Arts, Music, etc. with your children

[Apologista]

Do you do arts, music, crafts or other forms of creative activities with your children? As part of homeschooling, or just as family fun?

Do you do these things only if the kids request it?

Do you as parents have an enjoyment of culture and the arts?

Did your own parents have this appreciation, and did they do such activities with you?

Thought it would be fun to share about our experiences in this area.

 

[littlenothing]

My dad played opera and classical music at home. We would sing along, play the piano and try to sing in harmony. Now I know more about opera than he does, though ill never be a better pianist. He also carved. He made a perfect wood carving of Michelangelo’s David (but with clothes on!) Were it not for his sharing of the arts with me, my life would be barren of the most beautiful art and music in the world!

 

[papaececi]

We do all of the above but we have careers in the arts so it is only natural. Our children are too young to go to a musical performance, but they listen to liturgical, classical and folk music at home. We do crafts with them and they seem to love that. We visit museums too, and ask them some general questions about art to get them looking and they also participate in museum art classes which they love. It has been part of their lives since they can remember, but they do often request museum trips especially.

It wasn’t especially a big thing in my house growing up, although my father is fairly artistic, but they were encouraging of my career in the arts.

 

[Irishmom2]

We always had music playing in our home, of all different genres. I believe it had a great affect on my children. They all love music and now that they are teens and beyond, they introduce me to new music as well.

As for the arts, I am a painter and artistic homemaker. I put my touches on all the seasons and holidays. My children enjoy the changing “scenery” of our home and as my daughter gets ready to move to her first apartment, she has amassed her own wall art and holiday touches that she can’t wait to use.

When they were smaller we did make cards for the grandparents and craft projects. I find that just having supplies on hand allows some children to create on their own and it is fun to see what they come up with. Others need a little push in the right direction by the use of things they can decorate such as ornaments, boxes or cards.

Free concerts in the park are a great opportunity for everyone to hear live music. I encourage everyone to get out their chairs and pack a picnic. It is less formal and small children can squirm (or dance) all they want without too much worry of bothering others.

 

[Phemie]

Do you do arts, music, crafts or other forms of creative activities with your children? As part of homeschooling, or just as family fun?

Do you do these things only if the kids request it?

Do you as parents have an enjoyment of culture and the arts?

Did your own parents have this appreciation, and did they do such activities with you?

Thought it would be fun to share about our experiences in this area.

I grew up in a home filled with music, my mom played the piano. It was her way to relax. It was popular music because she had never been exposed to classical while growing up.

Crafts wasn’t a big thing. I honestly can’t say that I recall holding a pencil or crayon until I went to school – which doesn’t mean it didn’t happen but it was obviously not a big part of my life.

My own kids grew up with a variety of music because as I got older my tastes got more eclectic. Beethoven & Chopin, Bill Anderson & Eddie Arnold, Frida Boccara & Nana Mouskouri and just about anything in between. For lullabies they had the songs from the 30s & 40s that my mom sang.

As for arts and crafts, not so much. They got pencils, crayons and lots of paper and did their own thing but as it was not something that particularly interested me. I never really thought about it until the youngest was ready for kindergarten and his assessment with public health showed that he had poor fine motor skills and they advised getting him to use a pencil & scissors. Then it was a case of forcing him to do things than neither of us was interested in.

But they had books, books, and more books. We could spend hours on the couch reading. I spent more on books than on clothes for myself. And they had Lego which they played with a lot. I wouldn’t buy them toy guns so they made their own and played the same games I played with guns when I was a kid.

 

[gardenswithkids]

Do you do arts, music, crafts or other forms of creative activities with your children? As part of homeschooling, or just as family fun?

Do you do these things only if the kids request it?

Do you as parents have an enjoyment of culture and the arts?

Did your own parents have this appreciation, and did they do such activities with you?

Thought it would be fun to share about our experiences in this area.

What a lovely idea for a thread topic! You asked lots of great questions and I look forward to reading other’s responses.

I enjoy music and art. My children enjoy art in varying degrees. Some of my children take music and/or dance lessons, (which I consider part of our homeschooling.) I took lessons as a child. My mother was musical and so was her family.

My children love doing crafts. They do more crafts through clubs and outside activities they are involved in than at home. I buy art materials for home and try then to keep the toddler from eating them.

I don’t really consider myself very artistic, but I love gardening and I take some inspiration from Monet’s garden. I keep color, shape and texture in mind as I plant and try to teach those ideas to my children too. The gardens are where most of the art takes place at our home.

 

[Apologista]

When I was growing up there weren’t as many books or shows (and there wasn’t an Internet!) to encourage this trend, but my how things have changed!

There are even activities based on the Liturgical Year for families to craft or sing or whatever it is together now. I think that really helps kids grow in their faith - and the adults too.

 

[Lucky_Scrunchy]

Your post made me cry, my dad before he died, used to play classical music in the mornings (I’d wake up to that with the smell of coffee in the house). I miss you dad so much!!!