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olivia@nfamilyclub.com

Continue the picture

A child drawing a half drawing of a car with a marker
A child drawing a half drawing of a car with a marker

What you need

  • A picture of something your child may be interested in, e.g. an animal or favourite fictional character (either cut out from a magazine or printed from the internet – partially cut to reveal only part of the image)
  • A piece of paper
  • Pencils or markers

Benefits

  • Drawing is a great way for your child to get creative and to use their imagination. 
  • Fine motor skills will also be developed through the use of pencils and other tools that require thumb and forefinger grip. 
  • Language will be developed as you talk about their work together. 
  • This experience will also require them to think critically as they continue the picture.

The experience

Choose an image of something your child is interested in, e.g. a picture of a giraffe, taken from a magazine or printed out. You will cut the image down so that the full picture is not seen. E.g. just the giraffes head and neck, with the rest of the body cut out and not used. 

Stick the smaller, cut out image to the paper and encourage your child to continue the drawing. Talk about what is missing? What does the giraffe’s body look like? How many legs? Would you like to add a tail?! 

Your child can come up with what is missing based on their imagination and discussing it together, or you could support them by looking up a full image online and seeing if they can recreate it in their own drawing? 

Don’t worry about the picture being ‘perfect’ and completely accurate, the process of talking and using their imagination is the most important aspect of the experience, rather than the finished product.