Find more articles on homeschooling and resources for teaching as part of my Homeschool 101 series.

One of my favorite areas to explore and teach to my girls is art!  Here are some of my favorite resources for teaching about art to children.

Favorite Books for Teaching About Famous Artists and Art Appreciation for Kids

1) Anholt’s Artists Series

Hands down, this is my absolute favorite series of books on artists for children.  These are not packed full of information about the artists.  Instead, a story from the artist’s life is shared in these beautifully illustrated books.  I believe these books engage the children and make them want to learn more about these artists.  The titles include:

• The Magical Garden of Claude Monet
• Van Gogh and the Sunflowers
• Matisse the King of Color
• Picasso and the Girl with a Ponytail
• Leonardo and the Flying Boy
• Degas and the Little Dancer
• Cezanne and the Apple Boy

2)  Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Artists Series

This series offers a more in-depth look at the artists.  You will find the facts and history of the artists in these titles.  Some of the available books include:

• Jackson Pollock
• Salvador Dali
• Diego Rivera
• Franciso Goya
• René Magritte
• Grandma Moses
• Botticelli
• and tons more!

3)  Usborne Art Books

Several years ago, I signed up as an Usborne Consultant (mainly because I wanted to get a discount on the books !) and filled my library with tons of beautiful art books from Usborne.  From very basic books on drawing to extensive photo collections of art, Usborne has some of the highest quality books on art I’ve seen.  A few of my favorites include:

• The Art Treasury
• The Usborne Children’s Book of Art
• The Usborne First Book of Art
• Art Sticker Book
• I Can Draw Animals
• Big Book of Drawing, Doodling, and Coloring

Please be advised there may be some art pieces in the books containing nudity.  If you are uncomfortable with that, I would suggest checking out the books to screen them through your library before adding them to your home collection!

 

4)  Come Look With Me Series

These books are especially nice for preschool and early elementary ages.  They simply show a piece of art and ask questions —  excellent for teaching a child how to evaluate and explore the meaning in art.

 

Favorite Books to Find Art Activities for Kids

5)  ANY Book by MaryAnn F. Kohl

You just can’t go wrong with any art book by this author.  I own several of them and hope to eventually get them all!

• Discovering Great Artists: Hands-On Art for Children in the Styles of the Great Masters
• Preschool Art: It’s the Process, Not the Product
• Science Arts: Discovering Science Through Art Experiences 
• Great American Artists for Kids: Hands-On Art Experiences in the Styles of Great American Masters 
• Storybook Art: Hands-On Art for Children in the Styles of 100 Great Picture Book Illustrators 
• Mudworks: Creative Clay, Dough, and Modeling Experiences
• The Big Messy Art Book

6)  How to Teach Art to Children (Grades 1-6)

I used this book when I was teaching, and we’ll go through it this year to learn the basic elements of art (Part 1).  Part 2 of the book includes art projects in the style of various famous artists.

7)  Masterpiece Monday

Although I haven’t posted one in a long time, you can check out some of our previous Masterpiece Monday projects.  These are age-appropriate art activities for preschool and elementary.

The concept is simple:  I choose one artist per month to study.  We look at paintings or artwork from the artist, read stories about his or her life, and attempt to make our own art in a similar style!

What are your favorite art books for kids?