ClassX Video Lessons Subjects Art Leonardo da Vinci for Kids | Learn all about one of the most famous artists of all time
Have you ever seen a painting called the Mona Lisa? It’s a very famous painting, and it was created by an amazing artist named Leonardo da Vinci!
Leonardo was born on April 15th, 1452, in a place called Vinci in Italy. This was during a special time known as the Renaissance, which was full of great artists, writers, and thinkers. Because of his many talents, Leonardo is often called a “Renaissance man.”
Leonardo’s parents were Piero and Katarina, but they weren’t married, so he grew up with his dad. Here’s a fun fact: “Da Vinci” means “from Vinci” in Italian, so his last name tells us where he was from!
As a child, Leonardo loved exploring nature. He didn’t go to school but learned to read, write, and do math at home. When he was 15, he became an apprentice to a famous artist named Andrea Del Verrocchio in Florence.
Leonardo learned a special way to paint called tempera, which uses color mixed with water and egg yolk. Pretty cool, right? He was so talented that he soon became even better than his teacher!
In 1482, Leonardo worked for the Duke of Milan, painting and sculpting. He also designed weapons, buildings, and machines. He had over 20,000 pages of ideas, including sketches of hang gliders, helicopters, and more!
Leonardo was worried people might copy his ideas, so he wrote his notes backward. You’d need a mirror to read them—like a secret code!
Leonardo created many famous artworks. One of them is The Last Supper, a mural he painted for the Duke of Milan’s dining room. Imagine having that on your wall!
In 1503, he started painting the Mona Lisa. This painting is famous because her eyes seem to follow you wherever you go. Spooky and cool!
Leonardo did more than paint. He designed a bridge in Constantinople, worked for the Pope, and studied the human body. Around 1516, he became a top painter, engineer, and architect for the King of France, Francis I.
Leonardo passed away on May 2nd, 1519, at the age of 67. He lived an incredible life!
Let’s see what you remember! During which time period was Leonardo born? The Renaissance! Did Leonardo have over 20,000 pages of notes? True! And one of his famous paintings is The Last Supper.
Leonardo da Vinci was a brilliant person whose work still matters today. Next time you see a helicopter or learn about the human body, think of Leonardo’s amazing ideas!
Hope you enjoyed learning about Leonardo da Vinci!
Mirror Writing Activity: Just like Leonardo da Vinci, try writing your name or a short message backward. Use a mirror to read it! This activity helps you understand how Leonardo kept his ideas secret. Discuss with your friends or family why you think he chose to write this way.
Create Your Own Invention: Leonardo was not only an artist but also an inventor. Think of something you wish existed, like a machine that helps with chores or a fun new toy. Draw your invention and explain how it works. Share your idea with the class and see what creative inventions your classmates come up with!
Nature Observation Walk: Leonardo loved exploring nature. Take a walk outside and observe the plants, animals, and sky. Draw or write about something interesting you notice, just like Leonardo might have done in his notebooks. Discuss with your class how nature can inspire art and inventions.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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[Music]
Who is Leonardo Da Vinci for kids?
Have you ever seen this painting before? Do you know what it’s called?
You got it! It is the Mona Lisa.
Do you know who painted the Mona Lisa? It was painted by a famous artist and inventor, Leonardo da Vinci.
Leonardo da Vinci was born on April 15th, 1452, in Vinci, Italy, which is just outside of Florence. He was born and lived during a time called the Renaissance period, known as the start of the Modern Age, and was a time of many famous artists, writers, philosophers, and others. This is why Leonardo is sometimes called a Renaissance man.
His father, Piero, and his mother, Katarina, were not married, so Leonardo grew up living with his father.
Here is an interesting fact: Leonardo’s last name, Da Vinci, is Italian for “from Vinci,” which means that Leonardo’s last name just tells us where he’s from. Now you can tell your friends you know a little Italian!
As a kid, Leonardo loved being out in nature and never went to school but was educated at home in reading, writing, and mathematics. At the age of 15, Leonardo da Vinci became an apprentice for a prominent artist named Andrea Del Verrocchio in Florence.
Leonardo learned a painting technique called tempera, which means that the artist mixes color pigments with water and egg yolk to make paint. Who knew that was even a thing?
Leonardo showed a huge talent for painting, soon surpassing the skills of his mentor. In 1482, he began work for the Duke of Milan and continued to paint and sculpt during this time. He was also commissioned by the Duke to design weapons, buildings, and machinery.
He had over 20,000 pages of ideas. Hundreds of years later, some of these ideas and drawings were used as blueprints to create working models. Some of these designs included sketches of hang gliders, helicopters, war machines, musical instruments, types of pumps, bridges, and more.
Here’s an interesting fact: Leonardo was so concerned that someone would copy his ideas that he spelled words backward with reversed letters so that his notes would only be readable when reflected in a mirror. Talk about a secret code!
Also during this time, Leonardo produced his first anatomical studies. His most famous of these studies is most likely the Vitruvian Man, which you may have seen before.
Recognize this painting? It is called The Last Supper. Here’s an interesting fact about it: In 1495, the Duke of Milan asked Leonardo to create a mural for his dining room. This priceless piece of art is what Leonardo created, and it made him very popular as an artist.
Can you imagine if The Last Supper was painted on your walls? That would be pretty wild!
In 1503, Leonardo started work on the Mona Lisa. One of the reasons why this painting has become so famous is because the eyes in the painting appear to follow you wherever you are standing, which is kind of creepy and cool at the same time.
But Leonardo da Vinci was doing many other important things besides just creating art. He designed a bridge in Constantinople, did many projects for the Pope, and continued studying human anatomy and physiology.
Eventually, around the year 1516, Leonardo became the premier painter, engineer, and architect to the King of France, Francis I. He died on May 2nd, 1519, at the age of 67.
Talk about an amazing life!
Let’s see how much you remember about Leonardo da Vinci. During what famous time period was Leonardo da Vinci born?
The Renaissance period.
True or false: Leonardo had over 20,000 pages of notes filled with inventions and other ideas.
True.
Fill in the blank: One of Leonardo’s most famous paintings is called the ______ Supper.
Great job, friends!
Leonardo da Vinci was an interesting and intelligent person who accomplished many great things during his 67 years of life—things that are still significant and relevant today.
The next time you see a helicopter or study anatomy, you can think about Leonardo’s 20,000 pages of notes, drawings, observations, and discoveries that are still studied today by people all over the world.
Hope you had fun learning with us! Visit us at learnbrite.org for thousands of free resources and turnkey solutions for teachers and homeschoolers.
Thank you!
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