Activity #1 You Draw/I Draw:
This can be done with 2 or more people.
Materials:
Blank sheet of paper and a pencil or pen and a cell phone timer or other sort of timer. (You can include other drawing materials if you like, but this can be done with next to nothing, so it's an easy activity to do almost anywhere- restaurants/waiting rooms,etc.)
What to do:
-You can pick a theme or go themeless. I like to go without a theme so that the kids get into the practice of creating their own themes, but open themes (like “creatures”, “castle”, “ocean”, “outer space”, “silly”, “adventure”, “food” etc. ) can sometimes be helpful guidelines.
-Set the timer for a short amount of time, like two- three minutes.
-When you start the timer, everyone starts drawing- you can add a rule of no talking about what it is you are drawing- which could make it more mysterious - or you can talk away. Either way, everyone keeps drawing until the timer stops (it might just be lines and squiggles- no worries. Any mark-making is good.) When the timer goes off, you pass your paper to the next person, restart the timer, and continue drawing on the paper you just received.
- You keep drawing until everyone has worked once on each drawing- or you can set different parameters. The first round can be one minute, the next 2, the next 3, etc.
The idea here is for the artmaking process to just be fun without pressure of end result. In fact, everyone’s contribution to the end result can be discussed in positive ways afterward. And you can discuss what you were trying to draw, how it maybe worked or maybe how it didn’t work.
Activity #2 Wacky Words-
This can be done with 2 or more people.
Materials:
Paper, pencils, (optional- other drawing materials) silly words (list provided below)
What to do:
-Explain that you are going to say a wacky word that has a real meaning, and that, although you don’t expect anyone participating to know what the word means, everyone must draw what they think it might mean. You can set a timer for about 3-5 minutes. When the time is up, if the drawings aren’t quite complete, you can give another minute or so if needed, and then everyone takes turns sharing their drawing and explaining their guess before the true meaning is finally revealed.
Here is a list of wacky words and their meanings:
Bumfuzzle (verb): To confuse or fluster someone
Catawampous (adjective): Fierce, destructive, or diagonally across
Collywobbles (noun): A feeling of nervousness or anxiety
Flibbertigibbet (noun): A silly, flighty or gossipy person
Lollygag (verb): To spend time aimlessly; to dawdle
Snollygoster (noun): a shrewd, unprincipled person
Taradiddle (noun): a small lie or piece of nonsense
A search on the internet can provide you with plenty more!
The idea here is to have fun puzzling and to practice using the process of drawing to describe what you picture in your mind. Also to use words to describe artistic decisions.
Activity #3 Three Questions
This can be done with 2 or more people. This one takes a little more time- that can be on their part, your part, or everyone’s part.
Materials:
paper and as many drawing materials as available.
Everyone (or just the kids) can draw for approx. 20 minutes. (A timer is optional here- they can keep going if they want, for as long as they want (that’s always fantastic!), but a minimum of 15 minutes…. We want to encourage engagement with their work and a deeper focus.
What to do:
-Explain that everyone (or just the kids) will make a drawing of their own choice (for at least 15 minutes, and longer if you’d like). Then each artist will be asked 3 questions about their work.
The questions:
What do you want people to notice the most in this artwork?
What was the most challenging part of this work?
What decision or choice do you feel was a really good decision/choice when making this drawing?
Alternate questions:
What inspired you to make this drawing?
What parts of this drawing do you find most interesting?
If you were to make this again, what would you try differently?
The idea here is to begin or continue the habit of talking with your children about their art in a positively impactful way.
While these are drawing activities, it may be that drawing may not be your child's art form of interest. Some children are more excited about creating sculpturally. In this way, recyclables can be a really useful - and available resource. A roll of masking tape and a tub of recyclable materials can replace paper and pen, and You Draw/I Draw can suddenly become You Build/I Build. Three Questions could apply to 3-D art just as well.
Thank you for taking an interest! Reach out and let me know if you tried any of these activities and how it went for you!