Say and Make Drawings
Here's What To Do
Gather drawing and coloring materials and a large sheet of paper.
Remember something that you did with your child recently. You'll create a drawing about the event with input from your child. (It can be a very simple event like: "Remember when we got ready for school today?")
Illustrate the event with simple drawings of the setting, main objects or people, and actions. Ask your child to help you remember details as you draw. Invite them to add to the drawing if they'd like!
When you're done, summarize the scene that you drew together.
Put PEER Into Action
Pause:
- Give your child a high five!
Engage:
- "I'm going to draw a picture about our trip to the park yesterday. Let's see, first I think I'll draw the playground. Do you remember, did we go down the slide or swing on the swings?"
- "What else can you remember about our train ride? Who was on the train with us? I'll draw them."
Encourage:
- Don't worry about being a great artist! This activity is all about showing your child that they can use simple pictures to communicate.
- Your child may not remember many details on their own, prompt them so they can feel like they're a part of the storytelling too.
Reflect:
- Let's look at our picture and tell the story.
Not quite ready?
Your child may only be able to create marks and scribbles, but don’t worry! This is developmentally-appropriate.
Ready for more?
Ask your child to take the lead in drawing a scene that matches a recent memory.
As your child masters this skill...
They will be able to participate in shared storytelling guided by an adult.