I have enjoyed Leonardo's work for many, many years. Certainly the Mona Lisa, The Last Supper and Ginevra de'Benci are appreciated, but my favorite pieces are his sketches of architecture, the human body, and different inventions.
We used to have a print of Leonardo's self-portrait on the wall, down where the young children could stare at it. When my six-year-old was a baby, my now nine-year-old ran off to get his special blanket for him. Well, she tripped on the blanket and smashed into the print, breaking her collar bone. At the emergency room they asked her how she broke it (I guess wanting to make sure I had not been the cause of the injury.) She announced, in her best three-year-old voice, "I twipped and fell into Da Vinci." That certainly silenced any concerns from the hospital staff.
Some favorite Leonardo resources:
The Life of Leonardo Da Vinci
Please don't expect fine cinematography here, and the acting can be less than decent, but the details of Da Vinci's life make up for it. We have had long talks about what kept this man learning and trying new things, and what kept him from finishing so many of his pieces. Plenty of inspiration, plenty of conversation starters.
Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists: Da Vinci, by Mike Venezia
I like this series for children. Basic background information, examples of the artist's work and close-ups to show how they used certain techniques (shadow and light, beautiful backgrounds, and more.) We've found them very helpful.
If you go to google.com today, you will see that they are celebrating Leonardo as well. While you are there, google your way to some of the many websites that detail out Leonardo's life and work.
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