MADE FOR FAMILIES TEACHING AT HOME
Art homeschool curriculum, planned for your family
Tell Kuraplan your children's ages and what you are studying. It builds the art lessons, worksheets and answer keys, sized for each child.
Homeschool art curriculum
Homeschool art curriculum: skills, artists and projects that fit a real week
Art is where many homeschools default to 'crafts on Friday if we get to it'. That is fine for a season, but a child who is taught to draw, look at paintings and try different media develops skills and a way of seeing that crafts alone do not give. The good news is that a real art curriculum takes one afternoon a week and very little money.
This guide separates the three parts of a good art program, skills, art history and free making, shows what each looks like by age, and compares the programs and free resources homeschoolers actually use.
Scope by age
What art looks like at each stage
Use this as a checklist, not a schedule. Children move through it at their own pace, and a strong year can cover two stages.
Early years and K–2
Ages 4–8- Process over product: exploring paint, clay, collage and crayon with no expected outcome.
- Drawing from observation begins: a leaf, a shoe, a family member, drawn slowly while looking.
- One artist a month: a print on the wall, a picture book about them, and a project in their style.
- Art vocabulary through use: line, shape, color, pattern, texture.
Grades 3–5
Ages 8–11- Drawing skills taught explicitly: contour, shading, proportion, simple perspective.
- Color theory with a color wheel the child paints themselves; mixing, warm and cool, complementary.
- Media rotation: watercolor, acrylic, pastel, printmaking, sculpture, one per term.
- Art history by period or movement, with picture study: look at a work for five minutes, then describe it from memory.
Grades 6–8
Ages 11–14- A sketchbook habit: daily or weekly drawing, dated.
- The elements and principles of design applied deliberately in projects.
- Longer projects across several weeks, with planning, drafts and a finished piece.
- Digital art and photography as media in their own right.
High school
Ages 14–18- A fine-arts credit is required for graduation in many states and expected by many colleges.
- Portfolio development if the student may apply to art programs; AP Studio Art or AP Art History for credit.
- Art history as a full course, or integrated with history and literature.
- Community classes, museum programs and online courses fill skill gaps a parent cannot teach.
A weekly rhythm that gets done
Homeschool art does not need a school timetable. This is what a sustainable week looks like for most families.
- How often
- 1–2 days a week
- How long
- 30 min (K–2), 45–60 min (3–8), 60–90 min (9–12)
One art afternoon a week that alternates between a skills lesson and a project, plus a five-minute picture study on another day. Keep materials in one box so the lesson starts in two minutes.
Honest comparison
Art programs homeschool families actually finish
Prices are approximate and change; check the publisher. We note worldview because it matters to families on both sides, not to recommend one.
| Program | Approach | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| ARTistic Pursuits Each lesson introduces a concept, an artwork and a project. Well organised; buy the art supply kit or source your own. | Neutral | About $50–$70 per book | A complete skills-plus-art-history program from preschool to high school |
| Drawing With Children (Mona Brookes) The five basic elements of shape and a method that produces real drawing skill quickly. One book covers years. | Neutral | About $15–$20 | Teaching a child (or yourself) to draw from observation |
| Home Art Studio (DVD or streaming) Grade-level video lessons with clear projects and supply lists. Kids follow along; the parent sets up. | Neutral | About $20–$30 per grade | Parents who want a video teacher to run the lesson |
| Meet the Masters Each unit studies one artist, teaches a technique, and ends with a project in their style. Multi-age. | Neutral | About $30–$60 per track | Art history and technique through famous artists |
| Art for Kids Hub and museum websites Art for Kids Hub is the most-used free drawing channel; the Met, National Gallery and Tate sites give high-resolution images for picture study. | Secular | Free | Guided drawing videos and free picture study |
Avoid these
Mistakes that make art harder than it needs to be
- Only doing crafts. Following instructions to make the same snowman as everyone else is not art education. Add drawing skills and looking at real art.
- Never teaching drawing. Many parents think it cannot be taught; Mona Brookes' book proves otherwise in a few lessons.
- Buying cheap supplies. Student-grade watercolours and real brushes cost a little more and make the difference between frustration and success.
- Skipping art history. Five minutes a week looking at one painting builds visual literacy that lasts.
- Making it a school subject with grades in elementary. Keep it joyful; assess by growth in the sketchbook, not marks.
Plan it with Kuraplan
How families use Kuraplan for art
You choose the program and the pace. Kuraplan makes the lessons, worksheets and answer keys that fit around it, for every child in the house.
Artist studies in a week
Name an artist and your children's ages. You get a short biography, three works to look at with questions, a project in their style with a supply list, and a notebooking page.
Skills lessons that build
Ask for a sequence of drawing lessons (contour, shading, perspective) and get a step-by-step plan with practice sheets.
Art tied to what you are studying
Studying Ancient Egypt or the rainforest? Ask for an art project that connects, so Friday art reinforces the week's learning.
One lesson. All your kids.
$49/yr flat, no per-child fees
Write one family lesson, then adjust the reading level, the practice and the response format for each child without rebuilding the day.
Art homeschool FAQ
What should a homeschool art curriculum include?
Three things: skills (drawing, color, media), art history (artists, movements, looking at real works), and free making. Most families do one afternoon a week that alternates between skills and projects, with a short picture study on another day.
What is the best homeschool art curriculum?
ARTistic Pursuits is the most complete program across all ages. Drawing With Children is the best single book for teaching drawing. Home Art Studio suits parents who want a video teacher, and Meet the Masters is strong on art history. Art for Kids Hub is the best free resource.
Do homeschoolers need art for high school graduation?
Many US states require a fine-arts credit, and many colleges expect one. A year of art with a sketchbook, a few finished projects and some art history, documented, meets the requirement. Music or drama can usually substitute.
I am not artistic. Can I teach art?
Yes. Use Drawing With Children and learn alongside your child, or let a video program teach the skill while you set up and encourage. Looking at art together requires no talent at all.
How do I teach art on a budget?
One good set of student watercolours, decent brushes, a sketchbook per child, pencils and cheap paper. Use Art for Kids Hub for drawing lessons and museum websites for picture study. Total cost under $50 a year.
Program details and prices change. Verify with the publisher before buying, and check your state's guide for what is required.
Your art year, in one place
Plan lessons, make printables and keep each child's finished work together for the records you choose to keep.
Plan with Kuraplan