Northern Lights Pastel Art Activity

This pretty northern lights art project is a great way to talk to kids about why the northern lights happen, color mixing, using pastels and more.

If you have a set of pastels already this is a quick prep activity you can do at home or in the classroom.

Check out all the details over at Taming Little Monsters. I’ll bet you’ll want to make one of these pretty projects yourself, too!

[Photo: Taming Little Monsters.]

Chalk Art Activity Play with Chalk to Make This Northern Lights Art

Why are guided art lessons important for Children?

Guided art instruction is important for children for several reasons:

It provides a structure for learning: Guided art instruction gives children a framework for learning and practicing new skills. This can help them to better understand and retain the information they are being taught.

It promotes creativity: Guided art instruction allows children to explore different art forms and techniques, which can help to encourage their own creativity.

It develops fine motor skills: Many art activities involve the use of small tools and materials, which can help to strengthen children’s fine motor skills.

It improves cognitive development: Art activities can help children to develop important cognitive skills such as problem-solving, spatial awareness, and visual-spatial intelligence.

It allows children to express themselves: Art is a powerful form of self-expression, and guided art instruction can help children to develop their own unique voice and style.

It can foster emotional and mental well-being: Engaging in art activities can be a great way for children to process their emotions and feelings. It can help them to relax and feel more calm, and boost their self-esteem and confidence.

It can be a way to learn about different cultures and historical context: Guided art instruction can also provide an opportunity for children to learn about different cultures and time periods through art history and techniques.

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Summer Reading Printables and Tips for Parents

The celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe is important throughout Mexico and other parts of the world. Her feast day is Dec. 12, and the celebrations honoring her appearance to Juan Diego in 1531 begin a few days before that.

Whether you celebrate yourself or just want to share about the celebration at home or in your classroom, Las Mañanitas: The Beautiful Celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a good place to start. The book, by Ernesto Joel Vega Rosales and Jeanette Gonzalez Seneviratne, with illustrations by Dana Sanmar, tells the story of a family’s celebration of the feast day in both English and Spanish.

They prepare with a novena, which is nine days of prayers and preparations. The children, Lucia and Pablo, are given special outfits made by their grandmother that look like what Juan Diego might have worn when he saw Our Lady. The book describes the prayers that are made each day, such as a prayer for respect for life, for families and for the indigenous people of the Americas, to name a few.

As told in the book, Juan Diego was a native Mexican born near modern day Mexico City. His given name was Cuaauhtlatoatzin, which means “He who speaks like an eagle.” When he converted to Christianity his name was changed to Juan Diego, and as he walked to church he passed a hill called Tepeyac. One day he heard the birds singing especially beautifully and a voice called him to go to the top of the hill.

There he saw Our Lady of Guadalupe, who asked him to tell the bishop she wanted a chapel built in her name at the foot of the hill. The bishop asked for a sign that Juan Diego really saw her, and later she had him collect flowers that she blessed and take them to the bishop. When Juan Diego dropped the flowers, an image of Our Lady could be seen on his cloak, which is still on display in her basilica to this day.

The feast day is celebrated as mañanitas, which includes singing, indigenous music and dancing, and children presenting flowers to Our Lady. Juan Diego is remembered today as being humble, brave and faithful, and was the first indigenous American made a saint.

The book is colorful and tells the story in a clear way, and it’s fun to have it both in English and Spanish if you teach Spanish or speak Spanish at home or in the classroom. It’s a great way to learn the basics of the celebration and the story of Juan Diego and why he is still remembered today.

About the book: 40 pages, paperback, published 2024 by Loyola Press. Suggested retail price $14.99.

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Have you read?

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