Hello, I’m Amanda, quite thrilled and honored to be a part of Whip Up. I’ll be writing about creating with and for children, and sharing thoughts on maintaining a creative life while parenting.
I recently started a daily “drawing time” at our house. Much of our day is spent crafting or making art, but it’s usually of the fun, wild and crazy, messy variety. Drawing time is a bit different. It’s given me some time to sketch out crafting ideas and do some handwriting, and for the kids to see and be a part of the whole process in action. A few tips to get you started on your own family drawing time:
Be prepared. I set everything up on the table before we start, and make sure everyone is well fed and otherwise ready to sit for a while. Eliminate as many distractions as you can (turn off the phone, etc).
Use a special drawing book for each person. This is different from the regular notebooks or paper we use at other times. Who doesn’t love a cool drawing book?
Gather inspiration. In the center of the table, I put nature field guides–trees, flowers, insects–anything, and direct them (and myself) there when needing ideas.
Limit conversation. Obviously, this varies depending on age and the mood of the moment.
Work together–but alone. This isn’t the time for me to draw a lion for someone else at the table (that’s what we do the other 23 hours a day), it’s about each person doing their own thing. For themselves.
Use cool stuff. Seriously, don’t you love drawing with the ‘good’ supplies? So do kids. Spurlge on the quality art supplies–it’s so worth it.
Be flexible. Perhaps the most important tip. If it isn’t working in the moment, let it go. Try again later. The creativity will flow much more when everyone is happy.
Have fun!
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Amanda, I am so excited about this post. I just emailed a note to Kath suggesting she include something like this, and you are such an excellent person to do it.
We also have family drawing time, and too, get out the “good stuff”, like oil pastels, those “Silky” crayons- good for little fingers, and those watercolor pencils, the ones you can draw with, then run over it with a paintbrush. We get ooo’s and ahhh’s over that effect.
My daughter, now 7, is a prolific artist and writer. She combines the two by drawing her own comics that are almost editorial cartoon-ish in nature. She preferd drawing to almost every other medium.
We figured out early on that making sure she had the “good” supplies made all the difference for her; every morning she does a still life, maybe she’ll make some paper jewelry, etc. We tried art lessons, but they were a failure. Now we work together (I write, she draws) in the mornings and talk about inspiration and technique.
I love art with kids! They have no filters! They see what they see, they think what they think…
Yay Amanda – I can only echo Blair. Drawing and painting are real biggies here too. I would really love it if you could include any other ideas especially for littler littlies. I must say I am challenged to come up with craft projects for 3 year olds – too young for needles, big scissors and fine work. But my girl so longs to ‘do making’ like mummy. Any projects you can recommend?
What a great post and great idea! Looking forward to more ideas for crafting with littlies. :)
amanda this post is obviously a big hit.
i love using the good stuff too – our latest thing is good quality water colour note pads and water colour pencils – the kids love seeing the pencil picture turn into a painting when they add water
Such a wonderful idea! If I had kids myself I would do it as often as I could. I use to draw now and then with my nieces and they are so fun and imaginative.
i feel so silly i hadn’t thought of doing this!!! How fabulous!!! I love to draw…so do my kids….why are we not doing it together????!! we WILL from now on!!!! thank you!!
makes me wish i had kids so i had someone to draw with.
maybe i’ll do it with R.
xox
this is a fantastic idea which i will definately be trying!
my son (six) has just gotten very interested in drawing
and coloring and is fascinated with the spelling of words…
he will LOVE this
and my daughter (ten) has gotten to the point
where drawing or coloring feels babyish to her
but is not sure what else she wants to do
but i think that if we were doing it together
with supplies that only come out for “that” time of day
that may help her to become more interested again…
holy! i can’t beleive how inspired i feel at this moment
:) :)
thanks for a great idea
Thanks!
that’s a great idea! I think we’ll wait until the two youngest are old enough to stop eating the crayons and drinking the painty water, though. ;o) thanks!
This is great! I look forward to seeing more of your posts on crafting with wee-uns.
thank you amanda,
i am so glad there is a place on whip up for crafting with and for children – my two kids are very young (3 and 1) , but we really inspire each other (they inspire me more than i do them, i am sure). it is so important for them not only to see creativity happen every day, but to be a part of it!
thanks for your post
We do a version of this periodically and I like the idea of maing it a regular happening. Often, I lay out roll of paper on the floor and have the kids create anything they like, I recently blogged about one in this post about my son’s sick day. Yesterday he drew a “robot/android” for me and is choosing fabric from my stash so that I can sew him a stuffed version.
Creating with my children is always rewarding and often surprising!
Love your idea and look forward to reading more of your creative with kids posts. I think this is great for kids to also build self confidence as well as to learn to just sit and use the imagination instead of needing instant entertainment like a tv.
I think I will start a drawing date too!
This is such a great post! I don’t know why but I knew by their arms that these were your kids! Funny. :) I love this idea. My charge is only 18 months but I’ve already purchased her first drawing notebook and made her special crayons. We’ve only taken it out twice but as she gets older I hope to make this part of our daily routine.
I am a nanny for two boys and they love to draw. Their afterschool activities keep us in the car so we have fewer moments at home. So, I keep a blank notepad and a ziploc bag of drawing supplies in the car. It has a very calming effect and it doubles as an artistic journal. The younger one loves to flip back and revisit the artwork.
going to start this NOW!
We have been doing things like this with our little family for 15 years. It has waned a bit now that she is growing up, but it was great fun. Now my husband and I draw together using the prompts from http://www.dannygregory.com. My Sparkly Girl and I like to make postcards for Postcrossing.com. She draws whatever their hobby is. It is so great to have art a central part of together time.
What a great idea! I love my kids to draw but I’ve never really set it up as “drawing time” as we do with reading. This will be soo fun! I look forward to your other post regarding crafting with kdis.
Wonderful to see your voice here Amamda! Great post!
Thanks for this idea, Amanda. My kids see me knitting, sewing, sketching stuff all the time and are used to the idea that people can create things (my husband’s a musician as well) – but I was at a bit of loss to figure how I can encourage them to create since I also work full time. I love this idea for the qiuet time my kids and I have together on a Sunday afternoon.
My husband, son and daughter often draw together. Friends of ours also happen to draw a lot with their kids. The wonderful thing that I love is when, after all the jousting and playing, the two eight year old boys sit down to draw with each other. They laugh and talk as they bring the creatures they are drawing to life. They spur each other’s drawings on with lots of slapstick and action. Sometimes they are sidetracked drawing elaborate treasure maps to accompany their games. The shared drawing time can be so inspired.
Great & this is also very nice and wise to do with teenagers around; I especially find the advices about Work together–but alone & Use cool stuff relevant.
If I had any children I would be printing this. I’ll try to remember it for days to come even though it is far far away times.
we have family drawing time everyday too (although it’s usually dad at the table. i often skip out to do other things). you have great tips here. we like to make collaborative drawings on big paper as well. it’s fun to see everyone’s different drawing styles on one page.
yes! use the good stuff! I also bought each one of the kids a special notebook for drawing. i know they notice the difference and the interest level goes way up. we would also go for walks, “nature walks” we called them, and collect all manner of little things…seedpods, leaves, stones, flowers etc…bring them home for the center of the table and sketch away.
Amanda, we LOVE to create new drawings with fun stuff. I just wanted to throw out an idea that we have been doing for awhile, maybe others know about this already just new to me. Pour plain white vinegar in bowl (just a little is needed), dip colored chalks into it and than start drawing on watercolor paper. Once done lay down on floor or counter and spray with aeresol hairspray so it lasts and not smears all over. My 4 yr old is still learning how to create images and shapes well so when we do this she likes me to create big flowers and leaves that she can color in and shade how she likes. Rainbows are another favorite of hers.
Fantastic , Amanda !
What a great post. I look forward to reading more!
What age did you start this with your boys? My son is 15 months, and when I get out the crayons he either feeds them to the dog or eats them himself… When do kids stop eating the art supplies?
i love what nancy just said. :) my 14 month old is very fond of my permanent ink pens, and will stop at nothing to try and get them to mark the walls or himself with. he loves drawing with pencils though, and i love watching the extreme concentration that comes over his face. he even sticks out his tongue, too funny… i still eat art supplies, just kidding of course.
i love your ideas…thanks so much for sharing. i look forward to reading your pieces in the future! we’re just about to sit down for some family “scrapbooking” time…which means my two and a half year old wants to archive just about everything, including boogers! gotta love craft time with kids.
thanks!
nina g.
How funny…I had to introduce a drawing time (before they used to draw all the time by themselves). Since the kids started reading, a lot of their time is consumed with their noses inside books…I don’t want to ask them to draw their wonderful illustrations, but I made the materiales available by covering the breakfast table with paper and 2B pencils. Now they draw while they wait for breakfast and we just go back to drawing whenever we feel like it. Great post Amanda.
Great idea! I really like the idea of doing art together as a family and will have to try something similar with my own.
My daughter is 19 months old and we have just started “art time”. We colour & finger paint so far, however I am always looking for inspiration. I want to promote creativity as much as I can!!
chelle
We started drawing time to help our kids fore there motor skills for kindergarten. But is has evoled into a great bonding session for me and my 3 girls. What is nice is that everyone can participate in this activity. Another great thing is we post our pictures on our family web site for my parents to see. We live far away, but my parents love it. It is like they are watching.
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