Everything you need to make ART and NATURE STUDY a fun and DOABLE part of your family’s life!
You know how important it is to get your children out in nature and you know the benefits of learning through art but the thought of actually doing it feels overwhelming.
You’re tired of spending hours trying to piece together your own nature study curriculum and you feel like you need to be an artist or some kind of expert to start.
You wish someone would just tell you exactly what you need, how to make it happen without a huge mess, and guide your family through each step.
What if you were able to sit down with your children TODAY and create beautiful works of art while effortlessly learning about nature?
Imagine that instead of spending hours researching curriculum, you could dive right into a resource that keeps ALL of your kids active, happy, and engaged. No matter the age.
Imagine feeling calm and open to connecting with your children as you sit together in nature and create art… without worrying about a huge mess or searching for the perfect project.
But so many things get in the way!
Supplies
Gathering and organizing supplies feels like a COMPLICATED task. Not to mention that it feels like a huge mess to clean up afterwards.
Time
The days are busy and long and you feel EXHAUSTED. You want to include art and nature study into your life but there never seems to be enough time.
Skills
Trying to find age-appropriate projects plus planning a lesson feels OVERWHELMING! There are too many options, you just don’t know where to start.
That’s why I created Nature’s Art Club!
You can learn and grow in both ART and NATURE STUDY and I can help!
As a mom of four littles, I know how overwhelming life can be and how many things beg for our attention. But, I’ve also seen the real difference studying nature and art has had on each of my children’s (not to mention, my own) happiness.
I want to make it EASY for you to experience this for yourself. I want to give you EVERYTHING you need to make art and nature time a success in your home. It is truly my heart and my passion!
You have questions…
- What is included in the Nature’s Art Club?
- What skills and supplies will my family need before starting?
- Painting, Drawing, and Nature Study feels like a lot. Can any age really do this?
I know there can be a lot of questions, especially if you are completely new to this. My team and I have tried to think of everything to make your time together in nature a success! Here’s what we have for you…
What’s Included
Watercolor Painting Tutorials
Multiple tutorials available for each season featuring subjects from nature. Each tutorial includes a step-by-step video tutorial, a watercolor outline to use for tracing (great for fine motor skills), plus a coloring page to print for non-painters.
Drawing Tutorials
Drawing tutorials of subjects in nature that are easy to follow for children and adults. Each lesson is broken down into simple terms in a follow along video tutorial format. We recommend these drawing lessons for ages 8+ but anyone can try!
Colored Pencil Tutorials
Colored pencil tutorials of subjects in nature that are easy to follow. Each lesson includes a reference photo and follow along video tutorial. We recommend these colored pencil lessons for ages 10+ but anyone can try!
Birding 101
Video tutorials designed to introduce you to the basic principles and practices of birding – the observation of birds in their natural habitats as a hobby. Each video highlights beautiful spots in nature, and gives instruction on how to watch and listen for birds at home.
Nature Journaling 101
A printable nature journal is provided along with video lessons on how to get started! You’ll also get our popular e-book A Gentle Guide to Nature Journaling. You’ll learn how to get even the most hesitant participant excited about Nature.
Nature Activites & Crafts
Over 50 EASY nature activities and crafts to help you and your kids make meaningful memories together in nature. Simple no-supplies-needed games, activities like How to Make Animal Track Molds… guaranteed fun for all ages!
Educational Materials
Each watercolor painting subject comes with a full page of fun facts. We’ve also curated a collection of brief, educational videos to view and enjoy. Simply click and start learning together!.
Poems
14 heart-warming, original poems that go with a seasonal theme and subjects in nature. Perfect to read and even memorize with your kids and pair with their paintings.
Supplies List
We’ve kept supplies to a minimum to make creating art easy and affordable for you! You’ll generally use the same set of supplies for each project – plus we give you no-mess alternatives to avoid the stress of clean-up with little artists.
Support
You’ll also get an invitation to our private Nature’s Art Club Facebook group (not required) where you’ll find support, meet other members from all over the world, participate in challenges & giveaways, and share your art and nature discoveries!
Here’s what others are saying….
We have LOVED Nature’s Art Club this year. Hannah is a fantastic teacher, the paintings are beautiful and doable (even for a complete beginner), and the great activities that go with each month are so fun that we keep learning more. Being part of Nature’s Art Club has brought our family so much joy. Thank you!
Chelsea Grigsby
Homeschooling mom of three (ages 12, 6, and 3)
It’s been so fun to learn about butterflies, snails, beetles, and other animals in Nature’s Art Club. I especially like how Hannah guides us to observe and ask “I wonder” questions.
Gabi
13 years old
I have loved spending time in nature with my kiddos, observing, drawing, painting, and collecting little treasures under the guidance of Hannah in Nature’s Art Club. This program is wonderful and has given us the perfect excuse to get out and really observe nature together. We love the ideas, information, prompts, poems, etc. that we have access to. Hannah is so talented and this program shows it!
Sofia Richman
Mom of three (ages 12, 11, and 8)
Your life BEFORE enrolling in Nature’s Art Club:
Your life AFTER enrolling in Nature’s Art Club:
Tell me more about what’s in Nature’s Art Club…
Watercolor Tutorials with Traceable Templates
Our video tutorials for painting 24+ subjects from nature include a watercolor template to use for tracing onto your watercolor paper. This way you can get right to painting without having to worry about the separate skill of drawing.
Drawing Nature Lessons for Beginners
We are offering basic drawing lessons with an emphasis on drawing objects in nature! Hannah will take you step-by-step through the drawing journey and give you tools to help you and your children feel successful and proud. Anyone can draw, let us show you how!
Colored Pencil Drawing Lessons
Featuring our new author, and nature biologist, Anna Stunkel, we are offering colored pencil tutorials. Anna will take you step-by-step through colored pencil lessons to create your own vibrant drawings. It will help you all to take your drawing skills to the next level and connect with nature through art.
Nature Journaling Classes and Resources
Nature journaling is a powerful tool for both scientific and self discovery! You can give your children (and yourself!) the gift of seeing the world in a new and beautiful way. Hannah has taught in-person nature journaling classes to hundreds of children and adults. She helps simplify nature study and will show you how to get even the most reluctant child excited about getting out to explore and record the natural world around them.
Nature Games, Crafts, and Activities
One of the best ways to get kids (and adults) into nature is to make it a game! The Nature’s Art Club includes over 50 (and counting) games, activities, and crafts. We’ve done the mental prep for you, so you can just read and execute. We can’t wait for you to see how excited your kids will be about nature time!
Coloring Pages
Painting can sometimes feel overwhelming (especially with littles) so we have provided a beautiful illustrated coloring page for each of the watercolor projects. This is a perfect activity to do while watching the videos provided or listening to a read-aloud. Littles can color while the older kids paint, or color all together. Great for coloring enthusiasts of all ages!
Birding 101
Learn birding basics from our favorite wildlife biologist, artist, naturalist, and environmental educator – Anna Stunkel! We have wonderful, new video tutorials to introduce our Nature’s Art Club members to several birding activities. You will learn how to use binoculars, identify birds by sight and sound, bird sketching, migration, and lots more!
Poetry, Videos, & So Much More!
There are SO MANY more resources just waiting for you in Nature’s Art Club: original poetry, educational video links, observation worksheets, loose parts lists, paintable bird calendar, phenology wheel template and tutorial….the list goes on and on! And we are adding more all of the time! Our goal is to give you EVERYTHING you need to make art and nature time a huge success!
Meet the Team
Hannah Stevenson
Hannah Stevenson is the artist and curator of all that you’ll see in Nature’s Art Club. She’s an artist, teacher, cheerleader, and mom to four. She’s passionate about helping families connect through art and nature. She writes about creativity, nature, intentional education, and mindful family life at LilyandThistle.com. She also makes paper dolls!
Anna
Anna is a wildlife biologist, artist, naturalist, and environmental educator. She has worked in a variety of settings including state parks, nature centers, remote seabird islands, mountaintops, and the Costa Rican rainforest and now she gets to share her incredible knowledge here with us in Nature’s Art Club! She will be sharing more about her expertise with colored pencil drawings, nature journaling, nature activities, and more!
B. Bugs Anderson
B. Bugs Anderson is a recovering lawyer who has loved writing poems and short stories for many years. “Bugs” is a nickname that came from a time in the 1950s when everyone had one, e.g. Wally, Dobie, Jughead, Fonzie and Opie. Since making up his first poem in the third grade, B. Bugs has loved the beauty, absurdity, humor, wonder and profundity that can be expressed in a few, well-chosen words. Now, as part of the Lily & Thistle team, he gets to indulge in something he has dreamed of doing for decades.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I access the Nature’s Art Club?
You will have access to everything in the Nature’s Art Club directly in Teachable. Teachable is an easy-to-use online learning portal that keeps track of your progress so you can easily start and stop at any time. You can access this course at the Lily & Thistle Teachable Creative Studio (https://lily-and-thistle-studio.teachable.com/courses/).
What kind of art supplies will I need to get?
I’ve spent months researching the best supplies at the best price point for beginners. I will give you a complete list with links for your convenience and suggestions of where to buy to get the best deals. I use the same set of supplies for all of the projects to make it easy, but also offer up options for the younger artists so you don’t feel like you are investing a ton in art supplies.
Can I use this with my whole family?
Yes! Each membership to the Nature’s Art Club is intended for one subscription per family. Simply login to the Nature’s Art Club on Teachable and begin to walk through the watercolor painting lesson with your kids, print out the additional materials, or learn more from the educational content provided.
What age group is this for?
The Nature’s Art Club can be adapted for all ages and stages! When creating this product we tried to imagine a mother sitting with her children around the kitchen table. The mother we imagined has an 12 year old and an 8 year old who really want to learn to paint and draw but also a 5 year old who is happy to color with crayons. She can decide to join in or to just let each child do their own thing. All of the items provided in the subscription can satisfy the needs of children at different stages of life – even teenagers (watercolor tutorials, drawing classes, templates to trace, coloring pages, etc.). She can also ask a child to share some of the included fun facts and they can watch the video links provided or they can all read the nature poem together. When they feel like going outside, there are also many nature journaling activities that everyone in the family can do together.
What is the time commitment required each week?
There are no required time commitments in the Nature’s Art Club. You can use it weekly, every other week, monthly, or however often you want. I would suggest giving yourself about 30 minutes to an hour to paint, draw, or color. The activities can be done in as little as 15 minutes. Use what works for you and make it last as long as you’d like. We’ve also curated a guided syllabus if you are interested in a little more structure.
Do I need art, painting, or drawing experience to enroll?
NO – and that’s the beauty of all of my courses! I make sure that everyone can be successful, no matter their art background. I provide templates for almost all of the painting projects and guide you through each step in the both the painting and drawing courses. If you already have some art experience these resources are also for you! You’ll further your education and provide an exploration of more drawing and watercolor techniques!
What kind of support will I get?
After signing up, you will get instant access to the Nature’s Art Club private Facebook group (though FaceBook participation is NOT required). Here you can ask questions, post discoveries and share with the private community. You can also always reach out to me via email if you have any pressing questions or concerns. I am here to help and cheer you on!
Does this course contain religious references?
For those families who use our course for home education, we want to be transparent about the religious connotations within our materials. In Nature’s Art Club we do include two separate poems related to our December watercolor subjects in nature (Holly & Partridge) – one poem is religious and the other is secular. Additionally there is a bonus watercolor Advent Calendar that include religious scriptures as an option to be added to the back of each day. We are firm believers in each family deciding what works best for them and not pushing any religious beliefs on others. Since our curriculum is pick-and-choose, you can elect not to use any material mentioned above and strive to provide other options for those who choose a secular style of home education. If you have any questions regarding the content in this curriculum, please feel free to reach out to us at support@lilyandthistle.com.
What is the refund policy?
We would never want you to be unhappy! If you are not satisfied with the Nature’s Art Club, please contact us within the first 30 days and we will provide you with a full refund.
Can I use this for a class or co-op?
Yes – this is the perfect resource for a class or co-op! There are pricing plans available for small, medium, and large groups. Small groups are one login access for use up to 5 families. Medium groups are one login access for use up to 15 families. Large groups are one login access for use up to 30 families. Your purchase is a one-time payment for 12-months of curriculum. Each year you would purchase a new curriculum package as this is a not an auto renewal. Please reach out to support@lilyandthistle.com and we can help you get access and get started. This curriculum would be perfect for homeschooling co-ops and other homeschooling groups.
