Book Buddies Directed Drawings for Preschool, Pre-K, & Kindergarten

These book buddies directed drawings are some of my favorite directed drawing projects that I created! I love that they can be incorporated so easily into literacy or center time. These are book characters that are popular, and your students will be so excited to learn how to draw.

Grab the Book Buddies Directed Drawing Unit for all the printables!

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Benefits of Directed Drawings In the Early Childhood Classroom

• strengthen students’ fine motor strength, including hand-eye coordination, muscle strength, pencil grasp, and practice shapes and drawing various types of lines
• teach young children how to draw by noticing shapes in objects and how to combine shapes to make new things.
• easy way to infuse art activities into the classroom.
• Art is very calming and relaxing for most students
• fun way to practice following directions
• Drawing is communicating! You will see growth and more details in your little learners’ illustrations.
• gorgeous bulletin boards and student art to decorate the classroom
• BUILD confidence and creativity even in your youngest students
• developing social skills and language development as you learn about your children’s interest

How to Implement Book Buddies Directed Drawings with Little Learners

When I first introduce directed drawings to my students, I take each step slowly and model, model, model! The first few directed drawing activities need to be a teacher-directed lesson to help all students be successful. You can even do them in small groups if that works better for your preschool children.  Decide what is best for your children’s needs and roll with it. 

• You draw a step, model, and verbally explain how to draw each shape and the size (ex: “This shape looks like a small U shape, I’m going to make this small….down, curve, up”.) Then, students draw that step.
• Continue to model a step, and then students draw a step until the drawing is complete.
• Model creating the background options. Then, students create the background using various art media.
• Have young children sign their own names on the front of their drawings. If they can’t independently, use name cards to support them. 

In the book buddies directed drawings unit, you will find full page and half page directed drawing direction posters that have step-by-step instructions for younger artists. These drawing projects make great independent work or a center activity once the process has been introduced and students know what to do. They are also a great way to teach following directions while working in fine motor journals. 

Book Buddies Directed Drawings

Mouse Directed Drawing!

• Drawing Utensil Used: markers
• Media Used to Fill In: crayons
• Background Pictured: crayons
• Other Details: add a border

Coconut Tree Directed Drawing!

• Drawing Utensil Used: markers
• Media Used to Fill In: crayons
• Background Pictured: crayons
• Other Details: add a background color and more letters

Helpful Tips: If your elementary students are struggling to make a certain shape, have them practice on dry-erase boards until they are happy with that shape. This is something I do with my perfectionist students who need more reassurance with their spring drawing ideas. 

Pouty Fish Directed Drawing!

• Drawing Utensil Used: oil pastels
• Media Used to Fill In: watercolors
• Background Pictured: watercolors
• Other Details: Sprinkle coarse Kosher salt on the background watercolors while it is still wet. Let it dry, and brush off the excess salt. I love the texture and design it makes on the paper.

Tip: I have 2 sets of oil pastels in my classroom. I break them into 2 or 3 pieces each so that there is more than one of each color. Plus, little pieces are better for building fine motor muscles.

Llama Directed Drawing!

• Drawing Utensil Used: oil pastels
• Media Used to Fill In: watercolors
• Background Pictured: watercolors
• Other Details: add polka dots and a background color

Caterpillar Directed Drawing!

• Drawing Utensil Used: black marker or Sharpie
• Media Used to Fill In: tempera paint
• Background Pictured: tempera paint
• Other Details: add a colorful background

Cool Cat Directed Drawing!

• Drawing Utensil Used: black marker or Sharpie
• Media Used to Fill In: markers
• Background Pictured: markers
• Other Details: add a background color

Monster Directed Drawing!

• Drawing Utensil Used: black marker or Sharpie
• Media Used to Fill In: crayons
• Background Pictured: crayons
• Other Details: make a fun, colorful background

Pigeon Directed Drawing!

• Drawing Utensil Used: black marker or Sharpie
• Media Used to Fill In: tempera paint
• Background Pictured: tempera paint
• Other Details: add a background color with various supplies

These book buddies directed drawings turned out so cute, and my students loved creating these art projects for their friends and family. The book buddies directed drawings are not just for preschool and kindergarten students. They would also work for first grade students. Directed drawings are perfect for early finisher activities, art center activities, indoor recess, or a morning activity. 

Something to remember is that book buddies directed drawings do not replace open-ended art. Make time for open-ended art, too, so students have the opportunity to create, express themselves, and use their imagination that is process-focused, not product-focused.

Grab the book buddies directed drawings unit here from the Pocket of Preschool TpT store.

For more information about how to use and the benefits of directed drawings in your pre-k program, check out this post!

Get more ideas for how to start directed drawing art lessons in your room with this video.

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