My kids loves art and I try to work that into our homeschool plans whenever possible. Usually that comes in the form of illustrating our history lessons or read-alouds, but I’m always looking for new ways to incorporate art into our subjects.
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We’ve been experimenting with an AtmosFlare 3D Pen over the last few weeks and have had lots of fun creating with it, but it’s not just for fun! We’ve been using it to add a new dimension to our homeschool (pun totally intended).
Using a 3D Pen for Homeschool
My initial thought about having a 3D pen was to let my artsy son create whatever he wished. We brainstormed lots of fun things he could create with it, including the comic characters he’s created, but we haven’t been able to make that happen… yet.
You see, the process of using a 3D pen is quite different from other art mediums. It uses a gel-like liquid for ink that is hardened with a small UV light. Also, rather than only drawing on a surface, you can draw up and pretty much in midair. There’s an adjustment period, for sure, but it’s a great way to incorporate another dimension of art into your homeschool routine (there I go again with that pun)!
We’re still getting used to this new way of creating art and will keep practicing, but for now I’ve decided that we’re putting it to use in our homeschool. I’ve been blown away by the many different ways we can use our AtmosFlare 3D Pen to enhance our learning. Where we usually incorporate pencil and paper, we can turn to our 3D pen instead.
Creative Writing goes 3D!
The first few items we created with it seemed rather random and I wasn’t sure what to do with them. Then I had a lightbulb moment and told The Boy his creations would become part of our language arts assignments. One of our first creations was a stick-figure man, affectionately known as AtmosFlare Man, and The Boy has been developing a story about him and his adventures each day as a creative writing exercise.
Along with AtmosFlare Man, each element we’ve created has to be worked into his story somehow. Right now AtmosFlare Man has a trampoline, a boat, a tree, and a playhouse. That’s plenty of inspiration for creative writing!
History in 3D!
The Boy usually sketches a scene or historical figure from our daily history lessons, but I’m looking forward to adding our 3D pen to our history lineup soon. I could easily see him using it in the place of his pencil and paper as a way of adding some art to our history lessons.
He hasn’t mastered 3D faces yet, so it may be a bit before he can use it for creating the historical figures, but this would be a super cool way to create landmarks, symbols, or other historical elements.
3 D Science & Math
A 3D pen would also be great for science. What a fun way to create animals or insects when learning about animal classification! Engineering projects also come to mind. Who doesn’t need a 3D bridge? As for math, it would be the perfect tool for reinforcing geometry concepts.
Tips for Using the AtmosFlare 3D Pen
I would have never dreamed this pen would have so many uses for homeschooling, but we’re putting it to good use and become more familiar with it by the day. Here are some tips to keep in mind.
- It’s intended for ages 14 and up. Kids younger than that can absolutely use it, but may need help from an adult or older sibling.
- There’s a learning curve. Take a look at AtmosFlare’s instructional videos and keep practicing!
- Draw a quick sketch with pencil and paper before starting. A practice run on paper will likely lessen mistakes.
- Don’t rush your strokes! Take your time while applying consistent pressure.
- Buy extra ink. The AtmosFlare 3D Pen comes with two cartridges (one red, one blue), but you’ll want to have more on hand so that you can maximize its potential. Twelve colors are available on AtmosFlare’s website.
Get Connected with AtmosFlare!
Want to learn more about AtmosFlare? Be sure to check out AtmosFlare3D.com and get connected through social media. This is an awesome way to get ideas and inspiration for 3D projects!
Ready to use an AtmosFlare 3D Pen in your homeschool? I expected these to be expensive, but I was wrong! They’re affordably priced and available for purchase in several places. You can order directly from AtmosFlare, but they’re also available at Toys “R” Us and Best Buy.
You can also enter to win one of 30 3D Pens from AtmosFlare! How cool is that? Just use the giveaway widget below to enter:
AtmosFlare Instagram Challenge
You can also win an AtmosFlare 3D Pen by participating in the AtmosFlare Instagram Challenge. It’s fun, easy, and a great way to connect with other homeschool families. Be sure to use #ihsnet and tag @atmosflare in your posts.
AtmosFlare Instagram Challenge