I love having my kids home in the summer. No more running around to get out the door for school and activities. Instead we get to indulge in lazy mornings in our pajamas and calmly move through the days. Ah.. summertime.

That being said, if I let me kids do whatever they want all day in the summer, they will inevitably fight, bicker and get bored. So how do I keep them entertained through the summer? I have summer camp at home. It’s more cost effective than sending them to camp, and we get to learn something new as a family. Each week I pick a theme to learn about and we incorporate a field trip to tie it all together. Keep in mind, we do have lots of relaxing down time – but it’s nice to have some things planned to keep them learning and engaged. Click on the links to view my plan for each week. Keep in mind, my kids are 6,5 and 3. My plans are tailored to them, but could easily be modified for older kids. Enjoy and please share your ideas and experiences!

Art History Week

Day 1: Piet Mondrian.
Read Biography.
Watch video to view artwork.
Create a painting using Mondiran’s technique. See project idea here (we will probably use canvas, black marker and paint):
Math connection: Graph the number of squares, rectangles, colors, corners, etc. in the finished projects.
Complete on-line painting.
Worksheet for younger students.
I will probably premake these cookies as a special surprise snack on our field trip day.

Day 2: Edgar Degas
Read “Edgar Degas Paintings That Dance” by Maryann Cocca-Leffler and “The Life and Work of Edgar Degas” by Jayne Woodhouse
Watch video
Create ballerinas with coffee filters and water colors. http://artolazzi.blogspot.com/2010/04/degas-dancers.html
Sculpt using Crayola Model Magic
Complete Wordsearch
More useful info: http://www.ducksters.com/biography/artists/edgar_degas.php

Day 3: Jackson Pollock
Read “Jackson Pollock (Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Artists)“
Watch Video
Create a Drip Painting while listening to Jazz music
Writing Activity: Look at completed paintings and list as many shapes and objects as possible that can be seen in the paintings.
Online Painting Activity

Day 4: Georgia O’Keeffe
Read “My Name is Georgia” by Jeanette Winter
Watch video
Go for a walk in the yard and collect objects. Then draw or paint what was found.
Another project idea – Flower Drawings
Write an Acrostic Poem using Georgia O’Keeffe
Make flower cookies using a cookie cutter 0r cut sandwiches into flower shapes.

Day 5: Visit the Art Museum: We are blessed to be close to the Philadelphia Art Museum. Kids under 14 are free. Since my kids are young, I won’t be taking them through the whole museum, just the parts that apply to what we were learning this week. I will also bring some drawing supplies along so we can draw outside the museum while we eat a picnic lunch.