We make teaching art easier.
Welcome to KinderArt®, we are so glad you dropped by!
We offer free (classroom-tested) art lesson plans that teachers and parents can use to teach their students and children. In addition, we have a large list of useful art education articles and tips.
KinderArt® was developed in 1997, because we think art should be an important part of any home or school curriculum, and if there are easy-to-follow lessons with readily available materials, it makes the lives of artists, teachers and parents much easier.
We (Andrea and Jantje) are artists and art teachers who have taught in public and private school classrooms, public art galleries, our own art studio and for homeschooling groups. In fact, together we’ve taught (in person) more than 5500 children and more than 15000 adults. Whew!
History of KinderArt ®
KinderArt® was created in 1997. At the time, my mother Jantje and I were leading Saturday morning workshops at a local art gallery. One day we decided to look online see if there were any resources for lesson plans — specifically, art lesson plans — and found that there were very few. Not long before, we had made the move into “Cyberspace” by placing our Art Studio business online. So, along with that, we created what was at that time a modest resource for art teachers, with about 20 lessons.
The name KinderArt® came a few months later and it didn’t take long for people to discover us.
As more and more people started coming, it became clear that there were many artists, teachers and parents who, like Jantje and I, were on the lookout for new ideas that didn’t cost a fortune to try with a full classroom of 30 students. So, we continued to build the site, adding quick lessons as well as more in-depth drawing, painting, printmaking, and sculpture studies. Our main concern was to offer ideas that make use of readily available materials that most parents and teachers have at home or in their school supply cupboards. Eventually, those who were visiting the site wanted to share their ideas as well, and so, the site continued to grow and grow.
KinderArt ® Today
Today, 20 years later, KinderArt® is the largest collection of free art lessons on the Internet. What began in 1997 as a few helpful ideas for teachers and parents, has since grown into an enormous collection of resources featuring thousands of tried and tested free lesson plans, ideas and resources which have been contributed by people from around the world. A truly interactive experience, KinderArt® provides an opportunity for parents, educators, artists, students and kids (of course) to have fun while exchanging ideas, finding information, conducting research and learning new things… all in one place.
The goal of KinderArt® has been and always will be, to make art lessons and educational information accessible to people around the world. In addition to the thousands of free art lesson plans, we offer printable activity pages, the art kitchen, educational links and articles, early childhood education resources and much more. Everyone who visits KinderArt® is encouraged to share their experiences, questions, comments and ideas. The result? A wonderful variety of lesson plans and educational tips.
All of this thrills us, of course, because it means that children world-wide are taking part in life-changing activities that will shape their futures.
Looking to get in touch? Visit our Contact Page.
KinderArt® is a Registered Trademark in the USA and Canada and as such may not be used without consent.
Please Note: We at KinderArt.com are NOT affiliated with any organization or individual, in any country, offering KinderArt® classes or workshops. Organizations or individuals offering KinderArt® classes or workshops, are doing so without the endorsement of KinderArt.com.
ANDREA MULDER-SLATER
KinderArt® Creator, Instructor, Writer and Web Producer
I’m an artist, writer and art educator who has been involved in teaching and writing about art since 1993.
In addition to leading art and art history classes and workshops at the elementary, secondary and post-secondary levels, I’ve also worked as a curriculum designer and educational consultant on various art education projects. Together with my mom Jantje, I created KinderArt® in 1997 and today I continue to write content for the site as well as do the web work required to keep KinderArt® online. I’m also a freelancer for YMC, CBC, WDish, Today’s Parent, Creatubbles and more. I live by the sea with my husband, mom and 8 year old daughter, who I homeschool. Finally, I received my Fine Arts Diploma from Georgian College and am working towards obtaining my BFA in my “spare” time.
JANTJE BLOKHUIS-MULDER
KinderArt® Creator, Instructor and Writer
Jantje Blokhuis-Mulder is an artist and arts advocate with years of experience working with children of all ages including those with special needs.
Jantje loves working with young people and sees the enormous impact art makes on the lives of children. She is passionate about arts education and is personally responsible for the creation of an innovative outreach program at a public gallery where she served as director. This program ensures that all children in her local community have the opportunity to study art. Jantje, together with Andrea, created KinderArt® in 1997. Today she continues to develop content for the site as well as answer visitor questions.
GEOFF SLATER
KinderArt® Illustrator
Geoff is an accomplished Canadian artist.
In addition to creating images using watercolour, acrylic and graphite, he also makes prints using woodblock, intaglio and lithograph techniques. His unique style of painting (which he invented ten years ago) is known as “Amaze Art” or line painting. These are images that are created using one continuous line. He is also a muralist who creates large scale outdoor art.
In addition to working with at-risk youth (replacing ritalin with paintbrushes), Geoff creates many of the wonderful illustrations and black line coloring pages you see within the KinderArt® pages.
He studied landscape design at Fanshawe College, fine art at Georgian College and printmaking under a master printer. His work is collected worldwide.
HANK MULDER (1939-2009)
KinderArt®’s Inspiration
Hank was Jantje’s husband, Andrea’s father, Geoff’s father-in-law and friend and Jannique’s grandpa. He left us far too soon on February 25, 2009.
Hank was a computer specialist, web designer and all around cool guy. Without him, KinderArt.com would not exist… he taught Andrea everything she knows about web design and he was always 100% supportive of our efforts — artistic and otherwise.
He was, and will always be, our inspiration. Hank, Dad… we love you and miss you.