Hands-on Fine Arts Activities

Fine arts which is "creative art, whose products are appreciated primarily for their imaginative, aesthetic, or intellectual content," also known as visual art, music, performing art, and poetry, seems to be an after thought for many homeschoolers because they are not considered core subjects.

I know I'm guilty of it.

But really, the fine arts are actually important to a child's education. It increases a child's creativity as well as their confidence.

You can read more about the benefits of Fine Art Education Here.

Or continue on for lots of Fine Arts Activities!

Process Based Art Activities

Painting Activities

There is really no limit to the way you paint or what you paint with!

You can use different painting techniques like Water Balloon Painting, Splatter Painting, or Pour Painting.

Or use unique paints like Scratch and Sniff Jello Paint, Shaving Cream Paint, or Paint Dough.

You could also try edible Spice Paint or Condensed Milk Paint for the littler crowd.

Grab unusual things to paint with like Painting with Ice or Painting with Cars or take a walk and find more fun things for a Texture Walk Painting.

Use watercolors and other ingredients for fun effects like a Watercolor Constellation Hunt, Magic Glowing Pictures, or just combine Watercolors and Salt.

Dig in your kitchen for other supplies for even more painting fun like Fizzy Painting.

Stamping and Print Making

Fun stamping methods include Apple Stamping, DIY Paint and Pattern Roller.

Prints can also be made in a variety of ways including Pounded Flower Prints, Sun Print Painting, and

Sensory Print Making.

Crayons and Pastels

Melted crayon has a fun effect on Canvas or Pumpkins. They also make great Glittery Melted Crayon Fish and Melted Crayon Apples and Leaves.

Combine Baby Oil and Oil Pastels for a unique blending effect.

Use chalk pastel to create your own Meteor Shower.

Art Using Unusual Supplies

As we know, there is really no limit to the supplies you can use to create art.

Some of the projects we have made with more common items are a Tissue Paper Stained Glass Window, Tissue Paper Lanterns, and Sand Art Pictures.

But we have also used a variety of odd supplies. We have combined Eggshell and Air Dry Clay as well as Adding Straws to Play Dough for fun textured sculptures.

We also re-use a lot of materials to make Recycled Art. Some of this recycled art is our Plastic Bottle Glass Art. Cardboard tubes and egg cartons are popular here too, so much in fact they are scattered through the other categories!

Nature Arts and Crafts

Animal Crafts

Animals are always fun to make!

We have made Egg Carton Ladybugs and Fireflies and Coffee Filter Jellyfish.

Birds are a favorite too. From Baby Birds to Coffee Filter Peacocks to Egg Carton Owls.

And who can resist horse themed art like these Stained Glass Horse Pictures.

Flower Crafts

Of course flowers are a popular theme for arts and crafts as well. And they can be made from many materials like these Egg Carton Flowers or these Pipe Cleaner Flower Rings.

Or even natural materials like these Hedge Apple Flowers.

These Fingerprint Flower Magnets are a cute keepsake too!

Crafts using Natural Supplies

You can also use things in nature to make art like these Milkweed Babies, Hedge Apple Flowers, or Sandy Plaster Hand Prints.

Or brighten up nature by Painting Trees.

Hand Print, Footprint, and Other Keepsake Arts and Crafts

Hang on to those little hands and feet with these crafts.

Hands make cute Hand Print Ducklings and Hand Print Pigeons.

Sandy Plaster Hand Prints are a fun souvenir from the beach.

Fingerprints are fun for art too. Try these Fingerprint Flower Magnets or a Fingerprint Noah's Ark.

Little feet can be remembered with these Footprint Turkeys or a Heart Footprint Canvas.

Seasonal Arts and Crafts

Learn all the seasons with Season Snow Globes .

Winter

Our favorite theme for winter crafts is snowmen! Like these Paper Towel Roll Snowmen.

Snowmen not your thing? How about Pine Cone Winter Fairies.

Or make a mixed media Frozen Foil Forest.

Borax Snowflakes and a Cardboard Roll Light Up Village can give your home a wintery feel.

After snow and ice, make some Dangling Beaded Hearts for Valentine's!

Spring

We love spring; especially butterflies. Brighten things up with these Springtime Paper Towel Butterflies or a Butterfly Spring Wreath.

Summer

Summer brings hot weather and fireworks around here.

Take advantage the sun to head to the beach and make these Sandy Plaster Hand Prints or explore Sun Print Painting.

Fall

The leaves come down and inspire art like these Melted Crayon Apples and Leaves.

Or make some spooky Egg Carton Owls; well they are pretty cute really.

And pumpkins in all sizes! Decorate them with Melted Crayon, Glitter, or Pour Paint.

Thanksgiving means turkeys like these Spice Turkeys or little Footprint Turkeys.

Puppets and Other Toy Crafts

Kids love putting on shows, and puppets are a great medium for it.

Use recyclable items to create a Pegasus Marionette, an Egg Carton Dragon Puppet, or Toilet Paper Roll Puppets.

Simple sacks can become Little Red Hen Sack Puppets; while stickers makeSuper Simple Stick Puppets.

Clothespin Animals, DIY Donuts from Socks, and Fire Breathing Dragons

are fun for pretend play too.

Pop Bottle Fairy Houses and a DIY Foam Aircraft Carrier make for some fun small world play.

While Pipe Cleaner Bubble Wands are just plain fun!

Usable Arts and Crafts

Pom Pom Hair Clips, and Reindeer Hair Clips are all wearable art.

Kids can enjoy writing thank you notes on Stamped Lego Cards.

Remember what is planted where with these simple, kid-made Garden Markers.