How to Host a Homeschool Art Activity

Group art projects can be a lot of homeschool fun with a little advance planning and the right supplies on hand. Amy helps you think big for a one-time art party or an ongoing homeschool activity.

At some point in your homeschooling journey, you may want to lead an art activity for a group, whether as a one-off event or as part of an ongoing secular homeschool co-op or class. Facilitating art-making for a group of kids is one of the most rewarding ways I can spend a couple of hours. Depending on the activity, it can definitely be tiring as well, but as always, some planning ahead makes everything easier.

What does your space look like?

My first concern is always whether I have a water source. Obviously it’s wonderful to have a sink right in the room, but it’s not a necessity. When I facilitated an art class at our homeschool co-op, I filled gallon jugs with water and used a dishpan to catch the wastewater (from rinsing paint- brushes, for example). It’s an effective system. A spray bottle and paper towels are great for cleaning surfaces.

Other room issues to consider include tables, desks, and chairs. Will your participants be able to sit so that materials such as paint sets can be shared? If tables aren’t easily cleanable or need protection, clear vinyl shower curtains are inexpensive and do the job well; I use duct tape to hold them down. I’ve also used individual drawing boards cut from masonite.

Unless you’re allowed to store materials where you’re teaching, you’re going to need to transport items back and forth. I use a big plastic tote with a cover and make a list of everything the activity requires so I can check it off as I pack it. Items I use every class (table covers, water pitchers, etc) stay in the bin between classes, while activity-specific items get cleaned and put away once I return home. It’s always a good idea to bring a full box of wet wipes, too.

What age group are you working with?

The general rule that applies across all groups also applies here: the younger the children, the smaller the group should be. With preschoolers, four to six kids is a good maximum group size, and that’s with another adult in the room. A benefit of mixed-age homeschool groups, however, is that older kids can assist younger ones. Think about the ages and abilities of the kids you’re working with and set a maximum size that seems reasonable for you.

What do you plan to do?

My best advice here is to not think small. Printmaking is one of my favorite art techniques to share with all ages, because it’s magical. I’ve taught kids how to use and care for brayers, transported large Plexiglas sheets and gelatin printmaking plates, and supervised (with lots of parent help) as kids worked at carving their own stamps. Think about your group size and how you can simplify a process yet still allow exploration of new techniques. One way I’ve done this is by limiting paint or ink colors and having kids visit the ink stations. Keeping ink and brayers in a central place made it easier to supervise. It also made clean-up easier.

Don’t think small when it comes to ages and abilities, either. I’ve run great printmaking activities with preschoolers, too. Kids are capable (although I suspect you already know that!).

Consider, too, whether you can work on projects during more than one meeting. If you’re allowed to store works-in-progress on site, you can take advantage of this to spend more time on a particular process or technique.

Whatever you plan to do, provide the best quality materials that your budget allows. Art-making with inadequate supplies leads to frustration. If you’re painting, for example, use heavy enough paper so that it doesn’t curl.

Set some ground rules.

I like to begin by letting kids know that I believe all artists, no matter the age, deserve high-quality art materials, and that I trust them to treat the materials with respect and take care of them as demonstrated. This almost always results in art materials being treated well. I let them know that first and foremost, art-making should be fun. And I ask that we not comment on another person’s artwork unless invited to do so, and then to be careful that our words are not critical. I also build clean-up time into the class time, more so during an ongoing class than for a one-time activity. If kids are enrolled in a class, part of what I hope they learn is how to care for the materials, and that includes making sure they’re properly cleaned.

The big payoff

The alchemy that occurs when making art in a group is pretty special. It becomes a very social activity; we see one another’s work in progress, we chat, we make observations and inspire one another. If the group leader makes it clear that the group is a safe place in which to make art (that is, no criticism is allowed), ideas start to zing around freely, infecting everyone, enriching the process, and leading to exciting and at times unexpected outcomes. I make sure artists under my scope know they are in charge of their own work, and ultimately there is no “right” or “wrong.” This freedom can lead to amazing discoveries, and creating an environment in which to nurture this is well worth all the time spent planning ahead.

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