More creativity for them. More confidence for you.

Meaningful, hands-on learning your kids can see, create, and actually remember.

Art Makes Me Smart is an open-and-go curriculum library that connects art with science, geography, history, music, nature, math, literature, and more. So you can spend less time piecing learning together…and more time learning with your kids.

EXPLORE THE MEMBERSHIP
  • A girl sitting at a dark brown wood table with a painting in front of her of a dragon shaped viking boat. The boat is a light brown color with the tail at the left side and the head of the dragon on the right side. In the middle of the boat are three circle shields one with a blue cross in the middle of it with a round red dot in the middle of the cross. Next to it is the shield with four checkers on it with two green and two yellow squares. The last shield has a red dot in the middle of it and squiggly lines coming out of it. Covering the whole top of the middle of the boat is a sticking out paper that forms a mast that has red and white stripes with blue lines on the edges of the red stripes. Also on the brown wooden table is scissors, various colors of makers, a jar of water, a stack of papers, and two papers next to the painting.There are also three mini flags of various countries
  • Girl watercoloring lighthouse on rocks by ocean scene with stormy sky. The light house is white with the roof being black and the windows having light coming out. This is on a dark wood table with a watercolor palette, jar of water, tape roll, organizer with paintbrushes, and art makes me smart maine packet next to it.

See what art-first learning looks like.

Sometimes it’s easier to show you than explain it.

When creativity leads, curiosity follows.

TAKE A LOOK INSIDE
A boy is crafting three paper Koi fish. One Koi fish is light pink, the other is blue with a yellow tail, and the third koi fish is orange with a green tail. The pink koi fish has red, blue, purple, yellow, and pink pastel outlines. The blue koi fish has blue, white, and pink outlines. And the orange koi fish has black, green, white, and orange outlines. Each are whole punched near the top with either light blue or dark blue string strung through. This is all done on a dark wood table with a pastel palette, scissors, yarn, hole puncher, and mini flag next to it.
  • A picture two designs of pastel mosaic creatures. One design is a mosaic fish with orange, light blue, dark blue, and purple colors. The other is a mosaic insect with orange green and blue colors. Next to these two prints is a watercolor palette and a stack of papers.

Maybe you’ve already noticed this.

Your child rushes through a worksheet... but remembers the hands-on project months later.

They lose interest in a lesson...
but light up when they can draw, build, listen, explore, or create.

And you want more of that.

The problem?
You don't have hours to research resources, gather supplies, and piece together meaningful learning yourself.

You want learning to feel rich and meaningful...
without making more work for you.

  • Two boys sitting at a dark wood table. The boy on the left has a red shirt and the boy on the right has a striped green shirt. On the table is a watercolor of a organ, a reference page with labels of that same organ, another page with another organ system paper, a watercolor palette, another watercolor painting, paper towels, paintbrushes, scissors, and a box of colored pencils

Sometimes art is the way in.

Creative learning isn't something you have to squeeze in after the "real" schoolwork is finished.

Art helps children notice, wonder, experiment, make connections, and understand ideas in a way they can see and experience.

Science can become something they create.
Geography can become a place they can imagine.
Music can become a story.
History can become a person they care about.

  • Family at table drawing various designs of Russian nesting dolls on paper with markers and pencils. On the table are examples of Russian nesting dolls on papers with a mini Russian flag on the table.

Learning can feel joyful and still be deeply meaningful.

And sometimes the child who resists one way of learning just simply needs another way in.

  • On a dark wood table a girl is drawing on a design that has a blue paper background with a drawn on woman in an old french aristocratic dress wearing earrings. She is shown from her shoulders up taking over most of the paper. She also has lots of paper scrolls glued on for her wig. Next to her is a design that has an orange paper background with a drawn man in old french aristocratic clothing shown from his chest up also taking over most of the paper with glued on white paper scrolls for his wig. Next to the designs on the table are strips of white paper, scissors, a glue stick, a mini French flag, and a pastel crayon pallet.
  • Boy watercoloring the smoke and lava of a volcano. The smoke is light blue, purple, and orange colors. The rock or base of the volcano is glued on with black paper. This is done on dark wood table with watercolor palette, stack of colored paper, jar of water, paintbrushes in organizer, and art makes me smart hawaii packet next to it.


I wanted to personally thank you for how well you break everything down, my 12 and 10-year-olds were engaged and it made sense to them as well as me! Thank you so much!

CHANDA L.
  • Girl watercoloring sunflower on dark wood table. Next to her are real sunflowers, an art makes me smart sunflower watercolor packet, jar of yellow watercolor water, and various pages from the art makes me smart packet.
  • Kid watercoloring natural arch with orange color. In the background is white, blue, and brown mountains. In the sky is teal blue watercolor. This is being painted on a wood table with a watercolor palette, a jar of water, a container of colored markers, a tray of markers and pencils and paintbrushes, and a utah packet

You don’t have to build it all yourself.

That’s exactly why we created Art Makes Me Smart.

Inside the membership, you’ll find a growing curriculum library filled with in-depth courses, themed unit studies, individual lessons, and hands-on projects—all built around our art-first approach to learning.

Some resources can carry an entire area of study.
Others can bring more life, creativity, and connection to curriculum you’re already using.

We’ve done the research.
We've created the projects.
We've organized the resources.

Now you get to focus the good part: learning, creating, and discovering together.

EXPLORE THE MEMBERSHIP
  • Bold letters in all caps with various colors saying art makes me smart. On top of this in smaller black text on the screen it says an art first approach to learning tm. At the bottom of the art makes me smart in black swirly font and all caps it says membership.
  • A girl and a woman standing outside by greenery. The girl is wearing a red dress with swirl and flower designs. She is holding a blank book with a blue pressed flower and flower petal in it. The woman next her is looking and wearing a white shirt with a tassle necklace

Because it has to work on a normal Tuesday.

Not just the rare homeschool day when everyone is cheerful, organized, and somehow not asking for a snack. 😉

  • Woman sitting in grey and white chair with girl in her lap. They are both looking through a book. Next to them on a wooden desk is a stack of more books

Using Art Makes Me Smart can be as simple as...

Choosing what fits

Dive into a full curriculum, begin an in-depth unit study, follow an interest, or choose one lesson that complements what you’re already learning.

Gathering your supplies

You’ll know what you need before you begin.

Learning together

You don’t have to be the expert. You get to discover alongside your kids.

Moving at your family's pace

Work through something from beginning to end—or pull from the library whenever it serves your homeschool.

There's no one "right" way to use it.

SEE WHAT'S INSIDE
  • A watercolor of a big hexagon beehive. Inside of the beehive hexagons are outlines of little measured flower shapes. This is on a wood table with ruler, t shaped ruler, paper towel, jar with water in it, paint palette, and a girl in a pink shirt sitting at the table and painting it

Maybe homeschool feels like this right now…

  • “I keep saving great ideas but never have time to use them.”
  • “I want art, music, nature, and literature in our homeschool, but they keep getting pushed aside.”
  • “I’m tired of piecing together so many different resources.”
  • “My kids finish the work…but I’m not sure it’s really sticking.”
  • “I don’t want to buy another beautiful curriculum we barely use.”
  • “I'm worried my creative child isn’t being fully engaged—or my not-so-into-art child might be missing out.”
  • “I'm looking for something that invites everyone in, regardless of their strengths or preferences.”
  • “I long to enjoy homeschooling again. I didn’t choose this path to feel constantly behind, frazzled, or uninspired.”

Imagine this instead…

  • I feel confident and supported. No more late-night lesson planning or Pinterest rabbit holes. Everything I need is ready to use—simple, clear, and stress-free.
  • We have one home base for creative, meaningful learning across subjects—art, music, science, history, math, and more. Instead of juggling a dozen programs, we’ve got one simple place for hands-on projects that connect learning in real, memorable ways.
  • My kids are actually excited about what they’re learning (and I'm kind of shocked at how much they’re remembering)! When kids create, they retain. Art sparks curiosity, and suddenly learning sticks—without anyone feeling forced.
  • I can adapt everything to fit our day—whether we have 15 minutes or a full afternoon. With flexible lessons, we can squeeze in creativity when it works best for our family.
  • I'm no longer stressed about "fitting in" enrichment. It’s naturally woven into our rhythm—and it feels life-giving.
  • Our family is connecting more—through shared creativity, conversation, and discovery.
  • I’ve reclaimed the joy of homeschooling. Not because it’s perfect—but because now, it’s deeply meaningful.



Let me tell you, it was the perfect way to ease back into school after a long weekend of fun. My kiddos didn't even realize they were doing math! And the way the art lesson was incorporated was great. I really appreciated the lessons already planned out for both young & older children so mom didn't have to think!

Michelle s.

The good stuff happens while you’re learning together.

You'll probably feel right at home here if...

  • Your kids engage more deeply with hands-on or creative learning.
  • You’re teaching multiple ages or learning styles.
  • You want art, music, nature, culture, and meaningful experiences to have a real place in your homeschool.
  • You want substantial learning resources without building everything yourself.
  • You’d love the flexibility to use a full curriculum in one area and individual lessons or unit studies in another.
  • You believe learning can be joyful and still have depth.
  • You want your kids to feel capable, curious, and connected.

This probably isn't the right fit if...

  • You want one rigid, grade-by-grade program that dictates every subject and every page of your homeschool day.
  • You want every subject to stay completely separate.
  • You prefer every child to work in exactly the same way.
  • You’re looking for a highly structured school-at-home approach with one prescribed sequence for every child.
  • Two boys wearing handmade South African style masks with one boy peeking out of mask and smiling. One mask with bright yellow, red, green, brown, pink, and white colors on a black background and the other mask of the boy peeking out with red, green, yellow, and orange bright colors on a brown background. Behind the boys is a banner of hand drawn international flags hung up on the wall.

There are many beautiful ways to homeschool.

Art Makes Me Smart is for families who want creativity at the heart of meaningful learning.

This is for us, I'm ready
  • Two kids sitting at a wood table. Each of them has a blue paper in front of them with green stems and leaves cut out and taped on the paper. On the end is a cut out brown middle with cut out yellow petals around the middle. One of the papers has one sunflower on it and the other has two. Also on the table are bits of these cut out sunflower pieces, glue sticks, scissors, another 3d sunflower reference page, and a book with a painting of a sunflower on it titled sunflower seeds

So, what's Inside the Membership?

Inside Art Makes Me Smart, you’ll find full curriculums, in-depth unit studies, and individual lessons across a wide variety of subjects—all connected through our art-first approach to learning.

Some families use these resources as a core part of their homeschool.
Others use them alongside curriculum they already love.
Most probably do a little of both.

Join over 1,700 families who have made art-first learning
part of their homeschool using Art Makes Me Smart.

Composer Studies

Music becomes more meaningful when kids know the stories behind it. Our composer studies help children explore famous composers through listening and simple, creative activities—making classical music feel approachable and enjoyable.

  • Hildegard von Bingen
  • Josquin des Prez
  • Antonio Vivaldi
  • Johann Sebastian Bach
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
  • Pyotr Ilyich Tchiakovsky
  • Frederic Chopin
  • Elizabeth Cotten
  • John Williams
  • Robert and Richard Sherman

Anatomy Adventures

Anatomy Adventures makes it simple to teach the human body in your homeschool. With open-and-go lessons and hands-on activities, kids can explore anatomy in a way that’s both meaningful and manageable. Includes all the human body systems!

  • Circulatory System
  • Digestive System
  • Endocrine System
  • Immune System
  • Integumentary System
  • Muscular System
  • Nervous System
  • Reproductive System
  • Respiratory System
  • Skeletal System
  • Urinary System

Sensory Adventures

Sensory Adventures invites kids to explore the world through their five senses. With hands-on activities and simple lessons, children discover how they experience the world in a way that feels playful and meaningful, and of course...with art!

  • The Sense of Hearing
  • The Sense of Taste
  • The Sense of Smell
  • The Sense of Sight
  • The Sense of Touch

Nature Studies

Nature Studies makes outdoor learning simple. With nature journaling, bird studies, crafts, and more, kids can explore, observe, and create—all in a way that fits naturally into your homeschool rhythm.

  • Backyard Birds (Study Guide and 12 watercolor tutorials)
  • Birding 101 (Including Introduction to Bird Identification, Birding By Ear, Sketching Birds in the Field)
  • Nature E-book
  • Printable Nature Journal
  • Creating a Sit Spot
  • Sound Maps and Spectrograms
  • Building Homes in Nature: Fairy House, Brush Pile, and Toad Adobe
  • Insect Hotel
  • Making a Birdfeeder
  • Animal Track Molds
  • Setting Up a Moth Sheet
  • How to Respect Nature
  • Simple Ways to Help the Environment
  • Snakes, Insects, and Spiders
  • What If I Find an Animal That Needs Help?

Imaginative Play

Imaginative Play makes it easy to add creativity to your day. With simple story scenes inspired by popular nursery rhymes, kids can engage in open-ended play that builds language, imagination, and confidence.

  • Paper Doll Camp - 7 days of creating your own paper dolls
  • Paper Dolls (hundreds of dolls and outfits including Girls Around the World, Girls in Literature, Boys in Literature, Century of Fashion, Girls in Sports, Boy Bundle, Seasons Bundle and the Paper Dolls Coloring Book)
  • Hey Diddle Diddle
  • Hickory, Dickory, Dock
  • Humpty Dumpty
  • I'm a Little Teapot
  • Itsy Bitsy Spider
  • Little Bo Peep
  • Little Jack Horner
  • Little Miss Muffett
  • Old Macdonald Had a Farm
  • Three Blind Mice
  • Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

Around the World

Around the World helps kids explore different countries and cultures in a simple, engaging way. Through hands-on activities and creative learning, children discover how people live around the globe.

  • Egypt
  • Madagascar
  • South Africa
  • China
  • India
  • Japan
  • Thailand
  • Turkey
  • France
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Ireland
  • Italy
  • The Netherlands
  • Portugal
  • Russia
  • Scandinavia
  • Spain
  • United Kingdom
  • Argentina
  • Brazil
  • Canada
  • Mexico
  • Australia
  • Polynesia
A wooden table with a art makes me smart paper booklet that has a self portrait of vincent van gogh on the cover. Next to this booklet is a printed out image of a vincent van gogh painting of sunflowers in a glass vase on a wooden table. In front of both of these is a hand drawn replica of the sunflower painting on a small canvas with pastel chalk. Also on the table are various colors of pastel chalk

Discover Artists

Discover Artist Studies introduces kids to well-known artists in a way that feels creative and approachable. Through simple activities and exploration, children learn about different styles while creating their own art.

  • Vincent van Gogh
  • Carl Larsson
  • Beatrix Potter
  • Leonardo da Vinci
  • Mary Cassatt
  • Currier and Ives
  • Henri Matisse
  • Claude Monet
  • William and May Morris
  • Pablo Picasso
  • Henri Rousseau
  • Johannes Vermeer

Art Classes

Our Art Classes bring structured creativity into your homeschool. With beginner-friendly watercolor lessons, a hands-on Colors Course, and more, kids can learn new skills while enjoying the process of creating.

  • Colors Course
  • Watercolor for Beginners
  • Introduction to Landscapes
  • Drawing Nature
  • Modern Watercolor Basics
  • Loose Florals
  • Christmas Cards and art projects
  • Additionally, Over 60 Watercolor Tutorials included in Unit Studies

United States Study

Take your homeschool on a journey across the United States. Roadtrip Around America invites kids to explore each state through creative, hands-on learning that makes geography feel meaningful and memorable.

  • Travel through all 50 states with meaningful art projects
  • Learn about famous landmarks and people from each state
  • Map work
  • Get a taste of each state with delicious recipes
  • Conduct experiments with STEM activities relative to the state
  • A bonus study on our nation's capital, Washington D.C.

Want the full tour?

If you’re the kind of person who wants to see exactly what you’re getting before you decide…
I made this for you.


I’ll walk you through the membership section by section so you can see what’s inside,
how it’s organized, and how you might use it in your own homeschool.
Make some tea.
Fold some laundry.
Or skip around to the parts you care about most. 🙂

I'M READY TO SEE MEMBERSHIP OPTIONS

Still wondering...

"I'm not artistic."
You don't need to be. Step-by-step guidance lets you learn right alongside your kids.
"I have several ages."
That’s okay. Many resources let children explore the same idea at their own level.
"Will we actually use it?"
You don’t have to use everything—or use everything the same way. Work through a full curriculum, choose an in-depth unit study, or pull out one lesson when it fits what you’re learning.
"My child says they don’t like art."
They’re still invited. Art-first learning can include building, mapping, stories, music, science, nature, and more.
"Is this really meaningful learning?"
Yes. These aren’t simply art projects. Depending on the resource, your kids may be studying science, geography, history, math, music, literature, culture, nature, and more—with art helping bring those ideas to life.
"Will this add more work?"
It’s designed to do the opposite. We’ve done the research, curriculum creation, and planning so you don’t have to start from scratch.

Choose what works for your family.

One membership gives your family access to a a growing curriculum library filled with in-depth courses, themed unit studies, individual lessons, and hands-on projects.

All built around our art-first approach to learning.

Find the membership option that feels right for your family.

MONTHLY MEMBERSHIP

$40 $35

Renews every month
Limited Time Offer to save an extra $5 per month!
Flexible access that works for your family, cancel anytime
enroll in MONTHLY membership

YEARLY MEMBERSHIP

$400 $280

Renews annually
Limited Time Offer to save an extra $120 on the yearly plan!
Purchase annually and save the cost of 3 months with this deal!
enroll in
YEARLY membership

LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP

$997 $850

One-time payment
Limited Time Offer to save $147 today!
Get access to everything added to the Membership for life
enroll in lifetime membership

Try it with your actual kids.

Not imaginary, perfectly cooperative homeschool kids.

Yours. 🙂
Join.
Look around.

Open a curriculum, unit study, or lesson that interests you.
Try it at your own kitchen table.

You have 14 days to decide if Art Makes Me Smart is right for your family.
If it isn’t what you hoped for, contact us within the refund period and we’ll make it right.
No guilt.

We want this to be a true yes for your family.

come create and learn with us



Lily and Thistle has provided an easy stress-free way for the whole family to enjoy making art with beautiful results. You have given all of us the courage to try a new experience and also the confidence to continue creating. Thank you so much!

Caryne D.

Frequently Asked Questions

Art Makes Me Smart is a searchable, self-paced curriculum library built around an art-first approach to learning.

Inside you’ll find everything from full curriculums and in-depth unit studies to individual lessons covering art, geography, science, nature, history, music, math, culture, and more.

Most projects are especially well suited for ages 6+, with younger children often joining with help and older children taking ideas further.

Definitely as curriculum.

Some resources inside are full curriculums, while others are in-depth unit studies or individual lessons that work beautifully alongside what you’re already using.

You might use one of our full curriculums as a core part of your homeschool, dive into an in-depth unit study around something your kids are curious about, or use an individual lesson to bring another subject to life through art.

There’s no one “right” way to use the membership.

You can let Art Makes Me Smart carry as much—or as little—of your homeschool as fits your family.

Many lessons use familiar supplies like watercolor, crayons, markers, pencils, paper, scissors, and glue. Some projects you'll be introduced to new supplies, but we've got you covered.

We provide detailed budget-friendly supply lists with convenient links to all the required materials. So, whether you're utilizing familiar tools or trying out new techniques, you'll be well-prepared.

Yes. Many studies allow different ages to explore the same topic together at their own level.

Of course! We have special access packages just for you! Choose a 6-month or 12-month plan and decide whether you’d like access for all participating families or just for you as the facilitator.

  • Small Group Co-Op (3-5 families)
  • Medium Group Co-Op (6-10 families)
  • Large Group Co-Op (11-20 families)
  • Facilitator Access Only (Any group size)

To learn more and get your custom pricing, reach out to our team at support@lilyandthistle.com. We’re here to help!

If you’re on a monthly or yearly plan, you’ll keep your access to everything in the Membership until you cancel. If you choose the Lifetime plan, you’ll keep access to the Membership and everything inside it!

Yes! You’ll be part of our private online community inside the Mighty Networks app, where you can ask questions, share your family’s work, and get encouragement from our team and fellow members. Whether you’re feeling unsure or celebrating a big win, you’ll have a whole community cheering you on.

We want Art Makes Me Smart to fit seamlessly into your homeschool life. That’s why we offer flexible subscription options, one simple price per family!

Choose the plan that works best for you:

  • Monthly Membership – $40 $35 per month (save $5 per month)
  • Yearly Membership – $400 $280 per year (save $120 on annual plans)
  • Lifetime Membership – $997 $850 one-time payment (that's $147 in savings!)

No matter which option you choose, your entire family gets full access to the Membership as long as you are a member!

All Memberships renew automatically, except for the Lifetime Access Membership, which is a one-time payment. All automatic renewal Memberships can be cancelled at anytime!

Still unsure if it’s the right fit? We offer a 14-day refund policy so you can try it out on your own with no questions asked.

We’ve got you covered. If the Membership isn’t what you hoped for, just email us within 14 days of purchase for a full refund. No guilt. No hassle. We want this to be a true yes for your family. Email us at support@lilyandthistle.com.

Here's a peek of what we have inside and more to come!

  • Art Classes including watercolor for beginners, color theory, watercolor landscapes and florals, holiday themed art projects, and drawing nature objects
  • Artist Studies with 12 featured artists, a master copy exercise, and more to come!
  • Country Studies from our Around the World curriculum that explores 25 countries
  • Road Trip Around America (an in-depth, art-first unit study of all 50 States and Washington D.C.)
  • Imaginative Play featuring paper dolls, paper doll camp drawing course, and paper play nursery rhymes
  • Math and Art Connection that introduces 11 math concepts through art projects
  • The Music Connection and Composer Studies that covers and introduction to music theory plus an exploration into 10 composer unit studies
  • Nature Studies with nature journaling parent guide, watercolor bird paintings, nature activities and crafts
  • Anatomy and Sensory Adventures that explores the human body's systems and senses
  • Over 60 Individual Unit Studies that cover subjects from animals and insects to fruits and vegetables to plants and flowers, and even seasons and holidays
  • Creative Connections that are guided curriculum crossover guides to some of your favorite curriculums, including, The Good and the Beautiful, Well Educated Heart, Beautiful Feet Books, Classical Conversations, MasterBooks, and more to come!

With hundreds of projects and resource packets, you will be busy for the entire year and more. And YES— with a team artists, you can be sure that new content is being added regularly! You’ll be the first to know when new adventures arrive!

We would be happy to answer any other questions you may have. Please feel free to reach out to us at support@lilyandthistle.com.



Lily and Thistle has been nothing short of a blessing for us. My daughter is ASD, EDS, and is visually impaired following an accident. Her self-esteem and confidence with any art was non-existent. My daughter has very complex needs and was suffering with anxiety and depression as a result of being at school, constantly told 'you can't'. Although I had purchased the subscription for my younger home-educated daughter, my older daughter, despite her difficulties, was intrigued to 'try'.

Slowly she joined in, at first reluctant, self-critical; and slowly her confidence grew. She said she felt having the classes available at home created a 'safe space' to learn, practice and produce art which she can feel proud of. The 'you cant' turned into 'I can' and, as a result, has now enrolled in an art course at a SEN provisional college and starts this coming September. None of this would have been possible if it wasn't for trying with Lily and Thistle; I am truly grateful.

Tracy H.

Start with art.

You don’t have to recreate public school at home.
You don’t need to become an expert in every subject.
And you don’t have to piece together every meaningful learning experience yourself.
Use a full curriculum.
Dive into an in-depth unit study.
Follow one interesting question.
Choose one lesson.
Build the homeschool that fits your family.

Ready to start with art?

Join the art makes me smart membership

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