September 30, 2020  by

Learning Spaces at Home: Homeschool & Distance Learning Workspaces

It seems that the start of this school year has required some major adjustments for all of us. For those of us with kids in traditional school, we have had to re-think how we approach learning at home. And whether you have been a homeschooler for years or you have unintentionally become a homeschooler through distance learning, the Covid-19 pandemic has changed how our kids stay active and in touch with nature and our communities. This is one thing we are continuously trying to improve in our family and I’m realizing that it goes hand in hand with home education.

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August 24, 2020  by

From Playroom to Art Space to Homeschool Workspace

I’ve been meaning to share this project for months! This was a local design project that I took on as I was recovering from my illness last year and never got around to sharing it here.

Now that it’s Back to School season around here, I wanted to share this project to give you ideas for setting up a home workspace for distance learning.

This project was initially intended to revamp a playroom for young kids into a playroom and art space for kids ages 3, 5, and 8. My client mainly wanted to add an art space, remove some of the toys, and update the reading area with new cushions.

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family mural
July 29, 2020  by

Family Mural Project

Our family has toyed with the idea of painting a mural on our fence for years. We love the idea of adding playful art to the neighborhood but never took the time to actually make it happen.

Until, of course, a global pandemic hit and we were suddenly shut in at home wondering what to do with our kids during our makeshift homeschool hours. Before their schools started distance learning we made a calendar and the four of us decided to each teach a homeschool class. Karuna taught Ora singing, Ora taught me and Karuna gymnastics, Aaron held a writing workshop for the girls, and I decided to lead a family mural class.

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in Art Projects / Creative Projects / Garden / Homeschool / Outdoor Creative Spaces 0 comments
August 20, 2018  by

Invitations To Create: New Videos & Prompts!

Are you familiar with Invitations To Create?

Invitations To Create are open-ended art prompts set up for kids to encourage creative exploration of materials. I first learned about these types of art prompts when I was a Reggio-Inspired preschool teacher and have since used them with my own kids for the past 9 years.

Invitations To Create have been the one tool I go back to again and again to keep my kids engaged with their art supplies and to learn new skills.

I’ve been working on a few new projects that involve Invitations To Create and I’m so excited to share them with you today!

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March 6, 2018  by

Big Kid Art Space

I set up our current art space 4 years ago when I had a toddler and a kindergartener. Now that my girls are 6 and almost 10, I recently realized that it’s time to make some updates to this creative work space.

I want this space to reflect their interests and to inspire them to use a variety of tools and materials in their work. So I sat down with the girls and asked them for their input before planning the new items.

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in Art Spaces / Art Supplies / Creative Learning / Home / Homeschool / Indoor Creative Spaces / Portfolio 4 comments
January 16, 2018  by

Toddler Art Space Tips & My Youngest Client Ever

A year and a half ago I was hired by a local mom to set up a toddler art space for her 16-month-old daughter, Sadie. She wanted the art space to be in a small area between their family room and kitchen so that Sadie could have easy, independent access to the supplies. I was so impressed at my client’s willingness to jump right in with such a young child and allow for messy art exploration in the hub of their home.

I have found that when it comes to allowing kids independent access to creative tools and materials… the earlier, the better! Toddlers are naturally curious about their art supplies and they will learn quickly how to use them through guidance and exploration. Through their exploration, they will develop important fine motor skills, creative confidence, and a self-sufficiency that will carry over into other aspects of their lives.

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January 2, 2018  by

5 Tips to Get Your Kid’s Art Space Started

Happy New Year! Every new year I get the urge to do a little re-decorating and get organized in our home. Do you feel the same way?  If you do and you’re thinking of re-working your kid’s art space or setting one up for the first time, I’ve put together my top 5 tips to help you get started.

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September 5, 2017  by

Episode 10: Kids’ Art Spaces

This is a mini solo podcast episode, where I share the inspiration behind my business, The Art Pantry. I talk about why I view kids’ art spaces as workshops and what kids learn in them that goes way beyond art. I also share about my online course, Design Camp, and have a free download for you with art prompts for kids that are based on the skills I discuss in this episode.

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in Art Projects / Art Spaces / Creative Learning / Creative Projects / Home / Homeschool / Indoor Creative Spaces / Podcast 0 comments
September 5, 2017  by

It’s Not About Art: Skill-building in the studio

The other day I was going through photos of our art space over the years and it hit me how much my girls have learned from having a dedicated art space in our home.

I always say that having an art space is about so much more than just having a place to do art. But I realized that maybe I take this for granted and maybe other people don’t know what happens in an art space over time.

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in Art Projects / Art Spaces / Creative Learning / Creative Projects / Home / Homeschool / Indoor Creative Spaces 1 comments