Frugal Homeschooling: The Art of the Cheap
Or perhaps, this should be titled "Art on the Cheap", because we're discussing how to handle art in an inexpensive way. One of the beauties of homeschooling is that we can provide our children with lots of opportunities to be artistic if they choose, and what they can do at home is limited only by space, imagination, and Mom's tolerance for messes. One of the saddest things I've ever read in a homeschooling book is the poem One Little Boy by Helen E. Buckley, about a little boy is taught in his first school that "Art" is following the teacher exactly and only doing what she tells the students to do, rather than following his heart. I don't think it happens quite to the extent that the poem wants to make us think it does, but we all know that the public school "one size fits all" mentality can often squash imagination and creative thinking. Of course, that's IF they get to have art at all — so many schools are having to cut it from their budgets either because they don't have the funding for it, or because they must make more time for learning how to take state and federal tests. (Or both.)
But we don't have to be that way, do we? No sir! So to get you started, here are a few ideas for helping your children's art abilities soar without putting the pinch on your pocketbook
• Save stuff. Anything, everything! Ribbons, buttons, scraps of cloth. Tubes from toilet paper, paper towel and foil. Foam meat trays of all shapes and sizes. Knobs from broken appliances. Small boxes and tins from small household items or candies. Sticks from Popsicles and corn dogs. Lonely socks that have lost their mates. Milk or juice cartons, and gallon jugs. Plastic utensils. Bits of colored paper or the little pieces of wrapping paper you always have left after wrapping presents. Berry baskets. What you can save for art projects is almost limitless, and you'd be surprised what kids can do with all of this "junk".
• Make your own. There are countless recipes out in internet-land for homemade play dough, even edible ones. You can make one large batch of dough and divide it into whatever smaller amounts you choose, with whatever colors you choose, for less than buying it at the store. There are also recipes for homemade paints, glues, paper maché and more. Before you rush out to spend a fortune on supplies, check online and see what kind of recipes you can find.
• Try the dollar stores or the mass-market merchandisers. While students who are serious about art should have quality materials, the average student just wants to play around and have fun and will be perfectly happy with inexpensive finger paints or watercolors. I find that our local dollar stores are excellent sources for cheap materials. These days, they not only have paints, clays and construction paper, I can often find craft foam (I LOVE craft foam!), small skeins of high quality yarns, stickers of all kinds, beads, and many other items.
• Use weekly coupons at the chain arts and craft stores. The three large chains that I'm aware of are A.C. Moore, Michaels and Hobby Lobby. A.C. Moore and Michaels usually run a weekly coupon for 40% off one regularly priced item in the paper. (Sometimes 50%!) Hobby Lobby usually just has theirs online, and it varies from week to week. If your child wants to get a large art item like a pottery wheel or a large craft kit, this is the best way to save money on an item like that. These are also useful if your child is getting serious about a particular art and needs specialty materials and/or tools. A serious student needs good quality materials so that they don't get frustrated and quit, so try to work with that if your child develops a particular love for something.
• Try the art museum, and see if they have low-cost art classes. Ours, unfortunately, does not. Oh, they have classes, they're just not in our budget. Our art museum offers regular classes to children of all ages, but they're a bit pricey — a yearly museum membership brings down the price, but I can't afford that, either! But it never hurts to ask and see what's available where you live.
• Try the bartering system with a private art teacher. If you have a child who's getting serious about a particular art form, or really wants to give it a real try instead of playing at it, see if you can find an art teacher for them. There are probably lots in your area, and prices are going to vary. If you can find connections through your local homeschoolers, you may even find one who is willing to barter, perhaps a fellow homeschooler. Maybe they need babysitting services, their oil changed, or any number of things.
Don't get all wrapped up in thinking that you need to provide a formal art experience for every child. Truth be told, not many people go on to have true artistic talents, but lots of people are creative, and they need an outlet for that creativity. Be their facilitator, provide opportunities, but you don't have to spend a fortune unless true talent begins to shine through. Be creative with your thinking, and your kids can be creative with their art supplies, surprising you every day.
