Pictionary for Toddlers


Simple Summer Activities_Toddler Pictionary

 

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Have you noticed your little one loves to do arts and crafts projects?  Have you noticed she seems ready to start drawing?

Toddlers have a natural curiosity and interest in seeing images appear on paper.  They love to recognize items, colors, and shapes they see while some one draws.  It is only a matter of time until they too want to take the utensil in hand and try it out for themselves.

Here is a little activity I have done with lots of toddlers that brings them lots of delight and helps introduce them to early concepts of drawing.

Full Disclosure here: I have never played Pictionary, so I have no idea what the real rules are.  I just re-wrote my idea of what the rules were so I could have a good time with my budding artist.

What you need:

  • A drawing surface (paper, chalkboard, MagnaDoodle)
  • a utensil (pen, pencil, chalk, crayons, etc.)
  • the imagination of your child

How to play:

1. Get your drawing surface and utensil ready and start drawing something you know how to draw (a bird, a cow, a house…whatever!) while telling your little one what you are drawing.  Take this time to show off all your artistic skills.  Don’t be intimidated.  Your little one does not know your art from Picasso’s at this point. Toddler Pictionary 2

2. Then ask your little one what they want you to draw.  Draw whatever they say to draw.  Again this is not a place to be self-conscious or intimidated.  This can be of any school or art: impressionist, realist, or cubist.  This is a place where confidence and imagination are going to work together.  My little one, in our last Toddler Pictionary session asked me to draw a snake.  My attempts were awful, but she identified them as a snake because I said they were snakes.

Toddler Pictionary 1

3. Last, turn the drawing utensil over to your toddler. Let them go wild with drawing and give them some prompts of simple things to draw.  Suggest they use different colors, draw simple items (sun, moon, flower).  Ask them what they are drawing and listen to what they say.  You may be surprised to “see” what they are saying an item is.  Our daughter surprised us recently by drawing a picture of her little sister.  It was a circle with two eyes and a mouth (as she pointed out to us).

Toddler Pictionary 3

This activity helps your toddler develop and refine:

  • color, shape, and object recognition
  • vocabulary and communication
  • fine motor skills

How do you get your young ones interested in art and drawing? Please share!

 

 


This Post Has 3 Comments

  1. Kz and Me

    Included this in my toddler play roundup at the WKC! Thanks for linking up 🙂

    1. ussleah

      Thanks Krissy!

  2. My daughter loves drawing, especially on her chalkboard, so we’ll pin & give this a go! Thanks

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