How to Draw for Kids: 10 Simple Steps to Teach Your Kids to Draw Like a Pro

Introduction

Are you a parent who wants to teach your kids how to draw but not sure where to start? Drawing is a fun and creative activity that can help your kids develop essential skills such as problem-solving, motor skills, and confidence. In this article, we will provide you with a step-by-step guide to teach your kids to draw easily, discuss the benefits of drawing for kids, provide tips and supplies required while drawing, suggest fun drawing games, and common mistakes to avoid when teaching your kids to draw.

10 Simple Steps to Teach Your Kids to Draw like a Pro

When teaching kids to draw, it is essential to start with the basics before moving on to more complex artwork. Below are ten simple steps to teach kids how to draw.

Start by teaching your kids to hold a pencil properly. Hold it loosely with their fingers, making sure it is comfortable in their hands.
Introduce basic shapes such as circles, squares, triangles. These shapes serve as the building block for all drawings and help kids understand how to create structure in their artwork.
Show them how to draw simple objects like a vase or an apple by using the shapes they have just learned. This exercise helps them understand how basic shapes come together to create more complex objects.
Teach them how to draw animals of different types and sizes by breaking the image down into different shapes. For example, teaching them to draw a dog by first drawing a circle for the head, a rectangle for the body, and so on.
Introduce colors to your kids. Start with primary colors, giving them a basic understanding of how colors work together in creating drawings.
Teach kids the basics of shading. Encourage them to shade their drawings using multiple colors and tones to give them a more realistic look.
Show kids how to create texture within their drawings like the fur on an animal or the grain on a piece of wood.
Encourage your kids to practice drawing by giving them paper and pencils and letting them use their imagination. Practice helps them improve their creativity.
Make them work with references, especially when drawing living objects like plants and animals. This activity helps to get the proportions and shapes right.
Lastly, do not be too hard on your kids. It is an activity for them to enjoy.

The Benefits of Drawing for Kids

Drawing is not only an enjoyable activity but also has tremendous benefits for kids. Some of such benefits of drawing for kids are:

Drawing boosts creativity and imagination in kids. It helps to develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills. They start to develop more innovative ideas and think out of the box.
It helps kids understand their emotions and express them on paper. It’s a way for them to communicate with the world.
It improves kid’s fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and dexterity. The more a child draws, the more they develop these skills.
It helps build confidence in kids. It gives them a chance to show off their creativity and talent openly.
It is an excellent stress-relief activity. Kids can forget their worries while they immerse themselves in drawing.

10 Fun Drawing Games for Kids

Drawing games can help to improve their drawing skills while having fun. Some fun drawing games for kids include:

Pictionary: It’s like an adult game of Charades translated to drawing but a more kid-friendly version.
Drawing relay: Form different teams. Each team will receive a sheet and pen. One team member starts and draws something on the sheet. Then passes the sheet to the next member. The next member continues the drawing from where the previous teammate left off.
Guess the drawing: One person draws something on a paper, and it’s up to the rest of the players to guess what the drawing is.
Blind drawing game: In this game, the child has to draw something without looking at the page.
Exquisite corpse: In this game, one person starts drawing an object on a piece of paper; then, the next person continues the drawing without looking at the first section.

Drawing with Kids: Tips and Supplies You Need

To make drawing with kids a fun and enjoyable experience, it’s best to adhere to a few basic tips. For one thing, you want to make sure you have the appropriate supplies for their age and skill level. Some advice on drawing with kids include:

Set up a comfortable drawing space, including a good-sized table and chair/stool.
Provide age-appropriate paper types and sizes, from newsprint to sketchbooks and everything in between.
Provide pencils, erasers, sharpeners, and a few basic colors in broad tip markers or colored pencils.
Provide a clear and calm mind space that will encourage them to draw with no pressure of time or critic.
Encourage creativity by partnering with them and creating something together.

Teaching Kids to Draw: Mistakes to Avoid

While teaching your kids to draw, there are a few pitfalls you should try to avoid, including:

Comparing their work to yours or someone else’s. Because they appear to be less skilled, most children get discouraged and eventually start to resent drawing.
Not allowing them to make mistakes. Mistakes are a natural part of the learning process. It’s important to let them mistakes and not to feel that their mistakes will be judged by you.
Teaching them only one specific way of drawing. The right approach is teaching the basics about shapes, colors, but let them be creative and come to own conclusions too.
Pressure to be perfect. Drawing is meant to be a fun activity for kids. It’s not expected to be perfect as it takes time to master their drawing skills.

Conclusion

In conclusion, drawing with kids can be a wonderful way to spend an afternoon, without screens or other distractions. By using these tips and tricks and avoiding common mistakes, you can help your kids develop a love for drawing that will hopefully last a lifetime. Also, the benefits derived from drawing are immense, from an improved ability to focus and solve problems to the ability to understand and express emotion.