How to have a Family Draw

 Written by contributor Stacy Karen of A Delightful Home.

Are you looking for some fun ideas to add to your family night agenda? Ones that don’t involve a lot of fuss, preparation, or expense?

Well, today I’ve got something to share that is easy to implement and doesn’t require much forethought  (except having some pencils and paper handy).

Introducing: The Family Draw.

I first came across the concept of the family draw while browsing Amanda Blake Soul’s book, The Creative Family. In it she describes how to share a night of fun with your children by drawing together.

This struck me as a delightful idea.

Many kids enjoy drawing or painting, but what about adults? When was the last time you picked up a pencil and drew a picture, just for the fun of it?

I’m probably asking he wrong crowd. I mean, this is Simple Homemade after all. Perhaps you scratched out some doodles this morning! (If you did, be sure to tell us in the comments.)

The point is, it’s fun to draw and most of us don’t do it enough. Plus, it’s good for your brain. Not to mention the bonds made when you sit down and draw alongside your child.

How to have a family draw

The basic idea is to sit together as a family and make art. This could look like rolling out some butcher paper and all working on one piece together, or each person could have their own notebook and work on an individual piece with a united theme.

A family draw may sound simplistic, but it can play out in many different ways. Below I will share some ideas for adding variety to your family draw, just remember to keep it light hearted and fun.

A family draw is more about building relationships and creating art together than the actual artwork that comes out of it.

Here are 11 Ideas for your Family Draw:

1. Free for all

Get out the art supplies and go for it. Everyone draws whatever they like.

2. Draw to music

Select a composer and draw while listening to their music. Go deeper by reading a little about the composer’s life before you begin.

There are some excellent CD’s for kids the teach the stories of some of the great composers. One of our favorites is  Beethoven Lives Upstairs from the Classical Kids Series.

3. Still life

Let the children gather items and arrange them in the center of the table or on another surface close by. Everyone draws the items as best they can. Take turns creating displays.

As a side note, some children (and adults) become upset when they don’t produce a drawing that looks realistic. Do your best to be encouraging and create a safe environment where all feel able to share their pictures without fear of ridicule. Laugh at your own drawings if they look funny. This will help the kids learn not to take this too seriously.

4. Communal Drawing

Roll out some butcher paper or tape together a few pieces of poster board. Decide on a theme and get drawing.

This can be as organized or free as you like. You may assign each person an area to work on or discuss the overall idea first and draw each section a little at a time.

5. Team drawing

Put each person’s name on the back of a piece of paper then set a timer for 2 minutes. Each person draws on their own paper until the timer goes off. Everyone then passes their picture to the person on their right. Set the timer again and continue drawing, adding to the new pictures. Keep this up until the pictures arrive back to their original starting place.

If you have a small group, send the drawings around again.

6. Story Drawing

Mom or dad read aloud while everyone draws. Or, listen to an audiobook so mom and dad can draw too.

7. Word prompts

Each person takes a turn yelling out a word (well, you don’t have to yell, but the kids might like to). Everyone uses that word as a prompt for their drawing. This is a great way for younger kids to feel like they are in charge for a while!

8. Drawing from books

Bring out some simple drawing books and use them as a launching pad for your creations. Here is a list of some of our favorite books.

9. Nature Journaling

Nature journaling is a great way to learn about the world and develop art skills at the same time.

Get out in nature and explore your surroundings. Take your journals along or come home and draw what you have seen. Try to find information about your discoveries and discuss while drawing.

10. Family portraits

Have fun drawing each other. Take turns letting one member of the family pose while everyone draws them.

11. Draw with purpose

At the beginning of your drawing session, explain that grandma (or whomever you choose) could really use a pick-me-up and that you think some drawings from the family will do just the trick. Discuss the person while you draw.

Make cards out of your artwork or mail them as is. Either way, the recipient will feel special!

So there you have it, the family draw. Simple idea, endless possibilities.

Have you ever tried something like this? Do you think your family would enjoy drawing together?