Somehow we mostly ended up taking this summer off from homeschooling, despite the fact that we usually school year round. As we prepare to start up again next month, I am focusing on what I will be doing with all my school-aged kids, but even more so, what I will keep my two little boys busy with while I work on lessons with the others. They are wild and crazy and very much into everything, so I need a plan! I like to find activities that they can do alongside their siblings, and as far as homeschooling goes, I often have younger children working at the kitchen table alongside the older kids. Art is my go-to activity. We’ve recently made some bedroom changes, and now Silas has a little spot for art in his bedroom too. He loves to draw and write, more so than any of my other children, and certainly more so than they did at his age. And Job usually likes to do whatever Silas is doing.
I teamed up with my longtime favorite, eco-friendly school and art supply shop, Stubby Pencil Studio, to stock up on supplies so that we will be ready for school days. Silas loves colored pencils, and watercolor pencils are always fun. We love these jumbo ones. I buy blank notecards for him to draw and paint on as a sturdier option than plain paper, without being as expensive as watercolor paper. Silas is also very interested in practicing his letters (not something my girls were really into at this age-every kid is different!) and he likes using the Laddie intermediate sized pencils.
I don’t typically give my younger children regular sized crayons because they break so easily, but Silas is at a place now where he can use them a bit more carefully, and lately he has really been enjoying getting to use these soy crayons. We have been using these for many years, and I keep a stash of them in my art supply drawer. I prefer crayon rocks for Job.
I haven’t purchased modeling clay in ages, but decided to give Plastilina clay a try with the boys. It held their attention for longer than I expected, and it will be an activity that I pull out when I am nearby to supervise. Scented markers are another new favorite of both Silas and my girls. They have spent hours drawing food-themed pictures with them!
If you are looking to stock up on art or school supplies yourself, Kate from Stubby Pencil Studio is offering one Small Things reader a $75 gift certificate! In addition save 15% off all orders through August 31 using the discount code GINNY15 at checkout. For your chances to win: leave a comment on this post and then enter via the Rafflecopter widget below. The winner is Lisa C.!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
I’ve been thinking about replacing our art supplies with more natural versions, and this would be a great chance to get started. I’m thankful to have a sunroom to set up the kids’ art stuff in so it doesn’t (usually) end up all over the house!
Thanks for the chance. The art supplies look wonderful!
wonderful products! we love stubby pencil.
Thanks for the chance to win! I haven’t tried Stubby Pencil Studio yet, but as a fellow homeschooling mama and Wadorf teacher I would love to give them a try.
My daughter would love this!
We’ve been using blank notecards for years. My daughter would cut small squares out of regular paper and discard the big pieces that I would find later, always slightly too creased to use. Notecards are so much better. Sometimes she makes her own blank books from note cards, washi tape over staples makes a pretty binding.
Beautiful art supplies! Thanks for the chance to win!
If we can get lucky enough to win, my girls would go crazy. We love art! Thank you
Love Stubby Pencil, such a great company!!
I haven’t ordered since my older kids were little, but now my littlest is ready.
Art is a great way to keep little boy hands engaged and my two boys are so different too. My youngest could draw for hours and my oldest only draws plans when he needs them.
Your boys are so sweet being friends!!!
What a lovely giveaway!
Thank you!
Love their stuff! My girls would love to pick out stuff themselves.
I’d love to win, the only full set of crayons we have is a set of stockmar, which someone managed to break a few of.
Art projects are never something I think of pulling out when my littles are distracting the big kids from our lessons because, messy. I need to toughen up. It’s not like they aren’t dumping something out and making a mess elsewhere if I leave them unsupervised for too long 🙂
I also love the idea of blank index cards for painting. I bought my bigger two boys each a blank book-bound sketch pad to corral their prolific drawings which has worked very well for that purpose, but the paper isn’t really thick enough to take watercolors. And also the bunk room looks great! I think we need more pictures 🙂
What a lovely giveaway – thank you!
What lovely supplies!
so many sweet items! thanks!
Fantastic! Am slightly panicked on how to entertain my littles this year. Thanks for the offering!
Thanks for your thoughts on little ones during school time, and thanks for the give-away!
My grandson and I would have so much fun shopping Stubby Pencil and creating with the items we choose.
We love Stubby Pencil Studio, too. Thanks for the chance!
The Stubby Pencil Studio is my favorite place to buy gifts for children! Thanks for the giveaway chance.
I just placed an order with Stubby Pencil. Should have waited another week 😉
Wow, this would be great for my art- loving kids!!
I would love this, thanks for the giveaway
I’ve been looking for a non-toxic plasticine! Thanks for the resource.
Love the beautiful things from Stubby Pencil!
What a great shop, my kids would love some new art supplies 🙂
I would love to try some of these items for my grandkids!
We ordered some Christmas gifts last year from SPS. We love their stuff!
I didn’t know about this site either – thanks for the heads up, and for the chance to win!
Oh yeah! Absolutely petrified (in some moments) of homeschooling my very intense first grader this year with three active littles in a very small house through a Canadian winter. Thank you Stubby Pencil!
I love stubby pencil. Great company, wonderful products. I have a 4 year old and 2 year old to entertain while I teach big kids. The Plastilina looks like something I’ll try.
A generous offer for that first week of homeschooling too;-)
thank you for the chance ! I’d love to win the certificate for my two little ones !
I need something to keep my 4 and 2 year old busy while I work with my oldest doing homeschool. This would be perfect!
I literally have a Sharpie in had and am making a shopping list for school supplies. I would love to provide my kids with more beautiful art resources!
Something about the start of school and fresh crayons that is so exciting!!!!! Stubby Pencil is themost wonderful site!
I have never heard of this place before but they have many items my kids would really like after browsing their site.
We start our school again in 2 short weeks. I’d love to stock our art supplies with some new beauties.
We’re starting up in just a few weeks. I would love to win this. Thanks!
I love stubby pencil studio. I ordered not that long ago but I’m going to order again to take advantage of the discount. Thanks!
I would love to win this for my little ones!
Thanks for the chance to win this prize. The rock crayons look good enough to eat 🙂 maybe that’s just me…
Love that he is so into art!!!
Thanks, Ginny! I’m getting more and more nervous about starting lessons again with my handful of a Luke and the three month old around. It’s be lovely to win something that might keep at least one of them occupied a little bit!
Love stubby pencil. Thank you!