Art is about expression and can be incredibly fun, especially for our youngest students in elementary school. Bringing art into classrooms through methods like arts integration is a great way for teachers to enhance the less colorful parts of a curriculum. As you know, art projects help students develop their critical thinking and motor skills. Today we’re sharing six ideas for simple drawing exercises targeted towards elementary-aged children.
6 Classroom Art Sketching Exercises for Elementary Kids
Our focus on instilling art appreciation in students from elementary school is based on years of research demonstrating its benefits for their development. The important skills developed through art and art literacy affect all areas of their lives. Even doodling and simple sketches have been shown to help with memory recall and improve understanding. With that in mind, below are six sketching exercises appropriate for elementary students.
Sketches Ideal for Kindergarten Through Second Grade
For the youngest students the focus is on developing fundamental skills like establishing a grip for writing and drawing, and coming to understand shapes, colors and more. These sketches can assist you.
1. Tracing Drawings
Tracing gives students some early “wins.” Whether you overlay a piece of vellum (for older students) or use shapes and pictures with dashed lines for the youngest ones, tracing gives children a chance to bring items to life while working on their coordination.
2. Doodling
Doodling might represent the ultimate freedom in learning about art. You can lead children with prompts such as colors, or ideas they understand (for instance, the concept of “family”) to direct their minds in a specific direction. Ask them to draw their favorite object in the classroom, or clouds, etc.
3. Feeling Drawings
Encourage students to draw how a color or word makes them feel. This helps bring abstract concepts or ideas to life and promotes creative thought.
These exercises are great for the youngsters, and can also be adjusted for older elementary students. Now, let’s focus on the exercises.
Sketch Exercises Perfect for Third Through Fifth Grade
Older students may need a bit more encouragement as they don’t want to experience perceived failure. Activities should focus on the freeform nature of art and how there’s no “right or wrong.”
4. Continuous Line Drawings
Ask students to draw an item they bring in, or something in the classroom, without lifting their drawing utensil from beginning to end. This develops hand-eye coordination and concentration as it builds observational skills.
5. Line Weight Drawings
These pivotal sketches help students understand how changing line thickness can show depth and affect perspective and perception. It’s a great way to introduce those concepts, and can pair with reading or math. For instance, crumple a paper bag, then have students draw it using various thin and thick lines to show the corners and creases.
6. Contour Lines and Shading Sketches
These sketches added to line weight will give drawings a three-dimensional look. Students are usually excited to learn shading, and how it can make a simple shape pop off the page. You may see them doing this in the corners of pages later.
These are just a handful of ideas to help children enjoy art, and to understand the broad range of subjects taught in the classroom. Check out even more kids’ art lessons for free to supercharge your curriculum.
Find Free Art Lessons & Resources for Your Classroom
Golden Road Arts is here to support teachers and educators who want to bring more art into their elementary and junior high classrooms. We have step-by-step videos and other resources to assist your work, available for free. View our free online art lessons for kids or make a donation to support our work and vision.
