If you are looking for some ideas and inspiration for home learning activities to do with your kids during lockdown, here is an activity my daughter enjoyed last week.

I wanted to introduce her to the world of art, beginning with Vincent van Gogh, so I planned a learning activity comprised of three parts:

Part 1 – Video about Vincent van Gogh
Part 2 – Questions
Part 3 – Practical painting activityIf you decide to try this learning activity at home, you can adjust it to suit your own children’s ages and needs.  This lesson plan need only act as a template; you don’t need to do all three parts, neither do you need to do all three parts on the same day.

Part 1

Watch the following Youtube video about van Gogh:

Part 2

Answer some questions about van Gogh (do adjust the questions so they are suited to your child’s age).

1. What was van Gogh’s first name?
2. van Gogh was ‘Dutch’. What does this mean?
3. Where did van Gogh live at the end of his life?
4. When did van Gogh do his best paintings?
5. Why were his paintings not popular when he was alive?
6. Name two of his most famous paintings.
7. What year did he die?
8. Give 3 adjectives to describe van Gogh’s paintings.

Part 3

Discuss van Gogh’s paintings with your child and look at some on the internet (or in a book if you have one).

Ask your child if they like any paintings in particular and why.  How do certain paintings make them feel?  What kind of mood does your child think van Gogh was in when he painted certain paintings?

Now it’s time for your child to enjoy some painting!  If they are older, ask them to try a painting in the style of van Gogh’s art work.  If they are younger, just let them at the paints and see what they create; hopefully, this home learning activity will have inspired them in some way!