Vincent Van Gogh was born on 30th March, 1853. He is so famous that he even appears in a Dr Who episode 😉

Did you know that he only sold one painting in his lifetime? Nowadays, his paintings are highly sought after and are worth millions.

Picture books are a great way to introduce children to famous people. Award-winning British author, Laurence Anholt has written a series of children's books about artists, including Van Gogh and the Sunflowers. The story is set in France, where Van Gogh spent some time when he was 35. The book includes examples of his work and a brief biography to learn more about the artist's life. The picture book makes an ideal springboard into a unit study project about the famous artist :)

Here are some activities that your child may enjoy:
Paint swirls in the sky just like Van Gogh. Use bright colours and mix the paint on the paper.
Create self-portraits just like Van Gogh - he painted more than 30!
Visit an art gallery and look for Van Gogh paintings.
Grow a sunflower.
Serve a sunflower shaped snack. Add sunflower seeds for extra sunflower nourishment.
Make a jelly in a Swiss roll tin and use a star shape cutter to make a starry night dessert.
Listen to the song 'Vincent' by Don McLean

Further resources for a unit study on Van Gogh:
Van Gogh Post Cards
Video clip from BBC Schools
Biography
Explore the digital Van Gogh map
Wordsearch
Colouring pages
Notebooking page

More books on Vincent Van Gogh:
Vincent Van Gogh the Complete Paintings
Katie and the Starry Night

Katie and the Sunflowers
Make a Masterpiece - Starry Night

For a unit study that explores another of Laurence Anholt's books, check out 

Picture Book Explorers ~ Stone Girl, Bone Girl

Happy Exploring!