Spring is right around the corner, and I can’t wait for warmer weather and the new life that will begin growing! These spring directed drawings are sure to brighten your mood and get your preschool, pre-k, or kindergarten room ready for warmer months.
Grab the Spring 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, fine motor muscles, 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 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 spring directed drawings unit, you will find full page and half page directed drawing direction posters. These art 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.
Spring Directed Drawings
Rainbow 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.
Frog Directed Drawing FREEBIE!
- Drawing Utensil Used: oil pastels
- Media Used to Fill In: watercolors
- Background Pictured: watercolors
- Other Details: add a background
>>Get the FREE spring directed drawings emailed to you by filling in the box at the bottom of this post!<<
Flowers Directed Drawing!
- Drawing Utensil Used: markers
- Media Used to Fill In: crayons
- Background Pictured: crayons
- Other Details: add a background
Earth Directed Drawing!
- Drawing Utensil Used: black marker or Sharpie
- Media Used to Fill In: paint sticks
- Background Pictured: paint sticks
- Other Details: add a background color with various supplies
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.
Butterfly Directed Drawing!
- Drawing Utensil Used: black marker or Sharpie
- Media Used to Fill In: markers
- Background Pictured: markers
- Other Details: add a background color
Easter Bunny Directed Drawing!
- Drawing Utensil Used: black marker or Sharpie
- Media Used to Fill In: crayons
- Background Pictured: crayons
- Other Details: add a background color or details like polka dots
Kite Directed Drawing!
- Drawing Utensil Used: black marker or Sharpie
- Media Used to Fill In: markers
- Background Pictured: markers
- Other Details: add a background (sky and clouds)
Leprechaun Directed Drawing!
- Drawing Utensil Used: black marker or Sharpie
- Media Used to Fill In: markers
- Background Pictured: tempera paint
- Other Details: cut out the leprechaun and glue it to the whole picture painted background
I hope you love these spring directed drawings as much as I do! They are the perfect way for younger artists to develop their skills! They are perfect for bulletin board decorations, hallway displays, art center activities, a morning activity, an indoor recess activity, and more. The spring directed drawings are not just for preschool and kindergarten students. They would also work for first grade students.
Something to remember is that spring 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 spring directed drawings unit here from the Pocket of Preschool TpT store for your next project. If you want the directed drawing BUNDLE, you can find it here.
For more information about how to use and the benefits of directed drawings, check out this post!
Get more ideas for how to start directed drawings in your room with this video. They are great for fine motor skills, art lessons, and early finisher activities.
Get the spring directed drawings FREEBIE here!
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hey, i’m jackie!
I’m Jackie, your go-to girl for early childhood inspiration and research-based curriculum.