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December Art Activities Perfect For Holiday Homeschooling

The holidays are a beautiful time of year, and the perfect time to change up the homeschool schedule or enjoy a lighter seasonal study. Make memories with these December art activities for homeschooling!

These December art activities have everything you need for holiday homeschooling. Includes online lessons and extension activities.

Homeschooling Through The Holidays

In this season, we might turn cookie exchanges into science and math lessons. We spend more time with grandma and grandpa listening for a history lesson one will never find in a textbook. Or maybe we laminate maps for the car ride to Aunt Alice’s house and knock out geography on the way. That’s the beauty of homeschooling! We can enjoy a slower pace, more cookies, and feel reassured our children are always learning. And reminding Jake to say “thank you” after he opens the crochet socks he was certain was an Xbox … well, that falls into a new subject we like to call Etiquette.

These December art activities have everything you need for holiday homeschooling. Includes online lessons and extension activities.

December Art Activities Perfect For Holiday Homeschooling

Kick off December loudly with all the carols and Charles Dickens – A Christmas Carol Homeschool Activities followed by The Nutcracker A Holidays Homeschool Study. Don’t forget to add the Laytons’ absolute favorite Christmas story, The Grinch! Nana and I agree, these lessons are not stink, stank, stunk!

Draw Your Way Through The Story of Christmas

Draw Your Way Through the Story of Christmas – Add these Advent art activities to your Christmas Homeschool plans! You can draw your way through the story of Christmas from the angels announcing Messiah’s birth to the manger scene.

If You Take a Mouse to the Movies: Hands on Homeschooling – When the nights turn chilly and darker, there are fewer places to go outdoors as a family. We usually see the return of “Family Movie Night” on Fridays in the fall and winter as a result. Our family loves watching movies based on books. Add a few hands-on homeschool activities, and everyone is ready for both learning and fun.

These December art activities have everything you need for holiday homeschooling. Includes online lessons and extension activities.

Free Christmas Lessons! Christmas Tree for the Animals

Speaking of December art activities for homeschooling… Sign up to enjoy these Christmas lessons any time during the holiday season. Includes nature study with our sister site Homeschool Nature Study, an art lesson with Nana, a craft plus a hymn and composer study too! SIGN UP HERE!

Celebrate December Word Weavers with Literature Art Lessons

Grab your pens and journals along with chalk supplies as we celebrate these writers, poets, and creative story tellers. We believe in the Power of Adding Art to Literature Studies!

  • December 6, 1886 American poet Alfred Joyce Kilmer was born in New Jersey. He is best known for his poem Trees, published in 1913. Be sure to chalk Seasonal Trees and enjoy Winter Tree Silhouettes from Homeschool Nature Study.
  • December 9, 1608 British poet John Milton was born in London. He is best known for Paradise Lost.
  • December 10, 1830 Poet Emily Dickinson was born in Massachusetts. Over 2,000 poems were discovered after her death in 1886 and gradually published starting in 1890. My favorite is Hope.
  • December 10,1851 American librarian Melvil Dewey was born in Adams Center, New York. He created the Dewey Decimal System.
  • December 12 1821 French author Gustave Flaubert was born in France. He is best known for the novel Madame Bovary.
  • December 16, 1775 British novelist Jane Austen was born in Hampshire, England. High schoolers are loving our Jane Austen Art Lessons.
  • December 19, 1732 – Benjamin Franklin first published Poor Richard’s Almanac  containing weather predictions, humor, proverbs and epigrams.
  • December 30 1865 British writer Rudyard Kipling was born in Bombay, India. He wrote The Jungle Book.
These December art activities have everything you need for holiday homeschooling. Includes online lessons and extension activities.

December Artists and Animators

December 2, 1859 French painter Georges Seurat was born in Paris. He was a leader in the neo-impressionist movement of the late 19th Century.

  • December 3, 1755 American portrait painter Charles Stuart was born in Rhode Island. He is best known for his portraits of George Washington, James Madison, James Monroe, and Thomas Jefferson.
  • December 5, 1901 Walt Disney was born in Chicago, Illinois. 
  • December 23, 1888 – Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh cut off his left ear during a fit of depression.

December Musicians, Composers, and Singers

  • December 5, 1791 – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart died a pauper at age 35 in Vienna, Austria. He had created over 600 works.
  • December 8 1980 Former Beatlemusician John Lennon was assassinated in New York City.
  • December 13 1835 American clergyman and composer Phillips Brooks was born in Boston, Massachusetts. He is best known for the Christmas Carol, O Little Town of Bethlehem.
  • December 16, 1770 Ludwig van Beethoven was born in Bonn, Germany. 
  • December 22, 1858 Italian composer Giacomo Puccini was born in Lucca, Tuscany. 
  • December 29 1876 Cellist Pablo Casals was born in Venrdell, Spain. 

December Inventors & Engineers

  • December 8 1765 Cotton gin inventor Eli Whitney was born in Westboro, Massachusetts.
  • December 15, 1832 French engineer Alexandre Eiffel was born in Dijon, France. Along with the Eiffel Tower he also helped design the Statue of Liberty.

(If you’re traveling this winter holiday be sure to paint famous landmarks you see along the way!)


December Historical Events & Leaders

  • December 1 1955, the modern American civil rights movement occurred as Rosa Parks was arrested in Montgomery, Alabama, for refusing to give up her seat to a white man and move to the back section of a municipal bus.
  • December 2, 1804 – Napoleon Bonaparte was crowned Emperor of France by Pope Pius VII in Paris. One year later, 1805 – Napoleon defeated Russia and Austria in the Battle of Austerlitz.
  • December 6, 1865 – The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified abolishing slavery.



December 7 1941 The U.S. Naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, was attacked by nearly 200 Japanese aircraft. One day later the United States and Britain declared war on Japan. We have combined many history and art lessons for the Your Modern History Buff.

December 16, 1773 – The Boston Tea Party occurred as colonial activists disguised as Mohawk Indians boarded British ships anchored in Boston Harbor and dumped 342 containers of expensive tea into the water.

  • December 20, 1860 – South Carolina became the first state to secede from the Union in a prelude to the American Civil War. 
  • December 21, 1879 Soviet Russia leader Josef Stalin was born in the village of Gori in Georgia, Russia.
  • December 25, 1066 – William the Conqueror was crowned King of England after he had invaded England from France.
  • December 25, 1776 – During the American Revolution, George Washington took 2,400 of his men across the Delaware River. 

December Space Study: It’s Out Of This World!

These December art activities have everything you need for holiday homeschooling. Includes online lessons and extension activities.

December 14, 1502 French physician Nostradamus was born in St. Remy, Provence, France. He made astrological predictions believed by many to tell the future.

Nana predicts you will love learning about astronomy alongside painting the cosmos with chalk pastels!

  • December 14, 1962 – The Mariner II space probe sent back information from the planet Venus, the first information ever received from another planet.
  • December 27, 1571 German astronomer Johannes Kepler was born in Wurttemberg, Germany. He is considered the father of astronomy.

December Science: The Human Body

  • December 21, 1846 – Anesthesia was used for the first time in Britain during an operation at University College Hospital in London performed by Robert Liston who amputated a leg.
  • December 25, 1821 American nurse and philanthropist Clara Barton was born in Oxford, Massachusetts. 
  • December 27, 1822 French chemist-bacteriologist Louis Pasteur was born in Dole, France. He developed the pasteurization process to kill harmful bacteria.

Learn more about the Human Body with Nana’ new Science Art Diagrams and chalk tutorials: Small But Mighty Cell Activities, Microscopic World Study, Human Anatomy Study: Diagram the Ear and Human Heart Activity for Kids: Hands-On Science.

Winter Equinox Art Lessons

How did it get so late so soon? Its night before its afternoon. December is here before its June. My goodness how the time has flewn. How did it get so late so soon? ~ Dr. Seuss


Have fun painting all things winter on December 21st, the Winter Equinox in North American.

December Holidays

  • December 18th-26th, Hanukkah. Jewish celebration commemorating the rededication during the second century B.C. of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, when Jews had risen up against their Greek-Syrian oppressors in the Maccabean Revolt.
  • December 25th, Christmas. The day Christians celebrate the Birth of Christ.
These December art activities have everything you need for holiday homeschooling. Includes online lessons and extension activities.
  • December 26th Boxing Day. In Great Britain, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand servants, tradespeople, and the poor were presented with gifts. Today it is known as a shopping and sporting events day.
  • December 26th- Jan 1st, Kwanza. African American families celebrate a harvest festival. Kwanzaa means “first fruit” in Swahili.
These December art activities have everything you need for holiday homeschooling. Includes online lessons and extension activities.

December Ultimate Holiday Lists For Homeschoolers

Art Activities for Every Month of the Year

Look ahead to ALL the art activities for homeschooling you can enjoy every month of the year:

Homeschool mama, I encourage you to enjoy this season. It’s your holiday too! Find a family to serve, a cause to donate to, but most importantly a sweet child to cuddle up with before a fireplace. Take it from one who has graduated a homeschooler – the time does fly and boy do I miss reading The Grinch aloud. Enjoy the movie marathon, the Gingerbread House construction, Elmer Fudd’s Blue Christmas on repeat. I promise you’ll get back to filling in the homeschool blanks all too soon because sweet friend – you’re not “falling behind”.

Stef Layton

Stef started homeschooling her boys in 2008. She quickly adopted a hands-on learning homeschool style and graduated her oldest tactile learner in 2021. Stef started the Hands-On Learning column in Homeschooling Today magazine. The Laytons currently reside in the foothills of Colorado where Stef also teaches yoga. The family loves to hike trails, stand-up paddle board, and chase sunsets. Stef shares travel and homeschool tips on IG at @LaytonAdventures.

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Fabulously Funny Folk Tales with Art Perfect for Your Homeschool History

We all love a fun story, don’t we? Enjoy fabulously funny folk tales with art and watch your homeschool history come to life!

We all love a fun story, don't we? Enjoy fabulously funny folk tales with art and watch your homeschool history come to life!

Fabulously Funny Folk Tales with Art – An Event for All Ages!

The replay of this event is available in Nana’s Fairy Tales series with You ARE an ARTiST Clubhouse membership! Clubhouse members receive access to the replay for as long as you are a member.

Enjoy fabulously funny folk tales with art and watch your homeschool history come to life! Includes everything you need for a fun lesson.
Replay now available in the Fairy Tales series of You ARE an ARTiST Clubhouse membership!

What is included in Fabulous Funny Folk Tales with Art for Your Homeschool History Event?

Here’s How to Be Ready for the Event

Join the You ARE an ARTiST Clubhouse for access to the replay plus, at the Complete level, over 800 video art lessons and growing!

For your art time with Nana, you will just need a very few suggested supplies, below:

  • a starter set of chalk pastels (Our favorites are here).
  • construction paper (Nana suggests white construction paper for this lesson)
  • baby wipes or damp paper towel for easy clean up

Share On Social Media!

Be sure to share photos of your Fabulously Funny Folk Tales with Art time on social media and tag @humilityanddoxology and @chalkpastelart – We can’t wait to see you participating and to see your paintings!

And please invite your friends! Share this post with them!

What a FUN way to incorporate storytelling and art into your homeschool history routine!

Growing a love of art at You ARE an ARTiST is a multi-generational passion! Tricia is Nana’s daughter and a mama of five children. Nana shared the fun of her first chalk pastel art lessons with her grandchildren around Tricia’s kitchen table. Homeschooling since 2000, Tricia has seen the fruits of home education with three homeschool grads so far! She shares the art and heart of homeschooling at Your Best Homeschool and is author of the book, Help! I’m Homeschooling! She and her husband, Steve, are also owners of sister sites Homeschool Nature Study and The Curriculum Choice.

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Wonderful Learning With August Art Activities for Your Homeschool

Here are some wonderful homeschool learning ideas with August art activities to help you stay cool! Are you enjoying the the dog days of summer? Maybe you’re looking for some boredom busters? Or you’re hoping for one more week of Summer Art Camp. These ideas will inspire fun and easy learning!

Here are some wonderful homeschool learning ideas with August art activities to help you stay cool! Are you enjoying the the dog days of summer? Maybe you're looking for some boredom busters? Or you're hoping for one more week of Summer Art Camp.  These ideas will inspire fun and easy learning!

August Evenings are for Homeschool Astronomy

August is a great month to learn about astronomy by pulling out your chalk pastels and painting what you see! Get ready early in the month to celebrate astronaut Neil Armstrong’s birthday on August 5th (1930). Keep the telescopes out to enjoy The Perseids Meteor Shower August 11th-12th.


Everything You Need for a Homeschool Moon Mission Unit Study, will get you started! Decide if you chalk the Summer Night Sky by flashlight or wait until morning?

Make a Homemade Book

If you have a child ready to read why not make a homemade learn to read book? A book created especially for your young reader is sure to spark interest. You can design your book in just a few simple steps and choose your child’s favorite topic! Nana leads the way with a fun, backyard story. New this month for You ARE an ARTiST Clubhouse members.

August Historical Events for Your Homeschool Studies

Did you know, “August”, the name of the month was originally a Latin word, Sextilis? In 8th century BC, during the early Medieval period, the month was renamed to August in honor of Augustus Caesar, the first Roman emperor. August is filled with great opportunities to study Ancient Rome!


On Aug 24, 79 AD Mount Vesuvius erupted. Nana loves Geography. Join her and Map Italy. Looking to have a blast? Chalk an Erupting Volcano!

Keep your toga party going and celebrate these famous Roman birthdays on August 31st – Caligula (12 AD) & Commodus (161 AD). It’s always fun to paint Roman soldiers and their beautiful galea (that’s fancy for helmet).

Learn Homeschool History With Art!


We believe combining art with history is one of the best ways to teach. Here is Why Adding Art to History Makes All the Difference.

Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492


We have all sung the cute rhyme. Did you know, he sailed on August 3, 1492. Christopher Columbus set sail from Palos, Spain, with three ships, Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria. Chalk the epic voyage with Nana and create your own ship for the journey. Don’t forget to name it!

Homeschool History War Studies

Do you have a homeschool student who is interested in war studies? Mark your calendar for these August “war time” historical events and spend time mapping Europe, chalk different styles of war helmets from Modern History Clubhouse, and get spiffy with Napoleon’s uniform from American History Clubhouse.

August 1, 1944 – Anne Frank penned her last entry into her diary.
August 6, 1945 – The first Atomic Bomb was dropped over the center of Hiroshima
Napoleon Bonaparte’s birthday August 15, 1769

Let’s Hear It For the Girls With These Homeschool Women’s Studies!

August 18, 1920 – The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, granting women the right to vote.
Celebrate this momentous event by Nana’s Women’s Suffrage and The Constitution art lessons. Vote who is going to clean up after dinner.

One special woman’s birthday to honor this month, Mother Theresa August 26th, (1910). There have been more companion guides added to the Disciples Unit Study. Be sure to incorporate these valuable lessons into your daily morning time. You can find valuable tips and resources in: How to Plan an Awesome Home Bible Study for Kids.

Celebrate Famous August Birthdays

Learn about America’s early Presidents in the American Presidents Video Art Lessons.

Presidents Day Art Projects

Celebrate two former presidents’ birthdays Barack Obama August 4th (1961) & Bill Clinton August 19th (1946). July Homeschool Art Activities offered numerous opportunities to chalk America’s birthday. If you missed it, consider chalking those same beautiful patriotic creations for the presidents’ birthdays!

Early American Legends with August Art Activities

Mid-month celebrate famous legends Annie Oakley August 13th (1860), Doc Holliday August 14th (1851), and Davy Crockett August 17th (1786) by chalking a Western Landscape.

Davy Crockett is known as a hero of the Alamo. It is rumored he was also a bear hunter. We prefer to respect these beautiful mammals by chalking them! Learn more Bears: An Art and Book Study for Your Homeschool.

August Art Activities Honoring Inventors!

August is Inventors Month. Be sure to discover all the great inventions in the Inventors Clubhouse. From Galileo to magnets – your STEM lovers will enjoy it.

Celebrate Orville Wright’s birthday on August 19th, (1871) with an aviation joke.

Why did the librarian get kicked off the plane?

It was overbooked!

Literature and Fine Arts for Your Homeschool

You ARE An Artist is thrilled to offer Fine Arts Curriculum for the Family and Fine Arts for High School Credit. If you are looking for an art elective be sure to look into these amazing resources!

Celebrate August writers, poets, and film makers: Francis Scott Key August 1st (1779), Alfred Hitchcock August 13th (1899), Johann Wolfgang von Goethe August 28th (1749) & Mary Shelley August 30th (1797).

Homeschool Science Art Activities

Chalk Pastel Art Members can now enjoy the new Science Clubhouse. Videos are continually being added. This is a great opportunity to dive deeper into your science lessons by adding these to your August art activities.

Celebrate philosopher and physician John Locke’s birthday on August 29th (1632). Dipping your toes into STEAM? Here is a Homeschool Science and Art Curriculum Match Up. You will also enjoy:

Tooth Diagram Homeschool Art Lesson!

Not to mention that Nana has a brand new tooth diagram lesson for your homeschool anatomy! Back to homeschool time is a perfect time to learn to brush your teeth, round and round, circles small, gums and all…Available in I Drew It Then I Knew It Science! Find out more in A Tooth Diagram Activity for Homeschool Science That Will Make You Smile!

Vacation Landmark Memories

As summer winds down and suitcases are put away, wrap-up your trip by preserving your memories the famous landmarks you visited. Clubhouse Members can pick from American and World Landmarks. Keep these treasures as homemade post cards. Or create a “bucket list” of places you want to visit.

cicada art lesson at You ARE an ARTiST

Learn About Cicadas with Nature Art Lessons

Cicadas make a distinctive sound during the summer months. What fun to paint a cicada with Nana! Find this membership exclusive lesson in the Backyard Nature course in membership.

Art Activities for Every Month of the Year

Look ahead to ALL the art activities for homeschooling you can enjoy every month of the year:

Here are some wonderful homeschool learning ideas with August art activities to help you stay cool! Are you enjoying the the dog days of summer? Maybe you're looking for some boredom busters? Or you're hoping for one more week of Summer Art Camp.  These ideas will inspire fun and easy learning!

Using Art for Memorization in Your Homeschool

“Chalk pastels are truly one of the easiest mediums to use – even for the perfectionists in our family! And if you’re intimidated by the idea of arting with your children, there’s no need to fear! Nana at Chalk Pastel can walk your children through simple art projects, step by step.” Don’t miss A Hundred Acre Woods‘ recent review, Using Art for Remembering for so much inspiration for your homeschool.

If you’re wondering if the Clubhouse Membership is right for you this homeschool year or if you are curious about what it all includes, be sure to read Brandy’s review! You never know if a blue ribbon is in your student’s future.

Stef Layton

Stef started homeschooling her boys in 2008. She quickly adopted a hands-on learning homeschool style and graduated her oldest tactile learner in 2021. Stef started the Hands-On Learning column in Homeschooling Today magazine. The Laytons currently reside in the foothills of Colorado where Stef also teaches yoga. The family loves to hike trails, stand-up paddle board, and chase sunsets. Stef shares travel and homeschool tips on IG at @LaytonAdventures.

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The Ultimate Guide to Medieval History Lessons For Your Homeschool

Use these medieval history lessons as a multi-dimensional way to bring history into full color for your children in your homeschool!

Use these medieval history lessons as a multi-dimensional way to bring history into full color for your children in your homeschool!

Medieval History Lessons In Your Homeschool

Why is medieval history so fascinating for children? Maybe it’s the long-ago aspect. Perhaps it’s the excitement of castles, knights, and dragons. Or maybe it’s the idea of character and chivalry embedded in well-known and loved stories passed down through the centuries. 

So much of our make-believe play, legends, and lore come from the medieval time period, making it a fascinating one to study.

While medieval alchemy isn’t real, the opportunities to turn this historical time period into “learning gold” are absolutely available to you as a homeschool parent! Grab yourself a good booklist, a toy sword, and your chalk pastels, and dive in.

Medieval History Homeschool Lessons Your Family Will Love

I always like to start our learning with literature. Stories are a gentle way to introduce time periods, people, and events. 

Begin your medieval history art lessons with a read through well-loved tales of this time period: Robin Hood, William Tell, King Arthur, fairy tales, and other classic books are all great options. 

Then, you can draw some of these literary characters and scenes and unfold the true history of the Middle Ages for your kids.

Use these medieval history lessons as a multi-dimensional way to bring history into full color for your children in your homeschool!

Robin Hood

Robin Hood is a book beloved by children and adults. We love this action-packed adventure and rooting for the underdog. Plus the story provides and excellent conversational jumping off point to talk about historical accuracy and ethical behaviors. 

Read a children’s version of this classic tale and then join Nana to draw Robin Hood in his classic green outfit with his ever-present bow and arrow! 

You can even use the Court Dress lesson to create a Maid Marian for this literature-based art lesson. 

Robin Hood homeschool lessons

Medieval Castles

Monarchies were the government of the era, so a foray into court life is definitely in order! 

Study architecture by painting a medieval castle and discussing how buildings have evolved over time. 

Cathedrals and Stained Glass

As architecture advanced during the Middle Ages, buildings became more elaborate. The church was the center of life and power for most countries in Europe, and their cathedral buildings demonstrated their importance and influence. A fascinating book to read alongside this art lesson is David MaCauley’s Cathedral

Painting stained glass windows with Nana is a colorful lesson everyone will enjoy creating and hanging on the wall. 

Illuminated Letter

Take a short detour to talk about the evolution of printed books and materials. Illuminated manuscripts are both beautiful and an important part of history! Kids can imagine how reading and learning would have been different during a time when every piece of written material was elaborately created by hand. Make the connection between the cathedral lesson and church life, and the work of monks and priests to create and preserve written materials. The Illuminated Letter video art lesson can be a jumpstart to having kids illuminate their own initials and more!

Medieval Times Homeschool Art with Chalk Pastels
Immerse yourself in even MORE history with Erin Vincent’s Medieval Times Homeschool Art with Chalk Pastels

Knights, and lords, and ladies, oh my! 

Paint each of these important peoples of medieval court life and learn more about clothing, court dress, social status, and life at court.

Of course, no one is more important than the King, so be sure to take time for the Crown drawing lesson!

Court Life: Lutes, Jesters, Gardens, and Banquets

Since courtesans spent months or years at the King’s castle, entertainment was important. Lute players and jesters often entertained the wealthy lords and ladies. 

My boys love telling jokes, juggling, and in general being silly, so the Jester art lesson was the first one they wanted to draw when we started talking about medieval times! My oldest even customized his with a fancy mustache!

Use these medieval history lessons as a multi-dimensional way to bring history into full color for your children in your homeschool!

For leisure, you might walk through a medieval garden, and you could pick a bouquet to send a message to a friend or someone you liked—flowers in Medieval times held meanings of great significance, so be sure you pick the right blossoms!

A King or a Lord would often showcase their wealth by hosting extensive feasts at Banquet tables loaded with exquisite foods. Kids can learn and discuss how social status was indicated by where you were seated!

Festival Tent

If you lived in the country, you might attend a festival for your town or in the King’s honor. Festival tents would pop up for these events. You might even find Renaissance Fairs in your area that replicate these events to go along with your festival tent chalk pastel art lesson on this time period. 

festival tent

Falconer-Hawk

Sports started to become important during this time, and hunting was both practical and an exciting pastime. Falconry is a fascinating medieval sport to study and draw with Nana’s Falconer-Hawk lesson.

Dragons

Of course, where there are castles and knights, there be dragons, right? Nana’s colorful dragon art lesson is a fun and fantastical study. 

What is so great about all Nana’s chalk pastel art lessons is that although she always recommends great color combos, she encourages kids to be creative and self-select colors that appeal to them. So we ended up with a green dragon and a red one, too! I love that each of my boys got to show their personalities with this lesson!

Use these medieval history lessons as a multi-dimensional way to bring history into full color for your children in your homeschool!
Use these medieval history lessons to give a multi-dimensional way to bring history into full color for your children in your homeschool!

Crusade Banner

Besides fighting dragons, knights often traveled on Crusades. This simple lesson can illustrate how people identified their family through heraldry and other symbols.

The Knights Templar lesson is a great companion for the Crusade Banner as well.

Use these medieval history lessons as a multi-dimensional way to bring history into full color for your children in your homeschool!

Weapons of the Middle Ages: Shield, Sword, Catapult

Pick your weapons wisely! If you are a knight in hand-to-hand combat, a sword and shield are essential. Of course the most famous sword is Excalibur, pulled from the stone. Be sure to read this story to your kids as well before or after you paint the famous sword in the stone! 

knights and crusaders

Armies often used large war machines like catapults to besiege castles and towns. After drawing a catapult with Nana, you can create your own catapult with popsicle sticks and cotton balls!

Famous People and Events

In addition to famous stories and fictional characters, medieval history contains true life people and events that kids can learn and draw. Joan of Arc is a strong female figure from this time period. The War of the Roses (remember how important those flowers were!?) art lesson explores England’s own time of civil war between rival royal families. 

Viking Life

Sometimes we limit our medieval studies to England, because so many wars, peoples and events are well-recorded from that area. But the medieval histories of northern Europe is fascinating as well! Viking life and exploration can be an entire unit study of its own. 

Draw a Viking ship and study their seafaring way of conquering and exploring new worlds.

Then draw a Viking helmet and discuss the differences between Viking warriors and knights. Comparing and contrasting civilizations creates the opportunity for deeper learning and discovery. 

viking ship art lesson

Additional Resources For Studying History In Your Homeschool

I’m sure you will find you simply have more and more questions as you study this time period. And that is exactly how true learning happens: one question leads to another, and your kids will be drawn into learning without even realizing it, because they will be so curious and fascinated by this historical time period.

For extra literature and art study, I created a Medieval to Modern Classical Morning Menu for homeschool morning time. Each month features two poems and a Picture Study work of art to study and learn more about this time period. Get a free sample here! 

Use these medieval history lessons as a multi-dimensional way to bring history into full color for your children in your homeschool!

The I Drew It Then I Knew It Medieval History art lessons in You ARE an ARTiST Clubhouse membership come with a companion I Drew It Then I Knew It Guide that will help you pull together all these lessons for your kids. You will find: 

  • Calendar planners
  • Biographies
  • Book Lists
  • Fact Sheets
  • Plus Lesson Overviews

Once you see how art can help you explore all the aspects of history, you will want to study history through art all the time!

Good news! You can, because the You ARE an Artist Clubhouse Membership offers you ALL the 700+ lessons taught by Nana. In addition to this long lineup of medieval history lessons, you can study:

Each of these has an I Drew It Then I Knew It Clubhouse collection of lessons with companion workbooks. You can access all these lessons all year with your Clubhouse Membership

Homeschool Fine arts and music appreciation program for grade six has it covered. Leonardo, Raphael, Botticelli, Michelangelo, and more are all planned out for you to view and discuss with your whole family. Do you want to listen to a little Vivaldi, Bach, Handel, Mozart, and a few more composers during your school year? The homeschool plan is all outlined for you. You will have the freedom and flexibility to use You ARE an ARTiST Homeschool Fine Arts for your whole family and at a pace that suits your lifestyle.

Medieval and Renaissance Homeschool Fine Arts

Leonardo, Raphael, Botticelli, Michelangelo, and more are all planned out for you to view and discuss with your whole family. Do you want to listen to a little Vivaldi, Bach, Handel, Mozart, and a few more composers during your school year? The homeschool plan is all outlined for you. You will have the freedom and flexibility to use You ARE an ARTiST Homeschool Fine Arts for your whole family and at a pace that suits your lifestyle. Homeschool Fine arts and music appreciation program for grade six has it covered.

Even better – You ARE an ARTiST Clubhouse members get 50% off all Homeschool Fine Arts titles!

Use these medieval history lessons as a multi-dimensional way to bring history into full color for your children in your homeschool!

I have enjoyed knowing that I can pull up an art lesson at any time for any subject or topic in history without having to worry about availability or extra expense, because the Membership includes everything! 

My boys never get tired of learning through art, because it gives their hands something to do while we learn. Not only are they gaining art skills and proficiency, but they are also adding facts and understanding as they paint away with their chalks. 

I love how Chalk Pastel video art lessons give me a multi-dimensional way to bring history into full color for my children in our homeschool.

Bonus! When the lesson is done, we have beautiful artwork to share and hang around our classroom. These visual reminders of our lessons help us review and retell our learning long after we clean the chalk off our hands. 

Medieval History Education Bundle

Julie of Happy Strong Home and Tricia of You ARE an ARTiST suggest this medieval history education bundle!

A stack of medieval books!

  • Saint George & the Dragon by Margaret Hodges
  • Classic Starts: The Story of King Arthur and His Knights
  • A Medieval Feast by Aliki
  • Tales from Shakespeare by Tina Packer
  • Chanticleer and the Fox by Geoffrey Chaucer
  • Robin Hood by Howard Pyle

Plus:

  • Prismacolor NuPastels color sticks, 12 count
  • Knights and Dragons TOOB Miniature Toy Figurines

And, when you enter you will receive:

  • A sample Classical Morning Menu from Julie Kieras of Happy Strong Home
  • Get Started in Chalk Pastel Art video lessons with Nana!

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Julie is a teacher, writer and homeschool mom. Her blog Happy Strong Home shares encouragement for cherishing children, enjoying motherhood, and growing strong families. Discover homeschool resources, natural living tips, and family activity ideas. Julie has been featured on Million Praying Moms, The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, and the Melissa and Doug blog. She offers writing workshops and a “homeschool neighborhood” community to support parents in their homeschool adventures. Find Julie on Instagram to be the first to know when new workshops and community events are available. 

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13 Colonies Lesson Plans For Creative Kids

Are your students learning about the 13 Colonies? Why not add Nana’s wonderful chalk pastels as a colorful and artistic project to help solidify their knowledge? All you need is a simple starter set of chalk pastels, a pack of construction paper, and Nana’s video art lessons!

13 Colonies Lesson Plans For Creative Kids: Are your students learning about the 13 Colonies? Why not add Nana's wonderful chalk pastels as a colorful and artistic project to help solidify their knowledge? All you need is a simple starter set of chalk pastels, a pack of construction paper, and Nana's video art lessons! #YouAREAnArtist #ThirteenColonies #13Colonies #AmericanHistory #chalkpastels #USHistory

Learning About The 13 Colonies In Your Homeschool

The 13 Colonies are a fascinating part of our nation’s history, and to learn about them, it’s interesting to view them from a geographical and economic standpoint.

The New England colonies included Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire and the Puritans dominated these regions. Their economic activities included shipbuilding, fishing, lumber, animal furs, and whale oil. That’s because these colonies had a cooler climate and rocky soil.

The Middle colonies included New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, and the Quakers dominated these regions. Their economic activities were based on agriculture, including wheat, rye, corn, vegetables, fruits, and livestock. 

The Southern colonies included Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. They were known for their agricultural products, including tobacco, rice, indigo, corn, cotton, and livestock. The Southern colonies had rich fertile soil and a long growing season.

We also enjoyed learning about the founding of each colony.

Did you know that James Oglethorpe founded Georgia in 1732? He wanted to empty the debtor jails in England. Oglethorpe wanted to send all those in England who owed money to Georgia to pay off their debts! He also wanted a buffer between the Spanish in Florida and the English in the Carolinas.

Resources for Learning About Early American History

When studying early American history, we love using:

  • DK Smithsonian: American History Encyclopedia
  • History Year by Year: The History of the World, from the Stone Age to the Digital Age
  • DK Smithsonian: Timelines of Everything

When studying the original 13 Colonies, I also pulled these books from the library:

  • A History of US: Making Thirteen Colonies: 1600-1740
  • You Wouldn’t Want to Be an American Colonist!
  • A History of US: From Colonies to Country: 1735-1791

We also found these online resources fun:

13 Colonies Homeschool Lesson Plans For Creative Kids

Homeschool History Lesson Plans For Creative Kids

Like many children, my son is a hands-on visual learner. He enjoys his studies and retains more knowledge when there are hands-on and creative components to his lessons. That is one of the reasons Nana’s chalk pastel lessons have been a vital and thriving part of our homeschool for many years! Learning about the 13 Colonies was no different. Though we read books and watched documentaries, the hands-on art of Nana’s 13 Colonies chalk pastel lesson solidified his understanding!

13 Colonies Homeschool Lesson Plans For Creative Kids
13 Colonies – the Gathering Storm

Chalk Pastel Resources For Learning About The 13 Colonies

With the You ARE An Artist Clubhouse, you have access to 700+ chalk pastel video art lessons. In addition to the 13 Colonies lesson, did you know that Nana has other Early American history art lessons?

  • Revolutionary War uniforms – Continental soldier and British soldier
  • Boston Tea Party
  • Early colonists
  • White House
  • The Constitution
  • Women in War
  • Paul Revere
  • Lewis and Clark
  • Native Americans – Midwestern Tribes Headdresses
  • Napoleon
  • French Flag
  • War of 1812
  • Columbus
  • Harriet Tubman
  • Abraham Lincoln
  • Three Branches of Government
  • Alexander Hamilton
  • King George, III

7 American History Homeschool Lessons Your Kids will Love and Hamilton The Musical Homeschool Study have been among our favorite American History studies thus far. As you can see, my son learns best when we incorporate the hands-on beauty of chalk pastels into our history studies!

13 Colonies Homeschool Lesson Plans For Creative Kids

Additional Homeschool History Lessons For Creative Kids

There are so many excellent chalk pastel history lessons to choose from:

Simply choose the history lessons that best fit the era of history you and your child are studying, and you are on your way to a hands-on and colorful way of experiencing the past.

13 Colonies Homeschool Lesson Plans For Creative Kids

Erin is a writer, blogger, and homeschooler to two intense kids. Her blog is filled with information to help you explore a child led education while making meaningful connections with your children. Discover favorite read alouds, seasonal books, games, art projects, hands-on activities, and learn to just breathe through the ups and downs of life. She loves nature, farm life, good books, knitting, new pens, and hot coffee. Erin is a contributing writer for Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers. Her work has also been featured on Simple Homeschool and Book Shark.

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A Hands-On Oregon Trail Unit Study For Your Homeschool

You’ll love these ideas for a hands-on Oregon Trail unit study for your kids. Homeschool history is much more enjoyable with books, art, maps, and more!

A Hands-On Oregon Trail Unit Study For Your Homeschool: You'll love these ideas for a hands-on Oregon Trail unit study for your kids. Homeschool history is much more enjoyable with books, art, maps, and more! #OregonTrail #OregonTrailunitstudy #OregonTraillessons #hands-onOregonTrail #homeschoolhistory #homeschool #chalkpastels #YouAREAnArtist

Oregon Trail Lessons For Your Homeschool

I remember reading about the Oregon Trail’s Great Migration of 1843 in elementary school. The thought of having all of my family’s possessions in a covered wagon for months while we traveled a dangerous path was astounding to me. Imagining myself as a little pioneer girl with none of our modern luxuries was hard to fathom.

Later on, the computer game Oregon Trail came out at school. I can’t even count the times I died of dysentery and cholera, let alone starved to death! It was simply fascinating to me that people intentionally put themselves into these predicaments. Why?

A mighty tempting offer was three hundred sixty acres per family and 160 acres for unmarried settlers in Oregon. The idea and promise of something better drove most people across the western part of the United States. Yet, there is so much more to the Oregon Trail than the pioneers. There are the effects this migration had on the Native Americans, religion, government, and more! 

That’s why it’s an essential part of our nation’s history in westward expansion.

You'll love these ideas for a hands-on Oregon Trail unit study for your kids. Homeschool history is much more enjoyable with books, art, maps, and more!

Apples To Oregon: An Oregon Trail Read Aloud

Our favorite way to learn history is through hands-on activities and rich literature in the forms of picture books, read alouds, and chapter books. To start our study on the Oregon Trail, we chose Apples to Oregon Being The (SLIGHTLY) True Narrative of How a Brave Pioneer Father Brought Apples, Peaches, Pears, Plums, Grapes, and Cherries (AND CHILDREN) Across the Plains!

A Hands-On Oregon Trail Unit Study For Your Homeschool

This was a lovely and silly book that both my children enjoyed.

Yes, even my 14-year-old.

*Don’t be afraid to incorporate read alouds and picture books into your older kids’ studies.*

A Hands-On Oregon Trail Unit Study For Your Homeschool

It helped capture the essence of how a daring little girl named Delicious managed to overcome obstacles that placed her father’s plants in danger during their trip to Oregon.

One such obstacle is the crossing of the Platte River, just as real families did when trekking the Oregon Trail in their covered wagons.

You'll love these ideas for a hands-on Oregon Trail unit study for your kids. Homeschool history is much more enjoyable with books, art, maps, and more!


Hands-On Oregon Trail Art and Geography

We followed Delicious and her family as they traversed the Oregon Trail past Chimney Rock, Courthouse Rock, climbed the Rocky Mountains, and traversed many rivers. Nana’s chalk Pastel Oregon Trail Map helped us to see just how far the family traveled. Plus, chalk pastel maps are so much fun!

My son is a huge fan of Nana’s maps!

Nana provides art and geography lessons with the You ARE An Artist Clubhouse Membership. All you need is a simple set of chalk pastels, a pack of construction paper, and Nana’s video art lessons, and you are well on your way to making your homeschool history fun and hands-on!

A Hands-On Oregon Trail Unit Study For Your Homeschool

The You ARE An Artist Chalk Pastel Clubhouse is a favorite in our homeschool because we get access to 700+ video art lessons!

A Hands-On Oregon Trail Unit Study For Your Homeschool

While studying the Oregon Trail, we not only explored Nana’s Oregon Trail Map, but also her Covered Wagon lesson, and the American landmark Multnomah Falls (in Oregon). 

A Hands-On Oregon Trail Unit Study For Your Homeschool


Additional Homeschool History Resources


There are loads of additional homeschool history resources you can add to your Oregon Trail lessons. We included my son’s The Oregon Trail handheld video game! It’s almost exactly like the one I played as a little girl and such fun!

Other books we’ve included in our study are: 

  • If You Were a Kid on the Oregon Trail 
  • Wagons Ho! 
  • You Wouldn’t Want to be an American Pioneer!
  • Choose Your Own Adventure The Oregon Trail
  • plus a couple of our history encyclopedias to start
A Hands-On Oregon Trail Unit Study For Your Homeschool

Here are a few other history art lessons we’ve enjoyed with Nana:

There are so many excellent chalk pastel lessons, no matter what part of history you are studying. Nana’s got you covered.

Dive as deeply as you like and follow as many rabbit trails of learning as your kids want by combing great books and chalk pastels art with your next history lesson!

A Hands-On Oregon Trail Unit Study For Your Homeschool

Erin is a writer, blogger, and homeschooler to two intense kids. Her blog is filled with information to help you explore a child led education while making meaningful connections with your children. Discover favorite read alouds, seasonal books, games, art projects, hands-on activities, and learn to just breathe through the ups and downs of life. She loves nature, farm life, good books, knitting, new pens, and hot coffee. Erin is a contributing writer for Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers. Her work has also been featured on Simple Homeschool and Book Shark.