DREAM BIG LITTLE ONE

How do you get your kids to draw BIG?

Little Mary runs up to you and hands you a page. “Look Mommy! Look what I drew!” You smile enthusiastically. “Thanks Sweetie. It’s -” “It’s…” What is it?

It’s so small you can barely see it. You reach for your reading glasses. You pretend to love it, but deep down you’re thinking ‘another drawing that’s not quite fridge-worthy…’ and you notice all the unused white space on the page.

If only she knew how to DRAW BIG!’

Here are our top 5 tips to get your kids to draw big:

Tip 1: Use Big Drawing Tools

Provide your child with big drawing tools like fat crayons, thick markers or sticks of charcoal, anything that will make large marks on the page. This will encourage your child to draw bigger and leave more space between lines.

These tools are not just bigger; they require a different grip and motor skills, which naturally leads to broader strokes and more significant visual impact on the page. Your child will need to use their whole arm to draw, rather than just their wrist, which leads to grand, sweeping lines and shapes and encourages a bolder and more expressive approach.

Tip 2: Use a Stencil

Use a large stencil that covers at least one third of your page. This could take the form of just about anything; the rim of a plastic plate could be used for a circle, the bottom of a jewelry box could be used for a square or rectangle.

Choose something that suits the drawing that you’re planning to make; a circle for a face, sun or hot air balloon; a square for a house, a birthday present or Spongebob! Do some brainstorming with your kid before deciding which shape to use. Then find a spot on your page, hold your stencil down and help your kid to trace around it.

For our ‘Binocular Cartoon Character’ craft we use a large plate to trace a circle for the face, then add the body below and details around the head like hair or a hat. Even with a large page, the artwork still looks nice and FULL!

Tip 3: Draw Objects Too Big to Fit

Here's a fun challenge to stretch your child's imagination: encourage them to draw something so big that it doesn't fit on the page. For instance, they could start drawing a train, but make it so large that only a small part of it is visible on their paper.

This approach sparks their creativity, as they have to imagine the rest of the train that extends beyond the paper's edges. It teaches them about perspective and scale, and how to tell a story through art.

By suggesting that the drawing continues outside the frame, your child learns to think beyond the visible boundaries, enhancing their creative thinking and storytelling skills.

This method not only makes their artwork unique but also encourages them to visualize and imagine the unseen parts of their creations.

Tip 4: Fill Up the Remainder of the Page

Once your kid has finished the main part of their picture, their hot air balloon, Spongebob or train, they might yell, “Done!” and try to hand it over. Tell them, “No way! Look at all that empty space!” And get them to fill in the background.

Brainstorm ideas together that would suit the scene. Spongebob might have coral or fish behind him, or even his underwater pineapple abode. A hot air balloon would need clouds, birds, or maybe even a rainbow behind it.

Getting your kids to think contextually about what items fit together is a great brainstorming exercise, plus, just think of how good a busy, item-filled page would look on the fridge!

Finish off your masterpiece with a ton of color (paint, crayons, markers) and maybe even glue on some mixed media items like cotton wool, glitter, string or stickers. There is always more to add! Have fun!

Tip 5: Encourage Them

Last but certainly not least, remember that your encouragement makes a huge impact on what your child does. When they aren’t at school, you’re their teacher. It’s your job to guide them and encourage them.

Next time your child starts to draw, remember that a little guidance from you can help them think big. And it's not just about making the drawing larger; it's about helping them use their whole imagination to fill up the page.

Most importantly, when your child completes a big, detailed drawing, celebrate their achievement. Hang their artwork in a prominent place (even frame it!), show it to family and friends, and talk about what you love about it. This recognition makes your child feel valued and will no doubt encourage them to do plenty more artworks using the same methods in the future.

So, next time your kid wants to whip out the art supplies, encourage them to: 

1. Use large drawing tools 

2. Trace a large stencil for the base of their drawing

3. Draw large objects that continue off the edge of the page

4. Completely fill up all the white space

And finally… Praise and appreciate the end result. Give their hard work the recognition it deserves.