What is the Vampire Squid?

The Vampire Squid is a cephalopod that lives in the midnight zone. It can be found as deep as 3,000 feet below the sea. THAT IS DEEP!

This creature resembles both a squid and an octopus, but it is not either one. It has 8 arms with spines on them and two tentacles (which is what it uses to catch it’s prey). It ranges in color from a light reddish pink to a dark brown/black, depending on where it lives. It’s 8 arms are connected with a skin which is what gives the Vampire Squid its cape-like appearance.

The Vampire squid is about 8 inches long- like the size of a football.

It has fins on the top of its body that resemble ears. These are used to propel themselves through the water.

It is believed that the Vampire Squid feeds primarily on prawns, copepods, cnidarians, and other small invertebrates.

The vampire squid’s body is covered by light producing organs called photophores. It uses these lights to attract prey.

When the Vampire squid is threatened it emits a mucus that glows for several minutes. This in turn confuses the predator and the vampire squid is able to escape.

Because this creature lives so deep below the surface, it is difficult for scientists to study their behavior and mating habits. As more research is done, we will continue to learn more about this fascinating creature.

The Ocean is broken up into 5 basic Zones (or Layers):

1. The Sunlight Zone- up to 200 meters below the surfuace and where most life exists in the Ocean.
2. The Twilight Zone- up to 1000 meters below the surface and much colder temperatures.
3. The Midnight Zone- up to 4000 meters below the surface of the ocean.
4. The Abyssal Zone- up to 6000 meters below the surface.
5. The Trenches- the deepest parts of the ocean. Up to 11000 meters below the surface of the ocean. Here the temperatures are near freezing temperatures.

Easy Vampire Squid Craft

Directions for the Vampire Squid Craft:

Materials:

• empty toilet paper rolls
• hole punch
• red or pink paint (I use washable because it gets messy!)
• paint brush
• newspaper (for the mess)
• red, brown, or pink pipe cleaners cut in half (4 per child- when cut in half, you should have 8)
• Cardstock paper
• googly eyes
• glue
• optional: sharpie

Directions for Vampire Squid Craft:

Step 1: Remove all toilet paper from the toilet paper roll.

Step 2: Punch 8 holes along one side of the toilet paper roll and cut 2 small slits on the opposite side for the fins (that look like “ears”)

Step 3: Using the card stock, cut 2 – 1 inch triangles. These will be for the Vampire Squid’s fins.

Step 4: Lay out paper on your table surface, paint the entire toilet paper roll red, pink, brown, or black. Paint the triangle fins as well. Allow time to dry. While you wait, you can read a book about the Midnight Zone such as:

Step 5: When the paint has dried, add 8 pipe cleaners (4 full size, cut in half). Arrange them in a way that helps the vampire squid to prop up on a table.

Step 6: Add googly eyes or draw with a sharpie.

Step 7: Optional- Take a picture of your child with their Vampire Squid and make a page for your book. (See Making books to learn Post here).

60 Pieces Red Pipe Cleaners, Christmas Craft Pipe Cleaners,Pipe Cleaners Chenille Stem,Pipe Cleaners Bulk,Art Pipe Cleaners for Creative Home Decoration Supplies Arts and Crafts Project

Crayola Washable Paint (12ct), Paint Set for Kids, Nontoxic Paint, Kids Craft Supplies, for Classrooms, Assorted Colors, 16 Oz

Single Hole Punch 1/4” Hole Puncher for Crafts, One Hole Paper Punch with Blue Soft Grip Handle, Small Hole Punch for Kids and Adults

Red Cardstock – 8.5 x 11 inch – 65Lb Cover – 50 Sheets – Clear Path Paper

1210pcs Googly Wiggle Eyes Self Adhesive, for Craft Sticker Multi Sizes 4mm to 25mm for DIY by ZZYI

Finished Product- A Cute and Simple Vampire Squid!

Extending the craft (optional)

You can have your child do more research on the vampire squid and have them do a research report (with your help, of course). They can present their information to a small group or the family. See my animal research template below available for purchase in my store.

Fun Facts about the Vampire Squid:

1. The Vampire Squid lives primarily in the Midnight Zone. This is an area that is lower in oxygen levels, so they have a slow metabolism which allows them to survive.

Watch this close encounter with the Vampire Squid on Nautilus Live:

I have created several Deep Sea Creature Printables for the deep sea creature enthusiast: activities available in my TPT store .

What other deep sea creatures do you like? How did your Vampire Squid turn out?

The post Vampire Squid Craft – Midnight Zone Marine Biology appeared first on .

We originally started out with a large timeline on our hallway wall. This worked for a short time, but I found that the wall wasn’t large enough. We have used a variety of other timelines in our years of homeschooling as well: fold up accordion style timelines, and a notebook where we filed work according to chronological order.

We never felt satisfied, however, with any of these ways of recording the historical, scientific, or art history events. That is when I decided to come up with our own timeline book.

“This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase using this link. Please see my disclosure for more details.”

Making a Creative History Timeline Book

Having a timeline of historical events is important for children so that they can visually see how events relate to each other. Not only major historical events, but scientific discoveries, inventions, important people, and art history movements and artists as well.

“Record not only major historical events, but scientific discoveries, inventions, important people, art history movements, artists, and composers as well.”

I wanted this book to be with my children throughout their entire school career. So I decided it would have to be pretty large (over 100 pages) and sturdy! Be prepared if you download this timeline book that it is very long. You may want to print the pages for the history period that you are studying.

Should you use a History Timeline Book in your Homeschool?

We decided to begin making a new timeline in a book this year. I created this timeline book as a resource for my children, but wanted to share it with others so that they could benefit from seeing how history unfolds as well. It follows the order and colors of the History Curriculum: The Story of the World” by Susan Wise Bauer. My kids really like listening to the CDs by Jim Weiss.

I use a variety of living history books alongside the Story of the World. I think that is what clicks for us for now. As my children get older, I may change things a bit.

While we do not exclusively use “The Story of the World” by Susan Wise Bauer, I decided to model the time periods after this curriculum. You will see that there are four main periods and they are organized by the colors from “The Story of the World.” However, these pages will work with any history curriculum that you are using. Also for those who want to save on colored ink, simply choose to print the History Timeline Book in grayscale.

You can find The Story of the World by clicking the links below:

The story of the world: Ancient times, from the earliest Nomads to the last Roman emperor history for the classical child, Vol. 1

The Story of the World: History for the Classical Child, Volume 2 Audiobook: The Middle Ages: From the Fall of Rome to the Rise of the Renaissance, Revised Edition (9 CDs)

The Story of the World, Vol. 3 Audiobook, Revised Edition: History for the Classical Child: Early Modern Times

Story of the World, Vol. 4 Audiobook, Revised Edition: History for the Classical Child: The Modern Age (Story of the World, 8)

MEGATEK Portable CD Player Boombox with FM Radio, Bluetooth, and USB Port | Clear Stereo Sound | CD-R/RW and MP3 CDs Compatible | 3.5mm Aux Input and Headphone Jack | Backlit LCD Display – Black

Here are samples of what the History Timeline Book pages look like below:

Continue to scroll down to download your FREE timeline Book!

Instructions for using this FREE PDF History Timeline Book

To use these for your personal homeschool, simply print out the pages on whichever type of paper you prefer, cardstock or a high quality printing paper. Ensure that you are printing landscape. You can bind the book landscape or purchase a folder to put your pages in. I bought a landscape 3-ring binder on Amazon to put my pages in. See below for a link to the landscape 3 ring binder that we use.

It may be wise to only print up the pages for the time period that you are learning about. There are approximately 130 pages total in this History Timeline book, so it is a lot to print up at one time.

Updated FRONT COVER for History Timeline Book

Supplies you may need/want for your History Timeline Book:

The number one item you may want to purchase is a landscape binder for your timeline pages. I use the one below from Amazon.

I also like to use a high quality paper that is thicker so that markers and pens don’t bleed through.

My children often draw and write down the history event on circle stickers. Having stickers is an easy way to stick in those history events. No glue or glue stick needed.

QuickFit Heavy-Duty Landscape 3-Ring Binder, Round Ring, 8 1/2 Inches by 11 Inches, 1 Inch, White

HP Paper Printer | 8.5 x 11 Paper | Premium 32 lb | 1 Ream – 500 Sheets | 100 Bright | Made in USA – FSC Certified | 113100R

Prismacolor Premier Manga Illustration Markers, Assorted Tips, Black & Sepia, 8 Pack

2 Inch Round Labels – Permanent, White Matte – Candle, Lid, Product, Favor Labels – Pack of 2,000 Circle Stickers, 100 Sheets – Inkjet/Laser Printers – Online Labels

Swingline 3 Hole Punch, Desktop Puncher for Binder, 20 Sheet Punch Capacity, SmartTouch, Black/Silver (74133)

What do I put on my History Timeline Pages?

There are a variety of ways to begin filling in your history timeline pages. As you are learning something that occurred in history, you can have your child draw a picture on a small plain sticker and place that in the book. You can use the lines provided to write in the event with a brief description.

Rainbow Resources sells great history stickers that you can place in your book. See those here.

Here is a great website that I have found helpful as we began filling in our Timeline Book:

Homeschooling 2E has printable timeline figures. We glue many of these pictures in our Timeline Book.

This FREE download contains:

1. 3 versions of A History Timeline front cover
2. Color Coded instructions for the history pages
3. Ancient History pages
4. Medieval History pages
5. Early Modern History pages
6. Modern History pages
7. “The Future” Pages

This History Timeline Book is 140 pages total. Print only the pages for the time period that you are studying to save on paper and ink.

Epson EcoTank ET-2720 Wireless Color All-in-One Supertank Printer with Scanner and Copier – Black

This printer has been one of the best investments I have ever made in regards to homeschooling. Investing in a high quality printer has been wonderful for our family. The Epson Ecotank is wonderful because it prints beautifully, however the ink lasts such a long time. Refill are also very inexpensive.

Printable History Timeline Pages

I begin with 7,000 B.C. and go through A.D. 2034+. AND, just for fun, I added “The Future” into the timeline book. You can use these pages to make educated predictions of discoveries, inventions or events that may occur. The increments for each time period are below.

More tips and tricks for the History Timeline Notebook

Don’t forget to add in important events from your own lives; such as weddings, births, etc. Using actual pictures (small) and gluing them in will help your child visualize the events and people in their history timeline books.

Date increments for History Timeline Notebook pages:

• Ancient History: 7000+ BC – 5000 B.C. — 500 year increments
• Ancient History: 5000- 2400 B.C. — 200 year increments
• Ancient History: 2300 B.C. – 900 B.C. — 100 year increments
• Ancient History: 800 B.C. – 120 B.C. — 20 year increments
• Ancient History: A.D. 100 – 400 – 10 year Increments
• Medieval History: A.D. 400-990 — 10 year increments
• Medieval History: A.D. 1000- 1600 — 5 year increments
• Early Modern History: 1600-1800 –2 year increments
• Early Modern History: AD 1801-1850 — 1 year increments
• Modern History: AD 1850 – AD 2035 — 1 year increments
• The Future: (this is just a fun way to think about what will happen in the future- use if it suits you) 5 year increments

I have added one blank timeline page at the end of each history period. Copy that page as many times as you want and add it in where you feel it may be appropriate for your studies.

SAVE TIME AND MONEY BY DOWNLOADING THIS FREE RESOURCE! History Timeline Printable

Here are your FREE HISTORY TIMELINE PRINTABLES!!! Subscribe Below and you will receive your FREE resource.

If you want the colorful front cover, scroll up to download the cover only. Subscribe to receive the History Timeline Book

Please feel free to share this with others. My goal is to help others where I have had teaching struggles. I hope that this resource is helpful to you!

For more fun homeschooling ideas click the button below.

How do you plan to use the timeline book? Do you have any tips or suggestions that would make this timeline more effective?

I value your feedback- LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW PLEASE

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Here is a fun and engaging art history lesson for kids. They will create a self-portrait that is inspired by the Pointillism artist Georges Seurat. Using dots and contrasting colors, children will paint a portrait of themselves. This is a great art activity to hang on your walls!

This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase using this link. Please see my disclosure for more details.

Who was Georges Seurat?

Georges Seurat was born in 1859 in the Paris, France. His family was wealthy and lived a very comfortable lifestyle. Georges Seurat was an artist early on in his life. He went to art school, but got frustrated with the strict rules that the teachers taught. He dropped out of art school and started to study art on his own. When he saw Monet’s artwork, he was amazed with his use of color, light, and line. He was highly influenced by Monet’s style.

What Art History Movement Was Georges Seurat a Part of?

The Larger movement Georges Seurat was a part of was the Post-Impressionist movement, however more specifically he was the creator of Pointillism. Georges Seurat and Paul Signac are considered the founders of the Pointillism movement.

Artists at the time of Post-Impressionism were looking for new ways to paint “impressions” of what they saw around them. While impressionists were creating art with small brush strokes, Seurat and Signac took that a step further and used dots instead. The other difference was that they did not blend colors on their palettes, rather they placed dots of specific colors next to each other on the canvas and created the illusion of blending to the viewer.

What is the Pointillism Technique?

Pointillism comes from the French word for point or dot. Pointillism is a painting technique where dots of contrasting color are arranged in a way as to appear as a blended color when admiring the work from afar. It is sort of like pixels today. You get the full effect of Pointillism by standing a distance away from the art work.

In reality, the human eye is tricked by the precision of the dots location and by their color selection. Seurat was fascinated by the science of color and he sought to create beautiful artwork based on this science.

He and other Pointillists did not mix the colors on a palette before painting, rather they placed vibrant complementary paints directly on the canvas, side-by-side. The effect was brilliant! The viewers eyes “mixed” the colors when viewing the art from far away. That is one reason why Seurat’s art pieces were so large; over six feet in most cases

Georges Seurat preferred the term “divisionism” for his newly developed style, but it didn’t stick.

Why Did Georges Seurat Use Pointillism?

Georges Seurat wanted to create something new as an artist. He felt that he was being taught art in a way that was rigid and lacked freedom. He desired to create a new style of art after he studied the impressionist painters.

He loved the science behind art and color as well, so he mixed the two. He focused on the power of line and form as well as perception. He brought his love of color theory to the front and center of his art. He spent much of his time studying the science behind it.

While the Impressionists were using complementary colors and mixing them on a palette, Georges Seurat skipped the mixing step and applied color in dots directly on the canvas. He did NOT mix the colors, but rather allowed them to “blend” when we glanced at his art from afar.

What is Color Theory?

Color theory is the study of how colors are mixed and how they are seen with the human eye.

The Scientist Michel Chevreul had devised a theory of color and Georges Seurat was fascinated by that theory. When Chevreul was studying color he saw that when two colors were placed side-by-side and viewed from far away, they appeared to be mixed. Georges Seurat studied this concept and applied it to his art. Rather than mixing colors before applying them to his canvas, Seurat placed colors side-by-side and let the viewers brain mix them for him.

For more information on color theory see Designwizard.com.

What Other Artists Use Pointillism?

Paul Signac was another famous Pointillism artist. He is credited to have created this new style of art with Seurat, however, he is less famous.

Today, many artists are influenced by Pointillism. It can be seen in digital art, embroidery, and tattoos.

See this great article by MyModernMet.com for more information on Pointillism’s influence today.

What Was Going on in History During Georges Seurat’s Life?

The Franco-prussian was was going on during his young life, so his family relocated to Fontainebleau.

Scientific discoveries and artistic innovation occurred during the 19th century. The telephone was invented in 1876, the combustion engine was invented in the 1880s, and so many more technological inventions during the industrial revolution. Artists were constantly trying new techniques as well.

How to Teach About Georges Seurat in Art History for Kids

Start with the bigger picture (no pun intended) when teaching about Georges Seurat. Seurat came into the art world eager to make a big impression and he did just that. At a time when the impressionism style was in the forefront and gaining appreciation Seurat took it a step further with his innovative ideas.

What Are Georges Seurat’s Most Famous Pointillism Art Pieces?

The most famous piece of artwork, in my opinion, is “A Sunday on La Grande Jatte”. I can still remember learning about it in high school (many years ago :-)). It is so massive, it takes up most of the wall in the museum where it is located. “The Eiffel Tower”, “The Bathers at Asnieres”, and “Le Chahut” are other famous pieces by Georges Seurat.

A Timeline Perspective of Art History

It is important to give your children perspective when it comes to art history and history in general. Never teach out of context! Timelines are a great way to show your kids the purpose of what they are learning and the context. What was happening elsewhere around the world? What was going on culturally where the artist was from. Were any wars going on? Strife? Political issues? The art of the time usually represents a much larger cultural and historical picture; make sure to include this when you are teaching.

Try making your own Timeline and adding to it as you learn about different artists. Below is a FREE for subscribers printable timeline book that you can download if you would like.

Check out this ART HISTORY Timeline. It covers every continent in the world and all of history. Bookmark it and use it as a reference when needed.

For more information on the life of Georges Seurat see this great website TheArtStory.org

Georges Seurat Art History For Kids Lesson Plan:

Note: I taught this lesson for a group of 10 mixed aged homeschoolers from pre-k through 8th grade. When doing the lesson, I catered to the higher levels because I believe young children will glean from this type of education.

Grades: Kindergarten through 8th Grade (Modify based on your own children/students)

Learning Objectives/ Big Ideas: The 19th century was a time of great innovation in the arts and the sciences. Pointillism was a part of the post-impressionist movement and was invented by Georges Seurat. Students will apply his technique and become familiar with how to create an art piece using Pointillism.

Vocabulary: art history, pointillism, primary colors, color mixing, Georges Seurat, impressionism, innovation, color theory

About Georges Seurat:

A fun way to remember this artist: “Seurat Dot” (pronounced “SIR-ROT DOT”) while I am pretty sure that this is an incorrect pronunciation- the fact that it rhymes really helps children to remember what Seurat was famous for… DOTS!

Georges Seurat was born in 1859 in Paris France. He was the youngest of 3 children and born into a wealthy home. He lived a comfortable life and was encouraged to study art. He was sent to art school where his formal study began. However, he dropped out due to the strict rules and lack of artistic freedom. Georges Seurat continued to study art on his own. When he found Claude Monet’s Impressionists works, he was in awe. Monet’s use of color and lines inspired Seurat to create his own artistic style, which became known as Pointillism.

“Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.”

— Georges Seurat

---

Materials Needed:

art work prints by Seurat (Check out this website for free public domain art work- The Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Book about Seurat (Optional)

picture of your child/student (5×7 or larger)

white cardstock paper

vellum paper (for tracing)

printer

black sharpie marker

acrylic paints in bright colors (or for younger kids-tempura paints)

Q-tips (lots)

newspaper for messes

paper plates

Map

Timeline

trash can or small brown paper bags

2 pieces of rope or string: one that is 7 feet long and the other 10 feet long- these will be used to demonstrate how large Georges Seurat’s art pieces were.

Optional: magnifying glass

Optional: Hardback blank book to keep your child’s art- if you are making them an Art History Introduction book.

Optional: I like to get into character when I teach. I find that the kids really enjoy it. For Art History I wear a beret and talk in an accent.

Prior to beginning the lesson:

You will need to create outlines of your child/students. This doesn’t take long, just a couple of steps and you can make the outlines for the self-portrait. See this lesson for instructions: Andy Warhol Pop Art Instructions.

I created a self-portrait template of myself so that I could have an example to do with my students. So, you may want to take the time to create a self-portrait of yourself

IF you do not want the Self-portrait portion of the lesson, please use any other picture or this template/coloring page of “A Sunday Afternoon on La Grande Jatte”.

Another great website with lots of famous art coloring pages is Supercoloring.com.

You can also give freedom to your students to sketch out whatever they would like and then paint using the pointillism technique.

The Lesson

Hook/Interest Grabber

1. Dress up and put on your Beret! Grab that accent and introduce yourself as the Artist/Instructor get into character and have fun!
2. Display a piece of Seurat’s artwork. You can locate free art on the website Metropolitan Museum of Art and print it up. Tell your students that they are going to be inspecting some famous art pieces and you need their expert input. I like to pass around a variety of art pieces and allow the children to really inspect it, they can use magnifying glasses as well. This is a great activity to get your children interested in the lesson.
3. Spend a couple of minutes allowing the children to describe what they see. Write notes on the board or on a piece of paper. Encourage discussion about colors used, perspective, and where else you may find this type of art (think of pixels on a TV or digital art).
4. Bring out your map and your art history timeline and show student that today’s artist is from Paris, France and lived during the 19th century. His name is Georges Seurat!

Lesson:

1. If you purchased the book “Joining the Dots: The Art Of Seurat” By In-Sook Kim, then read that book and discuss who Seurat was and his style of art. Pay attention to how Seurat uses the science of color to create illusions of color mixing in his famous art works. This book does a good job of showing that.
2. Discuss who Georges Seurat was and how he developed the Pointillism method which is a part of the larger impressionist movement.

Activity:

Children will create a self-portrait using the Pointillism method:

Step 1. Line the table with a protective covering such as newspaper.

Step 2. Pass out the supplies: Paper plate with which ever paint colors you are using, Q-tips (lots), trash can nearby, self-portrait template. (see Andy Warhol lesson for directions in how to create the self-portrait template)

Step 3. Using a blank sheet of paper, first demonstrate how when complementary colors are used next to each other in dots, when you stand back, the color appears to blend a bit.

Step 4. Model how to paint your own self-portrait using Q-tips and complementary colors.

Optional Activities:

1. Create your own art piece using pointillism. Sketch the ouline on a piece of white construction paper and paint it using dots of complementary color. Try not to leave any white left on the page.
2. Use Coloring page as a base for your art. Use Q-tips and paint to add the dots of color.

Closure

Many of the children will take quite a long time to finish with their art. This is great because it really shows how long pointillism took.

Georges Seurat was only able to complete seven large paintings in his lifetime because his style, pointillism, required such an intense amount of work and time.

Students can share their artwork with the class or put their art into their own art book. See how to make books for learning here.

Applying What We Learn: Ways to extend Art History Learning

Play a game (Go Fish Impressionists is a great game *NOTE: 2 cards have nudes, I removed them)

Make your own board game or card game.

Visit a Museum (virtual or in person)

Hold an Art Exposition and invite friends after you complete your art

Make food from the time period and host a luncheon- discuss art

Recreate famous pieces of art from the time period you are studying and take pictures

Dress up in attire from the time period you are studying

Complete the worksheet about art history.

Add Artists to a History Timeline Book

End Note: This Lesson was completed in one day over about 2 hours. It is a part of a 12 week mini-course titled “Art History for Kids”. All lesson activities are placed into the child’s own Art History Introduction book. I have made all of the information pages for each of the artists. These are available for purchase as are the other lessons (coming soon).

Best Books to Teach Art History to Children

One More Art History Tip for Teachers/Parents

Sometimes art prints can be expensive… However, I have been able to find lots of old art books at yard sales, thrift stores, and library sales. I often cut out pictures for the artists that I want to teach about to my kiddos.

Because the quality of the art is amazing when it is from a book (a bit better than when I print in myself), I often display the art around my house and do Charlotte Mason style “Art Picture Studies” with them.

SO… Always be on the lookout for those 50 cent old art books that you can cut up and use for art prints!!!

Which Artist Comes Next in Art History?

Vincent Van Gogh! He was another Post-Impressionist, and quite unpopular in his time. He shows us how the use of color and brush stroke can convey emotion and feeling. Come explore this innovative artist in the next lesson where we recreate, step-by-step, Starry Night (coming soon).

Make your own Art History display board.

Prior to each class, I would arrange my art history board with various art pieces as well as the artists self-portrait. I would include art from other artists of that time period so the children could see the similarities and differences.

How Did Your Georges Seurat Inspired Self-Portrait Turn Out?

Let me know in the comments below.

Sharing is caring! Be sure to share this Pointillism lesson with others that you know

The post Pointillism for Kids- A Georges Seurat Art History Lesson appeared first on .

Recently, I had a friend ask me about my daughter’s card making “business”. My daughter is 8 and she has become known as a pretty good greeting card maker. She is artistic, so when the opportunity for an entrepreneur fair came up, we signed her up. “Cutesy Cards” is her business name (she came up with that one on her own :-)). This got me thinking that I could integrate writing instruction into greeting cards.

Writing hasn’t always been the easiest subject for me to teach. The use of workbooks and writing lessons that were out of context has often made writing my daughter’s least favorite subject in school. I knew I had to approach writing in a more creative way if I was going to get my younger children to enjoy learning how to write. That is why we started to incorporate writing with a purpose. I take age appropriate writing standards and integrate them into simple writing lessons. Making greeting cards is one of the creative ways that I teach writing.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase using this link. Please see my disclosure for more details.

Making greeting cards is a great way for your child to learn creatively and maybe even make some money.

Most recently my daughter made a “Lord of the Rings” inspired birthday card. It featured the beloved Gollum holding his ring saying: “My Precious wishes you a happy birthday.” My friend commented that the card was her favorite part of the gift.

Making greeting cards not only teaches my daughter about being an entrepreneur, it allows her to write with purpose. It also teaches her that it is important to bless and encourage others using our talents and gifts.

Why Should Your Children Make Their Own Greeting Cards?

Making greeting cards with a purpose allows you to hit certain teaching standards in a way that is authentic and organic. Your children are learning with out using a “curriculum”. Standards such as penmanship, brainstorming, writing a draft, captitalization, spelling, creating greetings, doing research, etc. are covered using this technique. You can even focus on a read aloud that you are going through. My children had been listening to “The Lord of the Rings” by J.R.R. Tolkien on CD. That is what inspired many of my daughter’s cards at first.

More inspiration:

For her good friends birthday she decided to go with a rabbit theme. In this “writing with a purpose lesson” we covered the difference between hopping and hoping, adding ‘ing, spacing, writing a greeting, and penmanship. The greatest part was that my daughter had so much fun and was filled with joy at her final product.

You can even make funny greeting cards using science or history concepts. For example, if you are learning about the cell in anatomy, you can draw a picture of different cells found in your body and then write: “Have fun CELL-abrating your birthday!” This is a fun way to encourage your kids to think out of the box, come up with ways to use concepts they are learning to make a greeting card or birthday card. You can always search for inspiration online as well.

What if my child is not that great at art?

Online drawing tutorials are another option if your child’s strength is not art. We love Art Hub for Kids and Draw so Cute for inspiration or drawing lessons in general! You can use these websites for guidance with fun art ideas!

What to do With Your Child’s Greeting Cards?

I now shop at my daughter’s card shop whenever I need a birthday card or greeting card and she gives me a pretty good deal. I can’t beat $1.00 a card (that is mom’s special price); and the reactions I get from our friends and family are priceless.

You can also encourage your child to sell their cards at fairs or online. There are so many platforms where your child can try to sell what they make. It is so rewarding when your child sees a true purpose for their work. And what a great way to start teaching about financial principals in business. See my daughter’s greeting cards in my Etsy store here (coming soon). You can purchase one, or just look for fun ideas.

SO, what do you need to create your own greeting cards? Here is my essential list of items that your child needs:

1. Blank greeting cards. We like the ones below because they are thick enough to use markers and you can also throw them into your printer to copy onto them. They are also the best priced per card that we have found.
2. Markers to illustrate. My daughter likes having the option of fine tip for precise coloring and a broader tip for filling in larger areas.
3. Nice black marker to trace and write with. We use Prismacolor pens, they are amazing!
4. Creative slogans. I like to search whatever topic that I am using for creative slogans. The sillier, the better.

This is a Great Time to Send Some Encouragement

Even though things are getting a bit more normal due to Covid restrictions being let up, there are still many people who are stuck in their homes or in hospitals. You can create cards to encourage some of the people that you know who are lonely. What a great idea and purpose to make our writing about something that matters.

Steps to Follow When Making Cards

Following these simple steps will ensure a positive card making experience.

First, brainstorm the type of card you want to make.

Second, write a draft on a separate sheet of paper of what your child wants to write on their card.

Third, always start with a pencil tracing of your idea on your card. Encourage your child to draw and write lightly that way you can erase and mistakes on your final product.

Finally, trace your work with a black pen. If you want to make multiple copies of your cards, don’t color it quite yet. Make sure you photocopy your card design onto multiple cards, then color them after using your good quality markers or colored pencils.

Pass out or mail your cards to friends and family. If your child wants to sell them, look for free entrepeneur events or create one yourself and invite friends and family. Also, look at different online platforms such as Ebay.com and Etsy.com to help your child sell their creations.

Let me know how your child’s cards turned out. Did your child enjoy creating their cards? Did they pass some out, did they sell them? I am so excited to hear about your Creative Learner!

Check out theses other creative Homeschooling ideas!

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What kid (or adult) doesn’t like dinosaurs?

My daughter, who is 8, has been on a continuous dinosaur obsession. She pretends to find fossils, reads any books that she can about dinosaurs, draws them, etc. She asked if we could use one of our dinosaur toys and spray paint it gold and make her an award for being the best dinosaur hunter. We did that (See link), which led us to creating this fun project together. My daughter is a constant source of inspiration for fun and creativity. Here is our super cute dinosaur planter. (And don’t forget to make the trophy later).

Materials:

• Plastic dinosaur toys (From Dollar Tree)
• heavy duty scissors
• cardboard
• Rust-oleum paint in a fun and bright color (from Home Depot) or you can use a paintbrush and acryllic paint
• A well ventilated space
• your favorite small succulent plant (I used clippings from plants in my backyard)
• soil

Step 1. Cut out a small square from the back of your dinosaur.

Step 2. Place the dinosaur on a piece of cardboard in a well ventilated area.

We were on the grass outside. Wait 24 hours to dry. Some parts of our dinosaurs weren’t drying. We realized it was because we used too much paint and it was over 95 degrees outside, I think because it was glossy paint, the heat may have been “melting it”. So we used a paper towel to dab the excess paint off.

Step 3. After your dinosaur is painted and fully dry, add soil to it.

Make sure that you fill it up as much as you can.

Step 4. Add your small clippings of succulents to your dinosaur.

Voila! You are finished!

You can reuse the cardboard to paint a bunch of other plastic dinosaurs and animals, or you can throw the cardboard away.

In the end, this is a fun way to add creativity to your homeschooling day. Let me know how your Dinosaur Planter turned out in the comments below.

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“This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase using this link. Please see my disclosure for more details.”

Which Subject Are You Working On?

Each child made their own book when we were learning about art history. The book took the whole semester to complete, but we slowly added pages to it and at the end we had a beautifully illustrated art history book that the children could reference back to. It is also such an amazing keepsake. Rather than a bunch of art projects strewn about the house, keeping them organized in this book project is quite nice.

“A child needs to feel ownership of their learning. By creating something special, such as a book, a child can truly own and love what they have learned.”

Make your Child the Star of their Own Learning Book

Children love it when their pictures are featured in their books too. Adding in a funny picture of your child to a informational books about sharks creates a humorous learning connection. This is such a fun keepsake as well. Your child will continue to refer back to their homemade books and have fond memories of their learning time.

Creating Books is Creative!

When you are teaching your child, it is important that you encourage creativity in your child. Creating is so essential to learning. Check out my article on simple ways to encourage creativity in your child. While sometimes we feel overwhelmed with what our homeschooling plans are, making time for creativity needs to be a priority.

Some Book Making Tips

1. Keep your phone handy for quick pictures.
2. DON’T be a perfectionist, let your child do the drawings, come up with picture ideas, write the words, etc. I can remember my daughter having some of the best ideas and being so thrilled with her finished product. (If there is a lot of writing, you can help your child out by completing parts of the writing so they don’t feel overwhelmed, depending on your child’s age).
3. Look for learning opportunities as you go. If your child is learning their letters, insert some lined writing paper and let them write all the “Ff’s”. If your child is working on Idioms, make your book about idioms, if your child is working on punctuation, choose a book that is filled with Punctuation
4. Buy an economical printer and have cheap photo paper available. I use the Epson ET-2720 Ecotank printer. I can print hundreds, maybe even thousands of high quality pictures on a single ink bottle. It’s a total money saver!!
5. Use other books that your kids enjoy as an example of how to create one. We used, “No David” by David Shannon to learn to read and write some basic sight words and punctuation. My kids had a blast reenacting the pictures of David from the book
6. Other book recommendations: “This is how we do it” by Matt Lamothe

What book do you plan to make with your child? How will you integrate what they are learning?

Share your ideas, can’t wait to hear them!!!

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I began this website as a tool for those of you who have creative children

My daughter, from the moment she was able, has been a creator. Homeschooling her has been an amazing journey because I have seen the amazing talent she has been born with. If she has a free moment, she will choose something artistic or creative. Whether she is sketching a peregrine falcon or a sperm whale, or trying to invent a robot with a cardboard box, creating is essential to who she is. I wanted to make sure that I encouraged those important imaginative and creative skills while homeschooling her. Hence, A Creative Learner was born.

My son, although not as naturally artistic as my daughter, benefits as I seek to encourage his creative skills as well. Every child needs the opportunity to be creative. Our world is an ever changing place and in order to succeed, our children have to be creative in their problem solving skills.

My Homeschooling Philosophy Inspiration

I knew that education my children as I had when I was a classroom teacher, just wouldn’t work! I had to start thinking out of the box. I could not rely on worksheets, direct instruction, and other teacher-led instruction that I had been so accustomed too in my 8 years in the public school classroom. I began researching and reading everything I could get my hands-on about how to teach my children at home. I asked questions (lots and lots of questions), I listened to criticism, and I started to be willing to change my mind about what education meant for my family. This website is the formation of that change.

Homeschooling Your Children is a Precious Gift

I hope that as you are reading this, that you know how important you are and that the steps you have taken to homeschool your precious children will be the most amazing gift to you and your family. Homeschooling your children is a huge responsibility, but know that you are capable and equipped to do this special task. And remember you have an entire community of people that are willing to help and encourage you through the process.

Lessons, Tips, and Tricks for the Homeschool Mom

Let me share with you the lessons and ideas that have helped me to teach my children passionately and creatively. If you are like me, then you chose to homeschool because you knew that it was the route that would allow you to do what you believed was best for your children. With each passing year, I realize more and more how thankful I am to have the privilege to meet my children where they are at academically and prepare them for a bright and successful future. Each year I also continue to grow as an educator and refine my teaching skills. I am always learning with my children.

Lessons, Tips, and Tricks for the Educator Who Wants to be More Creative

While my primary focus is teaching my children through homeschooling, I continue to educate other children through enrichment classes and co-ops. I design these classes in the same way I have been homeschooling. I want to cultivate a creative way of teaching and allow my students to learn in a fun and engaging way. While my site is still new, I plan to integrate lesson plans and strategies for the educator and parent who teaches classes or co-ops, so stay tuned!

Grab a cup of coffee and come Along for this exciting journey!!

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