Look for art. Where is art displayed that it might not be expected? Help your kids take note of street sculptures, artwork in libraries and medical offices, and downtown murals. Is graffiti art? Are screen-printed tee shirts art? Talk about it!
• Do picture study. Educator Charlotte Mason advocated that homeschooling families do "picture study" of various artists to become familiar with their work. Simply Charlotte Mason has an informative video on how to do picture study with your family. 
• Make books together.  When pre-literate children tell a story, write the story down and have them draw pictures to illustrate. Bind the pages together into a little book. As children become interested in letters and words, allow them to copy or write portions of the words to go with the pictures.
• Encourage digital art. Consider purchasing digital art software for a tablet or computer so your kids and teens can create digital drawings, paintings, and more.
• Consider the impact of AI.  Teens and some tweens enjoy learning about current events and controversy around most any topic. Ask them to research the impact of AI on artists and to propose a policy that would meet artists' concerns about AI-produced art.

Tips for success:

• Get the art supplies. Provide kids with good art materials and tools. Do some research if you're not sure what is good enough quality. Visiting an art supply store can help get you started. It's easier to stay on a budget if you get materials and tools for one medium at a time. Keep art supplies in reach and have a place for kids to work.
• Get the craft supplies.  You'll also want to keep craft supplies on hand. Don't forget your kids can up-cycle many around-the-house items and create crafts with them. Your kids may be able to create with milk cartons, paper towel rolls, cereal boxes, and paper bags, as described in this article about up-cycling activities from PBS kids. 
• Show interest rather than approval. When your child is creating art, focus on noticing details more than on making evaluative remarks. For example, you could say, "I see you used two different colors for the wings" rather than "good job on the wings." Even positive praise can have a surprisingly negative impact on creativity, as a child learns to wait on your approval rather than responding to your interest and curiosity.
• Go beyond visual arts.  As you and your children explore what we typically think of as "art," also point out other types of art and discuss them. Include fashion, film, music, fiber arts, architecture, theater, creative writing, photography, and more.
• Don't overvalue representational art. When kids make art during their earliest years, they are not typically sensitive about whether their artwork is "realistic." Parents and non-artists, though, are frequently excited about art that depicts reality accurately. They may heap on the praise for how "real" a drawing looks. As kids get older and become more aware of any inability to render art work that "looks real," they may become discouraged and even quit drawing. Remember to value the originality of the creation.
• Frame and display. Show off your kids' and teens' artwork in your home!
• Y—Young (PreK-3rd)
• M—Middle (4th-6th)
• O—Older (7th-12th)
• T—Teacher Resources

Julianna Kunstler Comprehensive Art Curriculum    (M,O,T) Julianna Kunstler is a high school art teacher who has generously made her curriculum available online for free. You can find lessons, slides, handouts, exercises, and step-by-step tutorials covering the elements of art and design (line, shape, color, balance, contrast, perspective, etc.) - and skill-building for specific art media (painting and drawing, digital art, ceramics, sculpture, digital photography, mixed media, and printmaking). Also included are a comprehensive art history class, complete with worksheets and slides, and a special needs art class collection of resources. The courses are designed for multi-year study.

Visual Arts Comprehensive I (O) This full online curriculum from Georgia Virtual Learning covers What is Art?;  Elements and Principles of Arts; Drawing What You See; Aesthetics, Art Criticism and Art History; From 2D to 3D; and Color as Communication.

AP Art History (O) This is a full online curriculum from Georgia Virtual Learning.

Drawing I and Drawing II (O) These are full online curricula from Georgia Virtual Learning.

Photography I (O) This is a full online curriculum from Georgia Virtual Learning.

Arty Factory Lessons and Tutorials    (Y,M,O) Arty Factory offers design theory lessons and a broad range of illustrated, step-by-step tutorials for Aboriginal Art, African Masks, Ancient Egyptian Art, Still Life, Pencil, Colored Pencil, Charcoal, Painting, Perspective, Pen and Ink, and more. Also included are comprehensive Art Appreciation educational pages covering various time periods and styles of artwork.

Composition in Painting (O) In this four-lesson curriculum unit from EDSITEment, students are introduced to composition in the visual arts, including design principles, such as balance, symmetry , and  repetition , as well as one of the formal elements:  line .

Getty Museum Curricula and Teaching Guides (Y,M,O,T) This robust collection contains multi-lesson curricula on a wide range of art and art history subjects.

Free Udemy Art Lessons (O) Choose from several free art lessons on the Udemy platform.

Allegory in Painting (O,T) "Although your students probably associate the word allegory with works of literature, such as Edmund Spenser's  The Faerie Queen  or George Orwell's  Animal Farm , they may be less familiar with the application of allegory to the visual arts. This lesson plan introduces students to allegory in the visual arts through the works of a number of well-known artists, including Thomas Cole and Caravaggio." From EDSITEment

Horse of a Different Color: Introduction to Color in the Visual Arts (O) "In this curriculum unit students will be introduced to the importance and effect of color in the visual arts. Why do artists use particular colors in their compositions? The activities in this lesson will guide students towards a greater understanding of the ways in which color can focus the viewer's attention, give the illusion of depth in a two-dimensional medium, and affect the tone and mood of an artwork." From EDSITEment

Blick Art Supply Lesson Plans (Y,M,O,T) Dozens of lesson plans using a variety of media and techniques

Video Playlist: Elements of Art Unit (O) This playlist from Miacademy with 26 videos from 10-15 minutes each covers the basic elements of art and includes a culminating project.

Videos: Creative Cricket    (Y,M) Creative Cricket makes fun, educational art videos for kids. Each video is designed to teach and inspire young artists to draw, illustrate, and think critically. Creative Cricket lessons strengthen children's minds and spark a life-long love of art. Videos feature loosely instructional steps on how to draw, color, illustrate. Each lesson comes packed with useful fun-facts and dialogue for the whole family. Great for all types of learners.

Google Arts & Culture    (Y,M,O,T) Google Arts & Culture is collaboration of various museums, universities, and other cultural institutions. You can take virtual tours of museums around the world, find digital exhibitions on just about any topic, play games, take quizzes, find coloring pages, and tons more.

Museum of Modern Art Teacher Resources    (Y,M,O,T) MoMA offers online courses designed for K-12 classroom teachers and any other educators who want to learn about modern and contemporary art and develop their pedagogical skills. The site provides short lesson plans on different types of art styles, audio clips discussing different art collections, videos, a glossary of art terms, and more. Topics covered include: Art & Inquiry: Museum Teaching Strategies for Your Classroom, Art & Activity: Interactive Strategies for Engaging with Art, and Art & Ideas: Teaching with Themes.

Museum of International Folk Art Lesson Plans    (Y,M,O,T) The Museum of International Folk Art offers lessons based on folk art from Africa, Indonesia, India, Japan, Latin America, and more. Some of the lessons are offered in both English and Spanish. For grades K-12.

Museum of International Folk Art DIY Projects    (Y,M,O,T) A collection of DIY art projects based on world cultures from the Museum of International Folk Art.

The Kennedy Center Resource Library    (Y,M,O,T) The Kennedy Center offers students and educators a broad range of educational resources. You can find lessons, activities, talks, performances, and more covering music, dance, media art, performance art, theater, visual arts, women in the arts, indigenous arts, world arts, and much more.

National Gallery of Art Learning Resources    (Y,M,O,T) The National Gallery of Art offers teaching guides, unit studies, lessons, activities, videos, handouts and digital interactives for students of all ages. Topics cover specific artists, arts from various cultures, various styles of art, art history, the elements of art, and introductions to different art media, including drawing, photography, sculpture, and printmaking.

Victoria and Albert Museum Art, Craft, and Design Resources    (M,O,T) The Victoria and Albert Museum has a large collection of lesson plans for students ages 11-18, covering calligraphy, architecture, fashion, textile art, photography, and jewelry, as well as arts from around the world.

San Jose Museum of Art Resources    (Y,M,T) The San Jose Museum of Art offers a large collection of video tutorials, lessons, activities, talks, and a virtual tours for students, parents, and art educators.

San Diego Museum of Art Tutorials    (Y,M,O) “SDMA Art Tutorials are a series of instructional videos that demonstrate a new art skill, technique, or material inspired by works of art in the Museum’s permanent collection. Whether you’re a beginner or a master artist, come learn from Museum educators with SDMA Art Tutorials!” Covers optical illusions, meditation drawing, pattern, etching, still life, calligraphy, and more.

Met Museum Lesson Plans    (Y,M,O,T) The Met Museum offers a range of art history lessons from around the world that look at various types of art – from ancient armor and architecture to sculpture and textiles.

The MET Kids    (Y,M) The Metropolitan Museum of Art has an educational kids website where students can take a virtual tour of the Museum, explore the museum’s collection of art by time period, style, or media, and find a large collection of kid-friendly videos featuring talks and tutorials. Tutorials include carving, mosaic, stained glass, ceramics, weaving, printmaking, animation, fashion design, and more.

National Gallery of Art Teacher Resources    (T) The National Gallery of Art's Division of Education offers online teaching units, digital teaching packets, and an additional library of teaching packets that can be borrowed.

Museum Coloring Pages    (M,O) For adults and teens (preview for suitability), these coloring pages feature items from collections of various art museums, history museums, and libraries. From My Modern Met.

Exploratorium    (Y,M,O,T) The museum of science, art and human perception. Online since 1993, the Exploratorium was one of the first science museums to build a site on the World Wide Web. The site contains over 18 thousand award-winning Web pages, activities, and videos, exploring hundreds of different topics.

Vatican Museums Online    (Y,M,O,T) View the collections of dozens of museums on the MVSEI VATICANI website. Read about the artworks and Zoom into the details of paintings, frescoes and artworks from different eras of the Italian Peninsula from the Romans to the Renaissance.

Free Art History "Textbook" (O,T) Reframing Art History is an open-access multimedia art history "textbook" from SmartHistory. Chapters were developed by a group of more than 40 experts, and the course showcases art and history from the bottom up. The website has additional resources for educators, including syllabi submitted by other teachers using Reframing Art History as a textbook.

Khan Academy Art History Course (O) Full art history course covering prehistoric art through the art of today as well as themes in art history, art of world regions, and a special unit for At Risk Cultural Heritage Education Series (ARCHES). An AP/College Art History course is also available.

Video: Art Through Time: A Global View    (Y,M,O,T) From the Annenberg Learner, a series of video programs on art across the world, art through history, and more, covering a wide variety of styles and how art changes in different environments.

Video Playlist: Crash Course Art History   (O) Learn about art history—the study of objects and images to understand their meaning and the people, places, and times they come from—in this 22-episode playlist. Sarah Urist Green will teaches how to analyze and evaluate art, draw connections between different cultures and time periods, and ask big questions about how history gets made. The playlist is partially based on the AP Art History curriculum and that of an introductory university-level course.

Crash Course Art History Preview

Tate Kids    (Y,M) “Play free games and quizzes, find art activities, explore homework help and share your art with Tate Kids. The best art website for kids.”

Artist Quest    (Y,M,O,T) This site provides an extensive database of artists with short biographies and images of their more famous works. Provides a question guide for students to answer to help retain knowledge about each artist.

LEGO® Madness    (Y,M) Want to motivate your kids to turn off the computer and television this summer? Send them to this website and their play area will be strewn with LEGO® pieces before you know it. Eric Harshbarger has created hundreds of sculptures and mosaics using LEGO® pieces. Photos of them (some with multiple views) are posted on his website, along with a detailed FAQ to satisfy the curiosity of inspired artists-to-be.

KinderArt    (Y) Despite its name, KinderArt is not just a resource for primary grades. Whether you are looking for drawing lessons for your middle schooler or multi-cultural holiday crafts for any age, KinderArt is the place to look. The site includes lesson plans and project ideas.

Teach Art at Home    (Y,M,O,T) An excellent resource by an art teacher includes a monthly newsletter, free online projects, lesson plans, articles on teaching methods, and more!

The Imagination Factory - Recycling Art Projects    (Y,M,O,T) Kids at Art is a website dedicated to teaching how to use recycling in art. In addition to many projects, the site includes an exploration of various artwork around the country.

Video Playlist: Art Class   (Y,M) This playlist from Miacademy contains 16 short (5-minute) videos with a variety of projects.

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36 Purposeful Art Activities for the Classroom

Written by Holly (Teach Starter)

Are you looking for quick and easy, yet purposeful visual arts lesson ideas for your classroom?

We’ve all been there… with such a crowded curriculum and the pressure to cover a number of topics within the school week, The Arts are often scheduled for a Friday afternoon. Sure, you can quickly search YouTube for a guided drawing video, often related to another subject area, and you are done! Whilst this is totally a purposful art lesson, doing this every week may not be extending your students knowledge of the Visual Arts.

So, in the interests of helping busy teachers, we have put together some Visual Arts teaching posters and resources to help with your art lesson planning.

Art Elements Posters

Our Art Elements Poster Pack is the perfect starting point. Visually explain the different art elements of Visual Arts to your students with these beautifully designed posters for the classroom.

Art Activity Task Cards

Once you have discussed and even investigated and analysed famous paintings focusing on the different art elements. You can pick between 28 different art activities in our Art Elements Activity Task Cards .

This pack is available in both British English and American English, and includes four different activities for each of the art elements:

These task cards were created with the busy classroom teacher in mind. All materials and directions are explained in a kid-friendly way.

The materials have been kept to a minimum and use the kind of supplies that most classroom teachers will have in their art cupboard/shelf.

Crazy Hair Line Drawing Art Activity

In this art activity, students create a portrait of someone with crazy hair by experimenting with different types of lines.

All that is needed is a lead pencil, white card, a black marker, oil pastels and crayons.

Neverending City Art Activity

In this art activity, students create the illusion of a city that goes on and on by using different shades of the one colour.

Again, very few materials are needed, yet students will love creating this art piece. A lead pencil, white card, paints and paintbrushes are all they need!

For more amazing art activity ideas, check out our Art Elements Activity Task Cards .

Aboriginal Art Unit Plan

Another fantastic art idea is for your students to learn about the history of Aboriginal art in Australia and the variety of techniques used.

In this unit plan – An Introduction to Aboriginal Art , students explore the traditional techniques of:

• Aboriginal rock art
• Aboriginal sand drawings
• Aboriginal bark paintings
• Aboriginal body painting
• Aboriginal Wandjina artworks
• Aboriginal x-ray art
• Aboriginal cross-hatching
• Aboriginal dot painting.

Art Work Display for the Classroom

Displaying students artwork is a critical component of Visual Arts within the classroom. Here’s an idea we love, plus it will save you time at the end of the year.

Dedicate a wall in your classroom to display your students’ artwork. Create a banner using our selection of display banners for the classroom .

Using our editable tray labels you can create a special section of the artboard for each student.

Hot tip: use manilla folders as the backdrop for each students’ artwork and use manilla folder clip fasteners, each week add your students’ artwork to the folder.

At the end of the term, you can simply take the folder down off the wall and send it home as their art portfolio.

For more information, check out our video:

Share your art activity ideas in the comments of this blog… we’d love to hear from you!

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R/arthomework, community highlights, welcome to arthomework (intro, rules, & flairs).

Welcome! This sub is for sharing, discussing, and attempting art exercises and assessments.

Check out our sister subs!

r/TheFundamentalsOfArt : All about learning and teaching the fundamentals.

r/ArtTechnique : All about niche or medium-specific techniques and workflows.

Please flair your posts!

Attempt : For sharing your attempts at and demonstrating of exercises on this sub.

Postmortem : For explaining how a longer exercise did/n't help you and your overall takeaways.

Discussion : For discussing the design, nature, benefits, etc. of art exercises and related subjects.

Exercise : For sharing the instructions to helpful exercises for developing an artistic skill.

Assessment : For sharing the instructions to helpful assessments for judging one's progress in a particular area.

Exercises and assessments have time durations associated with them -- just round up to select the appropriate one.

Check the rules for full descriptions. The gist:

Keep your instructions on Reddit if possible. Don't just link out to Imgur or your personal blog or whatever. (Remember that you can switch to the Fancy Pants Editor to embed images.)

Don't be a dick.

Follow Reddit's rules regarding adult content by marking it NSFW and using an appropriate post title.

Keep content on-topic. This is not an art sharing sub or general discussions sub. It's specifically for art exercises & assessments.

Avoid irrelevant discussions of image generation tools. This sub is about learning to make art yourself, not about having it made for you.

Flair your posts, as discussed above.

Link to the related exercise in the comments when sharing an attempt at it.

Exercises that seem to be dangerous or intended to troll will be removed.

Additional Posting Guidelines

Be clear who an exercise or assessment is intended for and what it is intended to do. What are its benefits? Why should we bother?

Consider including a demonstration of your exercise to show that it is doable. Tell or show us how doing it has helped you personally.

Include the answers to your questions and assessments somewhere. You may want to wrap it in a spoiler tag, or you may want to post it to your profile or even another relevant sub and link it. Again, try to keep it on Reddit if possible.

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The Art Teacher

Art Lesson Ideas, Plans, Free Resources, Project Plans, and Schemes of Work. An 'outstanding' art teacher in Greater Manchester. Teaching KS3 and KS4 art and design.

Useful Websites for Art Teachers

Are you looking for helpful websites full of art project ideas, lessons or activities? Great news… I am putting together an extensive list of excellent websites that have a full range of materials and resources for teaching and making art.

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Whether you are teaching at home (home-learning our school is calling it) or teaching art from home hopefully this list of websites dedicated to art teaching resources will give you plenty of inspiration for art lessons and activities. The list is designed to cover anyone planning art lessons for all ages and abilities, including KS3 and KS4 or GCSE art.

Just FYI, this list of art-making websites isn’t exhaustive or in any order, so if you think I have missed one off that deserves a place – let me know in the comments.

ART UK is an art education charity whose aim is to democratise access to art. The website has a wealth of high quality resources, and is the online home to every public art collection in the UK. The website has over 300,000 artworks by over 50,000 artists and is growing all the time.

ARTYFACTORY.COM

Artyfactory.com has a wealth of free art lessons (and design tech lessons) as well as a huge amount of information about different art movements such as Surrealism and Pop Art. Their ideas for art projects, schemes of work and lesson plans are all organised into easy-to-use themes with clear, high-quality imagery to use.

THEARTYTEACHER.COM

Theartyteacher.com is packed full of useful resources for any art teacher, or anyone who now finds themselves home-learning. If you are looking for inspiration for one off lessons or full schemes of work, this art website has hundreds of professional worksheets, art resources, artist presentations and even full cover lesson plans! Many of the resources are free, just register on the site to get access.

ARTPEDAGOGY.COM

Artpedagogy.com provides art teachers with an abundance of practical art lesson resources based on different art concepts. These are the overarching ideas in art that students will need to develop an understanding of, from mark-making and formal elements to interpreting artworks. Each of these big ideas is titled a ‘Threshold Concept’ on Art Pedagogy – breaking down each idea into simple, easy to understand terms.

Could you make a small donation to help cover the cost of keeping this site free? It’s getting more expensive to keep online. Thank you!

GOOGLE ARTS & CULTURE

Google Arts & Culture is a vast series of websites completely dedicated to all aspects of art and cultures surrounding art. Not necessarily filled with lesson plans or schemes of work – this site is more helpful when building resources yourself or researching. The information and images are all high quality, and there are plenty of interesting sections which could lead to some great art lessons (Art Camera / Street View / 360º Videos etc).

TEACHINGIDEAS.CO.UK

Teachingideas.co.uk is a handy website if you need art resources quick. The site collates art resources into a feed, letting your organise them by ‘Newest First’, ‘Highest Rated’ etc. The search is also useful if you need to find something specific like ‘comic strips’, for example. I have found that most resources on this site are aimed towards younger students.

STUDENTARTGUIDE.COM

Studentartguide.com is (obviously) geared more towards art and photography students than teachers, however it is created by teachers. Student Art Guide has plenty of high quality examples of artwork, from fine art to graphic design. It also has a host of free teaching resources which cover a full range of artistic styles and approaches.

FELT-TIP-PEN.COM

Felt-tip-pen.com provides art teachers (including new ‘art teachers’ suddenly working at home!) with plenty of one-off lessons and easy-to-use resources that you can access from anywhere. The resource sheets are comprehensive and really student-friendly! The website also has resources for your art classroom and support for specific exam questions.

THESMARTTEACHER.COM

ThesmARTteacher.com is almost like an online magazine dedicated to helping art teachers and schools work together and make connections. The site has loads of sections, all related to teaching art, that offer different resources and approaches to teaching. You can join the site and make a profile if you wish however, many of the art teaching resources are freely available.

NSEAD.org or the National Society for Education in Art and Design promote the teaching of art and design, working as the only trade union for art and design educators in the UK. Their community is extremely helpful and useful for art teachers (You can use the hashtag #NSEADcreate and I love the NSEAD Facebook page ). Their site offers support, advice and teaching resources, helpfully organised into category by age.

ART2DAY.CO.UK

Art2day.co.uk offers art teachers a more contemporary range of resources and ideas. Covering fine art and various photographic techniques, this site also has bundles of help for art students who are taking their exams. You can browse categories such as ‘Paint’ and find lists of artists that students can take inspiration from. The site asks for a donation (any amount) through their PayPal to access most of the resources, however some are available completely free too.

ACCESSART.ORG.UK

AccessArt.org.uk is a UK charity that is funded by it’s membership organisation. Their website offers a massive variety of resources, not just for teaching but also for ideas, skills and techniques. For example, you can find pages of art resources dedicated to ‘sketchbooks’. There are a lot of free resources, but since AccessArt is a charity, I would urge you to think about supporting through a membership too.

Artsology.com has been providings arts games for art students for 18 years. They say that ‘the goal with the arts games is to engage kids with fun games as a way to introduce them to art history…’ – and their website is full of great, simple to use resources that are ideal for lesson starters, plenaries, mini activities, homeworks or cover lessons etc. As well as Art Games , there are a lot of Art Videos and Art Projects available too.

Could you make a small donation to help cover the cost of keeping this site free? It’s getting more expensive to keep online. Thank you!

Right, I hope you have found this list useful, whether you are now ‘homeschooling’ art, or a teacher trying to teach online. Please let me know in the comments if you want me to include any other websites!

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7 thoughts on “ useful websites for art teachers ”.

• Pingback: Useful Websites for Art Teachers – Lily Doodle & the Eternal Sparkles

http://mrsharrisart.blogspot.com/ . Please have a look at my blog. It has over 170 art lessons for kindergarten and 1st grade with all of them being taught in a public school.

Like Liked by 1 person

Thank you for sharing! I love the students’ work on your blog 🙂

Thanks for this list! Feel free to check out my blog for art teachers and art makers. Lots of free resources ! http://Www.makeamarkstudios.com

Loved your recent article on the GCSE dry point etching task! Your site is a great resource for art teachers and I have referred it on to my art department. I am a high school art teacher – check out my website all about drawing tutorials, watercolour lessons and digital art … https://artsydee.com

Thanks for your lovely comment! I’m glad you’re enjoying the site 😊 I’ll take a look at yours now, thanks for sharing.

Hi there! Really like the list you’ve made! Would really appreciate it if you could check out the art section on our site Mammoth Memory, and maybe add it to the list. It’s got some great art projects to do, plus information on art techniques and vocabulary with ways for students to memorise them. https://mammothmemory.net/art.html

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Making and teaching art. Based in Manchester. View all posts by art_teacher_mcr

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Art Lesson Plans and Activities

Creative art-focused activities for your classroom. These lessons include resources for a variety of artistic mediums and subject areas such as special events and homework.

Your creativity and ideas can help other teachers. Submit your art lesson plan or activity today. Don't forget to include additional resource documents or a photo.

Art Lesson Plans

We want your pictures! Have you made one of these projects? We would love to get a picture and you can help others by showing off how you did it! Send us your picture or lesson modification ideas.

Art Activity Websites This is a collection of other websites that contain art related lesson plans, activities and materials.

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37 of Our Favorite Easy Art Projects for Kids

Get their creative juices flowing.

The stress of tests and social dynamics can prove challenging for students, and for this reason, they need an opportunity to express themselves freely. Art provides a powerful outlet for creative expression while also proving therapeutic. Plus, a good art project can be particularly effective at getting kids to unplug from their devices. A simple art project can even fill some of downtime during the day for early finishers. Regardless of whether you teach preschool or high school, there is an art project for everyone. So gather some art supplies and try one of these easy art projects for kids!

Easy Art Projects for Pre-K Students

1. paper bag jelly fish.

As far as easy art projects for kids go, this one is perfect for preschoolers since it works on their hand-eye coordination and their cutting skills in particular. In addition to paper bags and scissors or pinking shears, you will need some paints, paintbrushes, googly eyes, and glue. If you’re really feeling ambitious, you can grab some sparkles too!

Learn more: Paper Bag Jelly Fish at No Time for Flash Cards

2. Tissue Paper Apple

Since everyone associates apples with fall and the start of school, this will be the perfect craft to start the school year off on the right foot. Simply draw an apple outline on a piece of paper and have small red and green tissue paper squares ready to be crumpled and glued by tiny hands.

Learn more: Tissue Paper Apple at Burlap + Blue

3. Fork Print Tulips

This project is both cute and simple, requiring only a fork, some heavyweight paper, and some paints. This project would be especially perfect for a Mother’s Day gift.

Learn more: Fork Tulip at Toddler at Play

4. Paper Bag Monster

First, paint the bag any color you want. Once dry, cut out shapes from card stock and assemble your monster!

Learn more: Paper Bag Monster Puppets at I Heart Crafty Things

5. Paper Plate Lion

All you need to re-create this adorable lion is orange and black paint, paintbrushes, paper plates, and scissors. Grab some Popsicle sticks to glue to the back and you’ll have a ferocious puppet show on your hands in no time! ADVERTISEMENT

Learn more: Paper Plate Lion at My Bored Toddler

6. Popsicle Stick Rainbow

Grab some blue card stock, cotton circles, and Popsicle sticks and have your students work on their gluing skills. This craft will prove effective at teaching little ones their colors. Choose either colored Popsicle sticks or have kids color them themselves.

Learn more: Popsicle Stick Rainbow at My Bored Toddler

7. Paper Plate Octopus

Kids love octopuses, especially adorable ones like these! This craft would be perfect for little ones still learning to count since they have a whopping eight legs to make.

Learn more: Paper Plate Octopus at Simple Every Day Mom

8. Macaroni Necklace

A staple of many of our childhoods, macaroni necklaces work on the dexterity of little fingers while also making perfect gifts. Add in some large beads as well for variety.

Learn more: DIY Macaroni Necklaces at Made To Be a Mama

Easy Art Projects for Elementary School Students

9. paper plate snake.

Have your students paint a paper plate with watercolors and then once dry, help them cut it in a swirl shape. Finally, add some googly eyes.

Learn more: Colorful Paper Plate Snakes at Pink Stripey Socks

10. Paper Roll Koala

This super-cute koala would make an adorable desk buddy since it stands up on its own. Kids will enjoy personalizing their koala’s face!

Learn more: Paper Roll Koala at Arty Crafty Kids

11. Leaf Pattern Drawing

We just love art projects that fill the entire page, and this one certainly fits the bill. The combination of crayon and watercolor paint create this multi-dimensional leaf print.

Learn more: Leaf Pattern at Art Projects for Kids

12. Woven Rainbow Fish

This project is perfect for working on students’ hand-eye coordination while being a cursory introduction to sewing. It’s challenging enough for even upper elementary school students while still being relatively simple.

Learn more: Rainbow Fish at Crafty Morning

13. Thumbprint Bugs

These thumbprint doodles are just so sweet and would perfectly complement a science lesson all about bugs. After having students try their hand at some of the thumbprint examples, let them use their imagination to see what other ideas they can cook up. You can even have them create bug jars out of card stock to put their new friends in!

Learn more: Thumbprint Bugs via Toot’s Mom Is Tired

14. Umbrella With Rain

Another fun art project that is really affordable to create since you only need paper plates, some paints, a roll of string, and some blue beads. We just love this clever approach to creating raindrops!

Learn more: Umbrella With Rain at Easy Peasy and Fun

15. Popsicle Stick Pencil

Nothing says back to school more than a cute pencil-themed craft. Have students add their names to them and then use them to decorate a September bulletin board in your classroom.

Learn more: Popsicle Stick Pencil at Crafty Morning

16. Craft Stick Airplane

Kids will unquestionably go crazy over these clothespin-and-Popsicle-stick airplanes. Regardless of whether they choose paint or permanent markers, students will enjoy personalizing their tiny flying machines.

Learn more: Craft Stick Airplane at Making Life Blissful

17. Pom-Pom Caterpillars

Since kids love pom-poms and caterpillars, this will be the perfect craft to grab their attention. Make sure to supply them with a fun variety of pom-poms and googly eyes.

Learn more: Pom-Pom Caterpillar at Easy Peasy and Fun

Easy Art Projects for Middle School Students

18. chalk christmas lights.

This is the perfect easy art project to do around the holiday season. You’ll need to create a stencil from card stock so you can create your light shapes. Once that is done, you can begin creating “light” with some chalk pastels. A silver Sharpie can be used to create your light string since it will show up nicely against the black paper.

Learn more: Christmas Light Chalk Stencil Art at Buggy and Buddy

19. Gratitude Journal

This project doubles as an art and writing activity since students can use their finished journals for writing prompts. These personalized journals beat store-bought ones any day!

Learn more: Handmade Gratitude Journal at Kids Activities Blog

20. Textured Hot-Air Balloon

This project is the perfect excuse to use up all your crafty odds and ends like feathers, glitter, and sequins. We love how unique each creation will be once they’re done.

Learn more: Textured Hot-Air Balloon at Artsy Momma

21. Layer Cakes

Regardless of students’ experience with oil pastels, this project will be a good introduction to the medium. Have students follow a step-by-step tutorial for drawing the outline of the layer cake, then let them use the pastels to bring their drawings to life.

Learn more: Cakes at Little Yeti

22. Chalk Planets

This is an inexpensive way to enhance a science unit on space while still getting creative. It’s inexpensive too since all you will need is some black paper and chalk.

Learn more: 18 Awesome Art Projects for Your Classroom at Teach Junkie

23. Back-to-School Rocks

Kids love painting rocks so why not make it school-themed? Show students some of these examples to copy or let them come up with some of their own, then spread them around the school’s grounds.

Learn more: Painted Rock Ideas at Color Made Happy

24. Dictionary Page Drawing

Easy art projects for kids that also double as vocabulary lessons? Yes, please! This project will prove especially educational as students are tasked with illustrating a word on an old dictionary page.

25. Paper Collage Painting

Students will enjoy creating their collages from a variety of materials. Even better—this project is a great way to encourage recycling since old cereal boxes and other food labels can be ripped into strips and repurposed.

Learn more: Painting With Paper at Megan Coyle Artist & Illustrator

26. Crayon Resist Art

This simple project can be done without a lot of instruction and will work for students of any age. This project runs on the same idea as some Easter egg–decorating kits in that the paint or dye sticks to the areas not covered in wax, or in this case, crayon.

Learn more: Fun Watercolor Resist Art at Kids Activities Blog

27. Number Art

If you have some math whizzes in your class, they will likely enjoy this number-themed art project. Grab some large number stencils and paints and you’ll be ready for this low-setup project.

Learn more: 5th Grade Number Project at Art Room Blog

28. Woven Baby Turtle

Select three mini Popsicle sticks, paint them, and then glue them together to form your turtle’s body. Finally, select your yarn and weave it around your turtle. Be sure to have a lot of fun colors to choose from!

Learn more: Weaving Cute Baby Turtles at Pink Stripey Socks

Easy Art Projects for High School Students

29. yarn-wrapped letter.

All you will need to create this craft is some leftover cardboard, a bunch of different yarns, and some scissors. Teens especially will enjoy this project as the end result can be used as decoration in their bedrooms and eventually their dorm rooms!

Learn more: 14 Crafts for Teens and Tweens at Art Bar Blog

30. Elevated Macaroni Necklace

Some easy art projects for kids and teens can even double as fashion! Despite their association with preschool, these are definitely not your little brother’s or sister’s macaroni necklaces. Swapping out twine with an actual chain makes these necklaces look surprisingly high-end.

Learn more: 12 Pasta Necklaces We Need Right Now at Mum’s Grapevine

31. Neuro Doodle Design

This is a simple and mindful art project that can be enjoyed by students regardless of their art experience. This art process was invented by Russian psychologist and architect Pavel Piskarev in 2014.

Learn more: Simple Mindful Art Project at Inside Out Art Teacher

32. Crepe Paper Flowers

This is the perfect project for early finishers to do since each flower only takes 5 minutes to create. In addition to being a fun project, these flowers would also make for beautiful classroom decor.

Learn more: Easy Crepe Paper Flowers at DIY Candy

33. CD Fish

Easy art projects for kids that utilize outdated technology? Why not? Although this project could work for any age group, older kids will be able to personalize their fish using a variety of add-on materials. Be prepared to explain to your students what CDs are since they were born long after their demise!

Learn more: Make Your Own Fish Aquarium at Super Simple

34. Pencil Sculpture

While this project can get complicated, simpler structures can be completed using fewer pencils. The preparation is minimal, requiring just a bunch of pencils and elastics, but the reward will be big when you see what your students create!

Learn more: Geometric Sculpture From 72 Pencils at Instructables

35. Ribbon Garland

This project is another good time-filler since it can be worked on and then picked up again later and continued. It’s also a good lesson in recycling since you can ask students to bring in any fabric or ribbons that may be sitting around their houses unused.

Learn more: Easy DIY Fabric Garland at Project Nursery

36. Origami

Origami paper is inexpensive and can be bought in bulk, making this an affordable and low-preparation art project. Additionally, it is perfect for high school students who are better equipped to follow along with an instructional video.

Learn more: 12 Origami Projects for Kids at Mom Loves Best

37. Layered Landscape

Keep those cereal boxes and old magazines since they’re perfect for ripping up to create layered art! We especially love how much room there is in this project for individual creativity.

Learn more: Layered Landscape at Art Camp Studio

What are your favorite easy art projects to do in the classroom? Come and share your ideas in our  We Are Teachers HELPLINE group  on Facebook.

Plus,  get ideas for great auction art projects .

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How to stop procrastinating and get your Art homework done

Last Updated on April 2, 2023

This article was written for students who are sick of leaving their art projects to the last minute. It is for those who are tired of nagging teachers and parents who glare at them with disappointed eyes. It is for the chronic underperformer: for whom detentions, reprimands, phone calls home, referrals to Dean, quiet chats in the hallway, sticker charts, bribery (rewards from parents for passing), withdrawal of privileges, begging, snide sarcasm and attempts at reason seldom work. It is for those who slide under the radar: who manage to complete things to a satisfactory – but rarely brilliant – standard. It is for those who avoid homework for as long as possible, only gaining feverish, panic-driven momentum in the days or hours before the project is finally due.

READ NEXT: How to make an artist website (and why you need one)

The strategies contained within this blog post are practical, straight forward suggestions that have been compiled with the sole purpose of quashing procrastination in a high school Art student. Some strategies are based on the natural behaviours of high performing students; others are techniques that I have trialled and refined with my students over the years.

How to get your Art homework done: a no-nonsense guide

1. get a wall planner.

Not a calendar, diary, smartphone app, or a dog-eared handout tucked at the back of your sketchbook. A clear wall planner that is the first thing you see when you wake and the last thing you see before you fall asleep at night. In bold marker pen – highlight your project due dates and cross off the days that have gone.

2. Tidy your bedroom

To make great art you need an inspiring, well lit place to work, where you can spread out art supplies, tools and mess. If your bedroom is unsuitable, use a spare room, or stay late at school and work in the school art room instead. (Your teachers won’t mind. They will be deliriously happy).

3. Rid your workspace of all distraction

Turn off the internet; turn off the TV; put your phone on silent and put it out of sight. Forget about reading articles about how to avoid procrastination (like this one) and turn the music on instead. Crank it right up and let it fill your soul.

4. Pin blank sheets of paper onto the wall to represent the quantity of work that you have to complete

For example, if you are aiming to complete six A1 sheets of Coursework preparation, pin six A1 sheets up on your wall (NOTE: ten is the maximum for CIE Art & Design A Level students – it is perfectly acceptable to submit less). These sheets can be scrappy bits of paper or card: they should not the final presentation sheets, as they will get tattered and messy. Pin all of the work that you have done onto the sheets – including pieces that are incomplete and barely begun. (If you are working in a sketchbook, blutack all of your work-in-progress into the book). This allows you to get an immediate snapshot of how much you have done and how much you still have to go. In all my years of teaching, this visual representation of progress is the single thing that motivates students the most.

5. Look hard at what you have done…and work out what to do next

For some, this might be improving an existing artwork; for others it might be beginning something new. For many it should involve working in series (working on several works concurrently). This avoids the need to wait for paint to dry and allows similar colours and materials to be used in several works at once. When selecting which piece/s to work on, remember that you should:

• Focus on the things that will get you the most marks . In other words, not page headings or borders. Not sharpening pencils or carefully premixing colours of paint. Don’t spend time writing tonnes of notes if the drawings are barely complete.  Work instead on the gutsy, important pieces and work on these until they are done.
• Decide quickly . If you are unsure what to work on, just pick something. Then, when you next have class, ask your teacher.
• Don’t write a checklist or obsessively chart your goals .   In almost all cases, lists and their endless variations are just procrastination measures. The time you spend on writing a list and organising what you should do, would be better spent actually doing it. (NOTE: Any thinking you need to do can be done while you are creating. This is the perfect time to be planning how to improve / develop / extend your project. If you want to record your thoughts, just grab a sketchbook page and scribble the idea down when it comes to you).

6. And lastly, most importantly, pick up your pencil or paintbrush and START!

Even if you are disheartened at the amount of work that is required and feel that Art homework is taking over your life, remember that there is something inherently wondrous about putting marks on paper (or sculpting or composing three-dimensional form or whatever it is that you do). Unlike other high school subjects, where you have to commit facts to memory and regurgitate these in various contexts to demonstrate your understanding, in Art you get to play. Forget about everything else and concentrate instead on the joy of making: the thrill of smearing line and colour and texture about a page. Even if your teacher has instructed you to draw the most heinous still life imaginable, pour your teenage angst and heartache into it the work and turn it into something that really matters (i.e. explore the still life in a way that makes it personal to you). Take a deep breath and start. And after a little while, you’ll realise something awesome. The motivation you have been looking for all of this time comes with the doing. It is not some magical quality that you need to find before you begin: in starting, the motivation finds you. It snowballs, wraps you up in enthusiasm and builds momentum. To eliminate procrastination you just have to do something simple. You have to put down this article and begin.

Note: If you are not procrastinating, but are struggling to get your Art projects done, you may benefit from reading How to Draw and Paint Faster : 15 tips for high school Art students.

Amiria has been an Art & Design teacher and a Curriculum Co-ordinator for seven years, responsible for the course design and assessment of student work in two high-achieving Auckland schools. She has a Bachelor of Architectural Studies, Bachelor of Architecture (First Class Honours) and a Graduate Diploma of Teaching. Amiria is a CIE Accredited Art & Design Coursework Assessor.

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Websites Every Art Teacher Should Know

Colossol is a blog about art, artists, photographers, craft and visual culture.  This blog seems to have its finger on the pulse of all that is new in the art world.  I can get lost in the art and artists they feature.  It’s a great place to discover new artists to use with your students.  They state: “With an archive of over 6,000 articles written by seven contributors, we pride ourselves in celebrating the work of both emerging and established artists through an ongoing commitment to make art accessible to everyone.”

Tate Kids is a useful site if you teach primary aged children.  With ideas to use in the classroom that link to well know artists and online games and quizzes, it has a lot to offer.

Art UK is the online home of every UK public art collection.  The site is fully searchable and what I really like about it, is you can search by topic .  So, if you want to research a theme such as ‘Dreams’ you can do so.

Google Arts & Culture is a truly comprehensive online resource.  Whether you want to zoom in on a painting in amazing detail, explore an A-Z of art movements, explore unanswerable questions, link to art collections around the globe, you’ll find it here.

The Arty Teacher YouTube channel has a growing bank of videos.  You might find the ‘How to…’ type video’s useful, or it could introduce you to your new favourite art lesson or unit of work.

Tate Art Terms is a section of the Tate website which is an online glossary designed to explain and illuminate some of the art terminology used on their website.  However, it’s also a great resource to use in the classroom too.  If you want students to find a definition for an art movement, medium or technique, this is a good website to direct them to.

Art Rabbit is a platform for international contemporary art exhibitions and events.  What I like about it is how easy it is to search for exhibitions and events anywhere in the world.  You can search by place, date and also if it’s current, closing soon or upcoming.  Fantastic!

Art History Teaching Resources is a peer-populated platform for art history teachers. AHTR is home to a constantly evolving and collectively authored online repository of art history teaching content including, but not limited to, lesson plans, video introductions to museums, book reviews, image clusters, and classroom and museum activities.

300Magazine is an online publication specializing in fine art, antiquities and more. Great if you are an American art teacher looking for inspiration.

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The Arty Teacher

Sarah Crowther is The Arty Teacher. She is a high school art teacher in the North West of England. She strives to share her enthusiasm for art by providing art teachers around the globe with high-quality resources and by sharing her expertise through this blog.

4 responses to “Websites Every Art Teacher Should Know”

Thank you too for this list. I did not know the Tate had art terms too; I’m filling an art vacancy and our current Unit is Form and Space for K-5th.

Best wishes to you, Toni

Hi Toni, Thanks for leaving a message. Yes, Tate terms is good. I also have an art dictionary on my website too. You can see it here: https://theartyteacher.com/art-dictionary/ Good luck in your current vacancy.

Hello There I am the art coordinator in a primary school. I have scoured the internet for fab art websites for home learning with primary children. I absolutely love yours and was wondering if you have any ideas or other websites that would be helpful to parents and teachers for this age group that you might recommend. Thank you so much.

Kind regards Michelle Clarke

My area of expertise is high-school level. However, I am aware of these websites. They are good for teachers, not parents: Doodle Academy https://doodles-academy.org/ Twinkle https://www.twinkl.co.uk/resources/home-key-stage-1-subjects/art-and-design Primary Art Class https://theprimaryartclass.com/

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Homework in the Art Room: Yay or Nay?

Homework. This simple word is embraced by some and loathed by others. Believe it or not, homework has an extensive history . At one point in time, the state of California actually passed a law abolishing homework entirely for K-8th graders. That almost seems unreal in a day and age where students seem like they are constantly taking work home. The great homework debate will probably be around as long as the public school system exists.

This will cause art teachers to make a choice: Should I or shouldn’t I assign homework in my art room?

Why Should You Assign Homework?

1. it increases responsibility and preparation for the real world.

There’s no question that assigning work outside of the classroom requires a student to understand the importance of punctuality and deadlines. These skills go beyond the classroom and continue into adulthood. For example, as adults, we have to pay bills. If we forget to submit a payment there can be serious consequences. The same can be said for our art students. If students want to participate in an upcoming art show or event, homework may be necessary to meet those deadlines.

2. It Extends the Classroom Experience and Promotes Independence

Homework in the art room almost always looks different than in other classes. And it should. In order to create authentic and meaningful experiences, art should be explored independently beyond the art classroom. For many art teachers, this comes in the form of sketchbook homework. This practice allows students to refine skills and rely on their independence to create.

3. It Can Be Hands-On Exploratory Research

I don’t assign homework in my classroom. But, that doesn’t mean the art experience stops as students leave my class. Instead, homework can be approached as research. For example, if students are working on a still-life drawing, assign them to bring in personal objects from home. This way, they’ll actually be interested in the subject they are drawing. You could also assign students to take photos in other settings outside of school. Students welcome the chance to explore, and, in turn, they’ll have their own reference photos to use for a more personal art experience.

Why Shouldn’t You Assign Homework?

1. it emphasizes grades over experience.

When the act of art making becomes a task, the mentality changes. Students are no longer creating because they want to, but they are creating because they have to. Homework becomes a task completed for the grade, not for the art experience.

2. The Quality of Work Decreases

When students aren’t in the regular studio setting they have a tendency to forget and decrease the quality of their work. Homework should be assigned to reinforce a concept that has already been taught. Homework regarding concepts and skills they do not grasp will only result in poor quality of work. In these situations, students need support from the expert in the art room–their teacher.

3. There Isn’t Enough Time

When it comes to education, time is sparse. Students are already spending 8 hours a day in school. Adding hours of homework takes away from the ability for students to become well-rounded citizens. If it isn’t a priority to find time for the work in class, is it really even worth it? Is assigning a worksheet in the art room going to make your students have a more meaningful experience? Probably not. Save your paper and your time by creating invaluable experiences!

4. It Can Put an Extra Burden on Families

One of the major reasons art teachers don’t assign homework is because of the access to materials. At my school, 60% of the student body qualifies for free and reduced lunch. Some of these students don’t even have markers and crayons at home. Why put the burden of completing a task on overextended families when students don’t even have the means to do it?

Whether or not you choose to assign homework in your art room, there are going to be students who want to take their projects outside of class to work. Generally, those students want to make the time to work on their art. They are choosing to invest on their own. But the issue of material access can still be a challenge. If you are going to allow students to take work outside of your art room you will want to put some procedures in place to manage materials.

Here are some suggestions:

• Create a material check out system.
• Tape materials in a plastic bag directly to the back of the project.
• Roll the artwork or place it in a large folder made of construction paper so it doesn’t come back crumpled and destroyed.
• Provide materials, like paint, in food takeout containers.

Wherever you stand on the homework debate consider the effectiveness before assigning work. Always keep in mind, homework in your art room should positively impact student learning.

What do you think, should there be homework in the art room?

Do you assign homework in your art classes?

Magazine articles and podcasts are opinions of professional education contributors and do not necessarily represent the position of the Art of Education University (AOEU) or its academic offerings. Contributors use terms in the way they are most often talked about in the scope of their educational experiences.

Abby Schukei

Abby Schukei, a middle school art educator and AOEU’s Social Media Manager, is a former AOEU Writer. She focuses on creating meaningful experiences for her students through technology integration, innovation, and creativity.

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