Teaching Kids Art Through Picture Books

Drawing things in nature teaches kids to really slow down, pay attention, and see the beautiful natural world in front of them.

One quick tip that always helps them to be ready to learn and draw from nature is to carry a sketchbook and colored pencils in your car. If you go on a hike or a picnic or a vacation, encourage them to take a few minutes to sketch the lines and shapes of something in nature as you go. This sketchbook can be put in a backpack or in the seat pockets of your vehicle so your child is always ready to sketch.

After I looked for an inexpensive sketchbook or kit to recommend to you, I realized that, outside of Christmas or birthdays, I would not have bought something like this for my kids. I had 5 kids. So we often made simple books for the current learning objective. There is a simple way to do this.

The good news is, you don't have to buy anything! You've probably got the time and resources to make a 1 minute sketchbook at home for your kids. These...