When I was seven, the very thought of reading gave me severe anxiety. 

This would probably shock anyone who knows me today because,  as an adult, I’m a total bibliophile. I have way too many books and am reading anytime I get a chance. I even have a (somewhat impractical) MA in English.  As much as reading was once a source of dread for me, it is now one of the things I enjoy most.

 The love of reading has shaped so many other things about my life, too. It’s helped me understand different kinds of people and different ways of thinking, and it’s given me a love for learning that I can’t envision possessing, had my childhood self not changed her ways. 

So what caused the big change? What turned me into a reader? 

It all started with my parents’ decision to homeschool me. 

My mom knew that I loved being read to, so she believed that I could become someone who loved to read for myself. She also saw how my struggle with ADD impacted my learning style. Taking these things into account, her efforts to help me engage in reading through homeschooling were totally successful. This, in turn, has made all the difference in my life. 

Today, as a new homeschooling parent,  I hope to be as successful in teaching my daughter as my mom was with me. However, the task feels intimidating. I imagine that it is even more overwhelming to those who are totally new to the world of homeschooling. 

Interestingly, the reason that homeschooling can be so overwhelming is the same reason it is so appealing in the first place. There is such an incredible amount of freedom and flexibility in this form of education. It’s wonderful to have so many choices and be able to personalize learning for your child. However, for many, it’s hard to know how to start homeschooling because there seems to be no set way to do it.

There can be a constant internal stream of blaring questions and insecurities, like: 

• Am I going to mess my child up by this decision? 

• What will my family and friends think? 

• Is this really going to help him/her learn more effectively? 

• Is my child going to be miserable?

• Am I going to be miserable? 

• I’m not qualified to teach.

• I don’t know where to begin.

If you are a new homeschooling parent and have these doubts running through your brain, you’re in the right place.  In this article, I’m not going to tell you how to homeschool, or even whether you should homeschool (because no one knows your life and your family better than you do). Instead, I want to share with you 5 essential tips that will help you get you started on your own, personal homeschooling journey. 

1. Understand Your “Why.”

“Finding your why,” is a hot topic of discussion today, whether you are starting a new business, pursuing a change of career, or making any kind of life-changing decision.

Your “why” is more than just a goal or even a set of goals. It’s the reason that directs your path, as well as the force that keeps you powering onward.

Choosing to homeschool is a major life decision that affects both homeschooling parents as well as our children.  It definitely comes with its own challenges: from the personal (will you and your children clash in an educational setting?) to financial (often, the choice to homeschool affects at least one parent’s career). It’s therefore absolutely critical to map out your “why” as you get ready to start homeschooling.

The Foundation

Despite the many different ways to homeschool successfully, I think that most homeschooling parents start out with a similar mindset.

1. The basic belief: we, as parents, know our children better than anyone and are also more committed than anyone to give them the best educational experience to meet their needs.
2. The basic goal: to engage our children in learning in a way that fosters their academic and personal growth to the greatest extent possible.

I think this is really at the heart of every homeschooling parent’s reason for choosing this lifestyle.

But is it a “why?”

Well…not quite. However, it can be an important starting place for discovering your why.

Four Elements of Your “Why”

This article in Forbes discusses the importance of figuring out your “why”  in the realm of business, highlighting four questions that you can ask yourself to discover it. These four questions relate to the following:

• Passions
• Skills and Expertise 
• Values 
• Talents

As a new homeschooling parent,  you can also look at your approach to homeschooling in light of these four areas.  Grab a notebook and write down your goals for homeschooling in light of each topic. How do you plan to consider your/ and your child’s: passions, skills, values, and talents in your homeschool journey? Brainstorming about this will help you define your specific why and begin to set practical goals.

I would also look at this list in consideration of the child (or children) being homeschooled:

•  Strengths (and weaknesses to be overcome)
• Talents or interests
• Social Needs 
• What values does the child already have?
• What values would you, as a parent, like to instill?

2. Apply Your “Why.”

Considering all of these factors will help you understand your why and how it may be applied in a homeschool setting. Once you’ve evaluated your passions, strengths, and potential challenges in homeschooling, you should be able to define your why in a more practical way and think about how you will meet your goals.

From looking back on my personal experience as a homeschooler, I am able to clearly see my mom’s why: to foster a love of reading in me. This would, in turn, support me as a student in every subject.  As a creative person, she used her skillset to engage me in books through using art projects and crafts that related to the stories we were reading. She also brought my interests into the equation by selecting novels that she knew I would like.

You see how it all begins to connect?

Each homeschool family’s “why” is going to look different, but once you’ve figured yours out, it should give you some clear priorities in your homeschooling journey, and some ideas about how you will invest in those priorities.

Especially if you write everything down, this can be a great first step in mapping out your homeschool journey.

Two Examples of “Whys” and Practical Applications

A very organized homeschooling parent has a child with an interest in social activities, space, and science.

• That homeschool parent’s “why” might be to invest in their child’s love of science and give them opportunities they might not have in public school, while also meeting that child’s social needs.
• A practical application for that parent might be to foster their child’s love of science through organizing a homeschool science club that gets to do things like go on weekly field trips or take a road trip to one of the nation’s space centers.

A homeschooling parent is skilled in the kitchen and values creativity.  That parent has a child who is a talented artist but struggles in math.

•  The “why” in this situation might be the homeschool parent’s desire to cultivate a creative learning environment that engages the student in math and allows him/her more time and opportunities to pursue an interest in art.
• A practical application would be to use a creative means, like baking or cooking, to engage the student in math. Additionally, the parent could make the child’s interest and skills in art a priority by investing in private art classes and/or professional online courses such as those that are offered by Sparketh.

3. Find Your Tribe.

So now you hopefully better understand the driving “why” behind your decision to homeschool and have some ideas about how you will keep your “why” central in your homeschooling journey.  You may feel excited to get started, but there’s a chance you may also feel a little bit afraid.

The potential time commitment involved may be scary for one thing, especially if you work in addition to homeschooling.  Likewise, the financial investment may seem frightening if you’ve given up a job to commit to homeschooling.  Another looming factor is the dreaded “mom guilt:” the prominent cultural phenomenon of feeling like you are constantly letting your kids down in some critical way, no matter how hard you try.  Unfortunately, the duel responsibility of parenting + schooling can mean that this “parental guilt” can be doubly strong in homeschooling moms (and homeschooling dads, too!)

However, one really important thing for homeschool parents to keep in mind when facing inevitable moments of guilt and uncertainty is this: you are not alone.

A well-known African proverb states that: “It takes a village to raise a child.” Many people think that this concept favors a public school education. In reality, every successful homeschooling family has its own village, made up of members who have been intentionally and thoughtfully chosen for their ability to support, mentor and educate.

There are several different places you can look at when finding the tribe (or village) that will help you and your family succeed in your homeschool journey. Here are just a few of them!

Family

Your own family can be a built-in network of support as you get started with homeschooling.  Consider calling upon family members to share their knowledge of special topics,  come along on field trips or road trips, or provide childcare if you need some extra time to lesson-plan.

Online Communities

Online communities can also be a valuable resource for parents who are just getting started.  There are a lot of homeschool parent groups on Website forums and on social media platforms like Facebook. These can be a great source of emotional and practical support. There are also many communities online for homeschool students!  When searching for a supportive online community, try looking for groups that share your (or your children’s) values and interests.

Online Learning

Another concern when homeschooling is, of course, what to do if you feel incapable of teaching your child in a particular subject?  Online learning and online teachers can be one valuable resource in this situation.

Online courses can be great for laying down the groundwork of an academic subject that homeschool parents may struggle with.  Parents are then free to add to learning via engaging supplement activities! Plus, a lot of online learning resources come with built-in communities for students and parents!  This article gives some great tips about how to utilize online learning effectively. 

You can find more than basic academic instruction online, too. For example, Sparketh offers unlimited access to high-quality, online art classes via video-instruction by real artists.  All of these art courses could be available to your homeschooled student. As someone who lives in a rural area, this is definitely the kind of resource that I value!

Extracurricular Activities

When I was a homeschooler, I took ballet classes most nights of the week. I even taught some morning classes to the youngest dancers to help pay for my own classes. In addition to helping me pursue one of my passions, this also taught me responsibility. One of the best things about a homeschool lifestyle is that it allows students to more fully explore their passions and interests and get a lot of real life experiences, too!

Extracurricular activities also allow homeschooling parents and homeschooling students to connect with others who share some of the same interests and values. Try to get to know people you meet through extracurricular involvement such as sports, the arts, or church. These people can be awesome friends and mentors that add enrichment to your family’s homeschool experience and to your life, as well.

Homeschool Co-ops

Co-ops allow you to connect with other homeschooling families in your area! These groups can be a great way to help share the load of teaching (many co-ops offer classes taught by homeschool parents who are strong in a particular academic area) and also for you, the homeschooling parent, to find a network (tribe) who gets your “why.”  This is also a great option for giving your homeschooled child (or children) an additional social outlet.  If you are new to homeschooling, you may be surprised to find that there is a homeschool co-op in your area that you were never aware of before!

4. Plan your Homeschool Lifestyle

If you’re reading this, then you’ve already begun this step! Research is key when starting any new and unfamiliar endeavor, and transitioning to the homeschool life is no different. It’s important for you to enter the situation with a clear idea of how you envision your homeschool lifestyle.  (If you go into homeschooling without this idea in place, the kids are going to run the school). Here are some topics you might want to consider.

• Different Homeschooling Methods: while there are many different ways to homeschool successfully, these 10 methods are some of the most common. Read them and think about which one seems like the best fit for you and your child/children.
• Daily Schedule: Are you a night person or morning person? How about your child/children? Since you don’t have to be anywhere at 8 a.m. you get to make up the rules. Many homeschool families do chores, errands, and extracurriculars in the morning, starting school after lunch. Some let their children sleep until they naturally wake up, then get started on school. Others follow a more traditional schedule. Whatever your method, you may want to assert it from the beginning.
•  Role Models:  Connect with homeschool parents who demonstrate the kind of instruction style/lifestyle that you’d like to have.  You will likely meet these people at co-ops or even in your homeschool online communities.  Don’t be scared to reach out to some of the homeschool parents you admire. You may be surprised how often they are happy to help or offer tips.
• Learn about Some Amazing Homeschoolers: From science prodigies to famous athletes, there are some truly amazing individuals who credit homeschooling with at least part of their success. Learning about some of these amazing homeschoolers will encourage you and help inspire your child/children (Here are a few to get you started).

5. Trust Yourself.

In planning your transition to homeschooling, it’s crucial that you trust yourself. You’ve made the decision to homeschool, at least in part, with the belief that you know your child/children and what they need better than anyone else. While it can be tempting to let the doubt creep in, remind yourself of the reasons you chose this path to begin with.

If you find that your confidence levels are still a little low, it might help you to read some of these research facts about homeschoolers and homeschool learning outcomes.

 Highlights from the Above Resource:

• Homeschool students consistently score higher than public school students on standardized tests.
• On average, homeschoolers also score higher on the SAT and ACT.
• Homeschoolers typically ranked above average on measures of social, emotional, and psychological development.
• Research indicates that girls who are homeschooled demonstrate a greater sense of self in their teen years.
• Homeschooled students attend and complete college at an equal or higher rate than the general population.
• As adults, homeschooled individuals are more likely to serve their community than their non-homeschooled peers.

And finally…

• All of this has nothing to do with whether or not the homeschool parents were ever certified teachers, with either parent’s level of education, or with the family’s income.

Even if you question your own background and abilities, it doesn’t mean that you won’t be successful. If you believe that homeschooling is the right choice for you and your child… trust yourself!

As you start your homeschool journey, remember to define and apply your “why,” to find a tribe that will support you, to plan your homeschool lifestyle and to trust yourself and your unique homeschool journey.  Best wishes, new homeschooling parents!  

Do you have additional tips for new homeschooling parents? Feel free to leave them in the comments below! 

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For any art student, learning how to draw a portrait is an important rite of passage. However, it is something that can feel complex and intimidating.  With that in mind, this post is devoted to all of the art students out there who want to learn how to master portrait-drawing at home.  Below, you’ll find a list of 15 online art classes that teach students how to draw portraits via step-by-step tutorials.  Links are given to each course in the description (all of them are free to Sparketh members.) There are many different styles of portraits represented in the courses here, as well as versatile artistic techniques that can help you on your portrait-drawing journey. We hope you’ll explore them and find something that fits your needs, helps you learn, and gives you hours of artistic inspiration and fun!

Pictured:  Dwayne Walker, Sparketh CEO/ one of Sparketh’s art instructors

1. Realism Portrait Online Art Course

Realism is (appropriately enough) a realistic style of drawing or painting that originated in France in the mid 1800s. A portrait done in the style of realism attempts to capture all details of the person being drawn as accurately as possible–like a photograph. This advanced, step-by-step Realism Portrait Tutorial shows students how to draw an accurate portrait in this style, sharing tips and tricks every step of the way.

2. Manga Portrait Online Art Course

Manga is a Japanese style of illustration that has become increasingly popular over the last several years. It’s a very fun and exaggerated  art style, which makes it really great for creative kids and teens to play with.  This Manga Portrait Tutorial will help Manga fans create an original character in this style!

3. Cubism Portrait Online Art Course

If you or your child/teen is looking for a unique or alternative take on drawing portraits, try exploring portraits in the art style of Cubism! The Cubism movement in art originated in the early 19th century and is most commonly associated with Picasso. This art form doesn’t just look groovy, though. It’s also great practice in mapping out shapes and showing the subject from multiple perspectives at once!  Use this online art course to draw a Cubism portrait–you’ll end up with a really cool drawing and some valuable artistic skills in your toolbox, too.

4. Pop Art Portrait Online Art Course

Pop art uses bright colors, bold lines and shapes, and popular cultural influences to form an artistic style that truly (*incoming pun*) pops. Kids and teens can learn a little bit about the Pop Art Movement and have a blast creating their own pop art style portrait with this Pop Art Portrait Online Art Course.

5. Surrealism Portraits

This Surrealism Portrait Course for advanced students will show students how to take a psychological, dream-like approach to the portraits they draw.  This online art course will help students think differently about how they approach portraits, and shares useful tips for blending realism and surrealism to create a mind-bending portrait drawing.

6. Gesture Drawing

Gesture drawing is all about keeping the artwork quick, loose, and focused on movement. Therefore, practicing gesture drawing can  help artists become quicker and more decisive as they sketch lines that reflect the subject’s basic shapes and lines. (These are all important skills for any artist who draws portraits, especially when drawing them from life!) This Gesture Drawing Course will help strengthen your child or teen’s art toolbox and portrait skills.

7. Harlem Renaissance Portrait

With this Harlem Renaissance Portrait, artists learn how to recognize and recreate certain elements from this dynamic artistic movement! Students will learn how to create an energetic, colorful portrait that makes a statement by intentionally emphasizing certain elements and features (and playing down others).

8. Facial Proportions

New to drawing portraits, or need a refresher? This online Facial Proportions Art Class for beginners teaches students how to sketch out basic facial proportions. This one is the perfect course to start with before exploring some of the different styles of art portraits mentioned here! Once you have a good understanding of facial proportions, you can apply that knowledge to any art style you like!

9. Hair Textures

Sometimes, young artists (and older ones, too) get in a “hair rut” in their drawings of people and start drawing everyone with the same type of hair. This fun, online Hair Texture Tutorial explores several different types of hair textures and will help students get comfortable with drawing each one. This is definitely a great skill for any artist to have a handle on.

10. Hands

Drawing hands doesn’t come naturally to many artists. However, including a subject’s hands in his or her portrait can make the portrait more interesting, expressive, and complex (in a good way!) This course, which was originally created for Mother’s Day, shows art students how to sketch out basic shapes for the hands before filling in details.

11.  Basic Colored Pencil Techniques

Colored pencils can be a versatile, convenient  and affordable art medium for kids and teens. They can be very useful in drawing portraits! You can actually do more with these tools than a lot of new artists realize. This Basic Colored Pencil Techniques Course covers some tips and tricks that will help you elevate your colored pencil game. Apply these tips to drawing portraits—or anything you like!

12. Basic Watercolor Techniques

This Basic Watercolor Online Art Course is perfect for kids and teens to the unique medium of watercolor painting! Watercolor painting is very different from other types of painting, so it can be a little confusing to know how to get started without a little bit of guidance. Students can use the foundational techniques in this online art course and apply them to watercolor paintings of all types (including, of course, portraits!)

P.S. One really cool method for watercolor portraits is to draw the portrait in a non-bleeding pen (using your preferred art style) and then paint over the more detailed lines with loose, wet-on-wet watercolor!

13. Fauvism Portrait

The art style of Fauvism is all about bright, contrasting colors and striking visuals, which can result in fun and exciting portraits! This online Fauvism Portrait course will show students how to apply some of the techniques of Fauvism as they follow the steps in the tutorial to create a vividly colorful portrait.

14. Impressionism Portrait

As the name indicates, the art movement of Impressionism focused on the impression of a subject or scene. Impressionistic art pays attention to things like light, color, movement, and feeling. Looking at an impressionistic portrait should therefore give a true impression of the living subject. This online art course will show students the basics that are needed to complete a portrait in the style of Impressionism.

15. I See You Challenge

This open-ended challenge has limitless possibilities. It challenges students to think closely about the details when drawing a subject’s eyes. How will the light be reflected in the shape of the eye? What “Easter eggs,” could you add into the eyes’ reflections to say something interesting or insightful about the person you are drawing? This detail-oriented challenge is perfect for students who are trying to think of ways to make their portraits stand out.

We hope that these courses make it easy for your (or your art student) to gain confidence, boost skills and have fun while drawing many different types of portraits! All of these courses are included in the Sparketh membership, but don’t forget to upload your finished products after completing each course! We love to see what you’ve been up to over in the gallery. We also have a special art track for portraits that contains most of these art courses. Joining this track can make it easy for you to keep up with which portrait courses you’ve tried, and what you’d like to try next!

Do you love drawing portraits? Which of these courses will you try first?

The post Want to Draw Better Portraits? These 15 Online Art Classes Will Help! appeared first on Sparketh.

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Let’s get straight to the answer. (Rule-lovers prepare to take slow breaths):

There is no one way to homeschool your children.

There is no ONE way and there is no BEST way.  

However, that’s actually part of the beauty of homeschooling.

The best way is what works for you, for your kids, and for your lifestyle! This is something that can take a little while to figure out if you are new to homeschooling, (and it seems like a lot of people are new to homeschooling this year!) Today, we want to share some resources with you that can help you evaluate your homeschool and figure out what YOUR best way, is.

Sparketh & Homeschooling

How are Sparketh and homeschooling related? Well, first of all, we think it’s pretty awesome.

Secondly, Sparketh’s origin story has a special connection to homeschooling.  Dwayne Walker, a Sparketh co-founder/owner and self-taught professional artist, was homeschooled for part of his childhood. He thrived on the experience, but he only wished he’d had more access to professional (and affordable) art classes. This personal experience prompted the idea behind Sparketh– an online platform for virtual art classes that homeschoolers could use anytime, from anywhere, to hone their art skills.

Since then, Sparketh has grown into a resource that many children in public and private school use, too.  However, we continue to have special connections with many homeschooled families who have been with us since we first got started, and we continue to support homeschooling – and homeschoolers – as a resource for awesome art education at home!

Especially over the last few years, homeschooling has become an increasingly popular choice. We know a lot of people are trying it out for the first time this year (or are thinking about it!)

Whether that’s you, or whether you’ve been in the homeschooling biz for awhile now, we wanted to share some homeschooling resources, tips, and ideas from our blog! The articles below have all kinds of info on homeschooling–from saving money in your homeschool to hacks for homeschooling kids of different ages! And no, they won’t tell you HOW to homeschool…but they’ll help you figure out how YOU can make your homeschooling journey work the best for you, and that’s the most important thing!

 Homeschooling Tips and Resources on Our Blog!

1. The Top 5 Reasons to Homeschool Your Child  

This blog explores some of the biggest reasons that families choose to homeschool, and discusses how homeschooling can shape important aspects of childhood. If you’re thinking about homeschooling, consider whether or not you identify with any of these 5 common reasons parents choose to homeschool!

2. Are Homeschoolers Unsocialized? 

The ever-looming homeschool question: “But what about socialization?” This blog explores the topic fully! Don’t miss it (and prepare to send it to your non-believer relatives).

3. Which of These 7 Homeschooling Methods Will Work for You? 

There are many, many ways to homeschool, but this blog post covers some of the most popular homeschooling philosophies and approaches! Which one do you align with most?

4. 5 Essential Tips for New Homeschooling Parents 

One of our most comprehensive blog posts — especially for those of you who are starting out! These 5 essential homeschooling tips will help you start out in the right frame of mind!

5. Is Homeschooling Stressing You Out? These 10 Strategies Can Help.

Okay, so homeschooling is not all sunshine and rainbows. There are days it can be stressful (and you may even ben wondering if you’ve made a mistake). For those days, here are 10 strategies that can help you troubleshoot, reassess and relax.

6. How to (Successfully) Homeschool Children of Different Ages 

What do you do with the kindergartner while you teach the middle schooler about fractions? This one is for you homeschooling parents who have multiple kids of different ages.

7. Is Homeschooling Too Expensive? 8 Ways to Save Money in Your Homeschool 

Is homeschooling actually more expensive than public school? Can you cut costs (and if so, where?) This blog breaks it down and gives money-saving tips to make your homeschool more affordable.

Whether you are a new homeschooling parent, a professional homeschooling parent, or just a parent who is kind of curious about the world of homeschooling, we hope these bloggy resources help answer some questions and spark new ideas that you can use in your homeschool. Stay creative!

The post How Do I Homeschool My Kids? appeared first on Sparketh.

Creativity is such a vital part of learning. When kids are being creative, they take ownership over whatever they are learning. Creating is about so much more than memorizing information. Instead, it requires understanding at a complex level. Creative endeavors necessitate hands-on learning until enough confidence is gained to problem-solve, make decisions, and innovate! Regular engagement in art can help your child develop creatively and even create more positive associations with other types of learning.

The resources in this post reflect our desire to bring creativity and art education to kids – anywhere and everywhere! Art education and creative endeavors play a big role part of learning. In fact, we think that creativity is one of the best tools a young person can have! We hope you enjoy exploring these creative resources as you help your student(s) move forward into an exciting new school year. There’s a little something for everyone: from wearable art,  to art tips, to a back-to-school art competition!

The Sparketh Community

If your child is looking to find an art tribe, there’s no better time to connect with one than the start of a new school year! The Sparketh Community is free and safe (it’s monitored by one of our professional art instructors). It’s also “positive vibes” only: just a genuinely uplifting place for artsy kids and teens to connect and encourage one another!

The Sparketh Community is sponsored/powered by Sparketh, which makes it totally free to you. Art-loving kids and teens from all around the world are welcome to join in to participate in art discussions and prompts. Each month, the community features an art competition that challenges students to create and submit something new! The winner receives art-themed prizes!

This month, in honor of back-to-school season, the Sparketh Community has an art challenge that is all about creating an original character. Specifically, they get to create an alter ego/Variant version of themselves (because kids tend to explore new things and redefine their interests in a new grade!) This “alter ego/Variant” challenge is also inspired by the Disney+ series, Loki, because a lot of our Sparketh Community kids are big Marvel fans! This month’s contest winner will win $400 in art supplies! Your child can participate simply by joining the community at this link and uploading a picture of their challenge submission.

The Sparketh TikTok and Instagram Channel:

One of Sparketh‘s awesome art instructors, Amy, shares seriously useful art tips and ideas on our TikTok channel on a daily basis. Amy is a fantastic artist and she’ll make you laugh, too. Definitely head over to the TikTok channel and subscribe to get daily, bite-sized art motivation that will inspire artists of all ages. You won’t be sorry!

Recently, Amy has also created several back-to-school art tips, like impressive bubble lettering and things you can sketch in the margins of your notes (and more).  It’s everything you need for those all important scholastic doodles!

(Not on TikTok? You can find Amy’s daily art content over our on Instagram page, too!)

Signing up for daily art prompts and inspiration is a great way to support more creativity in the schoolyear ahead!

The Sparketh Youtube Channel:

Another great, free art resource that you may not know about is the Sparketh Youtube Channel. Talented artist, Maria, shares art thoughts, ideas and demos for kids on our Youtube channel twice a week! Maria loves to help get kids inspired with ideas that they will want to recreate at home. Currently, in honor of a new school year, she has been putting together a few special videos that your kids will love.

One of them is a how-to  for creating this pretty and trendy Tie Dye shirt!

In another video, Maria also shows creative kids a way that they can make their backpacks stand out from the rest this year with a cool,  art-centric idea! You can watch that video here (or by clicking below).

Lastly, Maria is also prompting some fun art ideas in conjunction with the current challenge over in the Sparketh Community–she’s created videos where she draws herself in different cartoon art styles! Check these out and drop her a comment to let her know which one is your favorite!

(Also, you know what to do…don’t forget to subscribe!)

The Sparketh Blog:

Our blog (which you’re on right now) also has a ton of helpful resources on homeschooling, art education, and helping your child with his or her art endeavors! Feel free to explore the blog anytime, but here are some that we suggest starting out with (especially if you’re wanting to inject some extra creativity into your child’s daily routine!)

• How Art Supports Good Mental Health in Kids and Teens
• Students Need Art: Here are 10 Reasons Why
• 3 Simple Strategies to Spark Creativity Everyday (In Your Homeschool and Beyond)

Sparketh Online Art Classes for Kids and Teens:

Of course, Sparketh is all about offering kids the best art education–from home (or from anywhere, really!) Our mission comes from a desire to make sure that all kids have access to professional, creative instruction that fits their needs and schedule. If you are interested in making online art classes a part of your child’s routine, click here to learn more!

Our team had so much fun putting these tips, challenges, and ideas together to support your child in a creative start to this new school year. We hope your student(s) enjoy some of the these ideas, whether they end up doing portraits in cartoon styles, creating tie dye at home, and/or coming up with an original alter ego character! As always, keep learning and stay creative!

The post Back to School Art Ideas (From Our Team to Yours)! appeared first on Sparketh.