Modern Art for Kids: Hands-On Art and Craft Activities Inspired by the Masters

by Stephanie Ho Poon

Take a fun and engaging illustrated journey through modern art history, from Impressionism to Minimalism, to meet key artists and make crafts inspired by their work.

Modern Art for Kids , the debut book in the Art Stars series, is a charmingly illustrated hands-on guide packed with fun facts, amazing stories about the lives of artists , and arty-crafty activities for interactive learning. Filled with bite-sized summaries, the aim of this book is to inspire curious kids with interesting art topics and expose them to the freedom of creativity and the power of imagination.   

Explore these and more incredible artists and art
 
So journey through the ages, let your imagination run wild, and become an art star!
The Art Stars series introduces kids to the story of art through fun illustrated biographies of influential artists paired with simple hands-on activities inspired by their work. For thousands of years, people have been making and enjoying art. From miniature paintings to monumental sculptures, art is a universal language to express beliefs and feelings. Over the course of history, art historians have tried to organize all the different styles and types of art into movements. You don’t need to know anything about art to enjoy it, but learning the fascinating stories of artists and art movements will help you enjoy it even more.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction

128 pages, Paperback

Published April 25, 2023

Reviews

[Ankit Saxena · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is so much to learn from this book for children to start with. This is though introductory one, but still it can easily instigate in the kids to start their own workshop to learn for how to paint.

There are many painters covered based on their different styles of paintings. Claude Monet (Impressionism), Vincent van Gogh (Post-Impressionism), Sonia Delaunay (Orphism), Frida Kahlo (Surrealism) & Andy Warhol (Pop Art).
One can take it as a guide rather than a coffee table book.

My NetGalley reviews: https://www.netgalley.com/book/283696...

[Bevany · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book for those interested in art and wanting to share I with their kids. There are several artists featured throughout the book. A brief history is given along with some background on their type of art and one or two fun activities to help kids practice the type of art featured. My only takeaway would be that I wish there were pictures of the artwork of the featured artist instead of abstract background art.

[Ivonne Rovira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stephanie Ho Poon has penned the art book for children that art teachers didn’t know they needed. Starting with Impressionism and going through to Minimalism, Poon lays out more than a century of modern art in a way completely comprehensible to even 4- and 5-year-olds! Each movement features a representative artist or two and — best of all — an art project, often titled “Let’s Get Messy!” What a delight! The projects range from painting to collage to a Dream Box to a 3-D Frida flower crown to lollipops to even screen printing. Fabulous for parents and art teachers alike.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley, Quarto Publishing Group – Quarry and Quarry Books in exchange for an honest review.

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the kind of book the adult trying to read the book to the kids suddenly announces “forget the kids! Let me get to this real quick and it’s so good and I am learning things!”

Exactly. That adult is me when I read the advance reading copy. Thank you, Quarto Publishing Group - Quarry. I do find this book quite useful and informative. I do feel a bit underwhelmed by the cover but what matters most is the actual content at the end of the day.

Different kinds of art style/forms are explained as an introduction of the content which I really appreciate. Various prominent artists who started such art forms are introduced in between. Various related terms and materials are explained well. The entire book is colourful and fills your eyes/ mind with colours!

I don’t think I will ever get enough of this book! Will get more from rereading I am telling you!

[Jenny Blacker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. I've done various artist-based art activities with children and I'm always on the lookout for me, there are some lovely ideas in here. They range from easy to hard, and messy yo 'tidy' (is art with kids ever really tidy though?) and across a range of art movements.

There's a handful of well-known artists in here, and a few that I'd not yet come across, each explained nice and simply, which should give confidence to a non-arty adult

Highly recommended, can't wait to try some of the ideas myself!


I received an advance copy for free from NetGalley, on the expectation that I would provide an honest review.

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic book for kids and parents alike to help build an understanding and appreciation for art and artists. There is a variety of artists and I really like that the book takes the time to ask introspective questions while also offering hands on lessons. Some of the lessons are a little complicated so I am not sure what the age range is for the intended audience but I look forward to trying them all with my kids this summer and hopefully bringing some of them into a classroom with me next year. I received an Advance Review Copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

[Bridgette Klein · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a beautifully and thoughtfully crafted book. I love the opportunities to learn about the modern art movements, specific artists, and the activities to better understand the art discussed.

I would have loved the simple but thorough explanations in my college art history classes. The activities seem incredibly fun.

I can’t wait to dive into this more with my daughter.

Why 4 stars? As the mother to an (almost) 8 year old, this book would be a little difficult for her on her own. At this age, it’s much more a “guided together” type of book. Also, some of the activities require supplies that are not incredibly common (foam sheets) in many homes. Some planning ahead on a parents part can solve both of these.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity for the honest review.

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the idea of exposing kids to modern art and having them create their own works of art and craft that mimic the artist’s work. This book examines a dozen contemporary art styles including Impressionism, Pop Art and Fauvism, and for each style profiles one or more notable artists who worked I; that style. Each chapter also features craft projects that cleverly introduce children to the essence of the style - for example, making a button collage to imitate the pointillistic dots of Georges Seurat, or creating a Mondrian puzzle with colorful paper framed with black washi tape. The introduction suggests that the book is appropriate for younger children with adult help, and for kids over 6 by themselves. For me, the book and the exercises seemed most appropriate for children between 4 and 7 guided by an adult, it also seemed to me that to get the most out of the book, the adult should have a decent amount of knowledge about art and artists.

I have two issues with the book. First, the craft projects are clever, but they require a wide array of art tools and materials that most parents are unlikely to own. The Magritte project requires a kid sized bowler hat, a black suit and a green apple, and the Degas project uses a small bendable artist’s mannequin (which costs $10-$15). Even if parents were knowledgeable about art and perhaps had a variety of materials and tools already, most of these projects are far outside the realm of what might be practical for low income families.

Finally, there are no actual images of the art of the artists being depicted. I imagine this is for expense and copyright reasons, but what are the children learning if they cannot actually see the art? The illustrations are bright and fun, but I came away thinking that even children doing the exercises aren’t really learning about art styles at all. Certainly even a child that made a Frida Kahlo headdress would not be able to identify the real thing if they were to see it.

It’s a wonderful idea, but not well executed.

Thanks to the Quarto Publishing Group and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book which I received in exchange for my honest review.

[Nette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Modern Art for Kids is a MUST-HAVE book for home or for Art Teachers. Written by Stephanie Ho Poon, this is the debut book in the Art Series. The first update on Goodreads I posted about this book, I had already fallen in love with it, and so will you. I’ll tell you why below.

Hands-On Art and Craft Activities Inspired by the Master
The breakdown of this book is fantastic. Modern Art for Kids discusses the art movement, the Master, and then has the activity, which further details the how-to do the activity. Another plus you will enjoy is that it gives you a parameter on difficulty and messiness levels. That way you can plan out the activity based on the available time, considering how easy or messy Art time might get.

Art Movements
Stephanie Ho Poon created this fun art book that helps children discover art movements in a concept that considers the ages of those reading. The movements discussed in this book are Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, Orphism, Surrealism, Futurism, and Pop Art. Plus others for a total of 12 Art Movements discussed in this book.

Masters
Each art movement discusses a Master known for the movement in an illustrated biography. The author does not take away from it being an art and crafts book, the biographies are short and filled with important information to help the children understand and comprehend the movement and the artist’s work. The artists discussed within each art movement are Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh, Sonia Delaunay, Frida Kahlo, Edgar Degas, Henri Matisse, and Andy Warhol. This book includes 18 Masters with a mini-bio for each as a great way to introduce them to young minds.

Arts & Crafts
The activities created by the author in Modern Art for Kids include all the materials you will need. The materials can be mostly found around your house, or you can find alternatives to them easily. The crafts for each movement were brilliant, in my opinion. I loved the Paper Pond Lillies, Fruity Pebbles, and Delicious Lollipops. There are so many activities the ones I mentioned are just my favorite.

This book will surely inspire curious kids to think of art in a completely new way. Modern Art for Kids brings fun again to art. Giving the children enough information that will lead them to further be inspired to learn about more artists or art movements. The imagination wheels of our children will start stirring with the beautiful book Stephanie Ho Poon has created. I will be looking forward to any other book that comes out as a part of the Art Series.

[Shilo Quetchenbach · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very good and accessible introduction to the various movements of art within the modern art period. Each movement gets a brief overview and then an example artist or two, each of which also gets a brief overview. For example, Impressionism features Claude Monet and Edgar Degas.

Each artist is then followed by a project for kids to complete. Some make more sense than others, but most are interesting and look like fun. Some of the suggested projects are a bit strange, however. The project for surrealism under Rene Magritte is to have a grownup take a photo of you (the kid) in a suit jacket and bowler hat and biting an apple, and then to paste the photo onto a background of the sky. Which... obviously connects to Magritte's famous painting, but I feel like there is a better project out there to teach about surrealism. Also how many kids have suit jackets and bowler hats?

The layout of the book is easy to follow and full of vibrant colors and interesting compositions. The text is readily understandable while conveying a lot of information.

Overall this has a lot of good information about modern art and projects that look like they will be fun for kids to complete. I would recommend it to elementary-school classrooms and families.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group - Quarry Books for providing an early copy for review.

[Alicia Bayer · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were elements of this book that I really liked but other aspects left me really frustrated.

The biographies of the artists are short but successful and the art styles are very well explained. I also appreciate the diversity of the artists and the illustrations are great.

Each artist featured has a craft to go with it, and I wasn’t generally a fan of these. First off, I would prefer to do actual art with the kids in each artist��s style but these are all craft projects, generally suited to very young children with a lot of adult help. They tend to require a lot of materials and steps.

Also, there are no examples of the artists’ works and kids are likely to come away with no real idea of what their work actually looked like. Obviously you can do searches for examples to accompany the book but it was a disappointment.

The book shines in the biographies and background but you may want to preview it to see if the projects are good fits for your artists. You’ll also need to source examples elsewhere for each artist.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for access to a temporary digital copy of this book for review.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Loved this book which covers many of the important Modern Art movements and a few of the famous artists within each camp. This book will educate and excite young artists and parents alike. Simple projects and instructions follow each section and illuminate the concepts presented in the chapters:
Impressionism
Post-Impressionism
Vienna Secession
Fauvism
Orphism
Futurism
Dadaism
De Stijl
Surrealism
Abstract Expressionism
Pop Art
Minimalism

I thought I knew a lot about art, but I learned several terms I wasn’t familiar with (Vienna Secession and Orphism). My only comment is that the Cubism movement is mentioned, but not covered in this text.

Highly recommended for anyone who shares art with children.

[Joanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very well-planned and organised book to introduce art to children. The way the author starts by introducing different art movements and painters and then finishes off with an art activity for children to create a piece of art in the same style can help children feel connected to what they are learning.

The rationale behind the book lay out at the beginning of the book is also in tune with my own pedagogical belief. I whole-heartedly recommend this book to all parents.

[Bevany Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book for those interested in art and wanting to share I with their kids. There are several artists featured throughout the book. A brief history is given along with some background on their type of art and one or two fun activities to help kids practice the type of art featured. My only takeaway would be that I wish there were pictures of the artwork of the featured artist instead of abstract background art.

[Hayley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve never seen my daughter (9) so enthusiastic about art! She jumped straight into making the crafts and was able to complete the Monet water lilies by herself, she then ran out to the garden to collect pebbles for the Cezanne activity! I loved how we had most of the items around the house already. A lovely informative book with crafts for all ages, thank you Netgalley!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun book for kids to introduce them to different artists and some of their distinct styles. I enjoyed some of the project ideas, and I plan to use them with my students. The illustrations in the book are aesthetically pleasing, and the book is organized in a way makes it manageable to read and then create art.

[Leyla Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this book very much, it take a low key approach to the introduction of well known artist of the past (and modern) to children, by also encouraging the making of art, by using various mediums to depict these artist works.
This is a very fun book both for children and adults alike - add a little fun to learning. Thanks you NetGalley and the publishers for the DRC

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a quick guide on some famous modern artists and some of their most well known works. This also provides a fun aspect for kids as each artist inspired a creative activity for kids to turn these famous artists' work their own.

[Rachel Pendlebury · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley for the copy of this title for review.

A book with easy to follow and inexpensive projects that teach children styles and techniques of real historical artists like Andy Warhol and Frida Kahlo and gives summaries of different art movements that match the projects.

[Ruthieelisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG, I love this and the small pieces of information provided. I also love the different activities for each artist and the linking in back- I especially loved the Van Gogh part!!!

[Megan Pagett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book to introduce children to modern art through hands on activities. This would be a great resource for homeschooling.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good resource for homeschooling families or kiddos interested in art.

[Pattie · Rating 5 out of 5]

great fun for your young artist

Spend quality time together.Lots of fun for rainy/snow days and summer break. Easy to engage kids with these projects. Clear instructions.

[Elizabeth Mellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and Quarto Books for the ARC of this!

Art is something I don’t enjoy naturally, so I tend to feel like we’re not doing enough in our homeschool. This seemed like a good guide to some fairly easy projects to try and build a good relationship with art for my kids. I really like the guide at the top as to the difficulty AND the messiness.

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I accessed a digital review copy of this book from the publisher.
This book is full of craft projects based on artwork by modern artists. The art is divided by time and style. The projects are easy with clear instructions and plenty of pictures.