TIP #69: Beat Summer Slide with a Sketchbook Project for Kids
Want to beat “summer slide” and keep your students actively creating over their summer break? A sketchbook project could be the answer!
How “Summer Slide” happens
Creativity and art-making are skills we can improve with practice. But any skill that improves with practice can also get “rusty” if it lays dormant for too long. And summer is often a time when things learned at school go unpracticed and then forgotten.
Teachers of all subjects hope to avoid this summer learning loss for their students, and art teachers are no exception. This is where a sketchbook project can help.
A sketchbook project can help beat summer slide
You may not be able to assign a project and require that your students work on it over the summer. But if you make it fun, a sketchbook project could be something your students will want to do on their own.
How to design a sketchbook project for success
1. Choose a theme.
Adults as well as kids can struggle to get started when they have too many options in front of them. Choosing a broad-based theme provides healthy constraints while still offering freedom to be creative.
You could ask students to draw one face per day – anyone they want, in their choice of medium and style. Or each day draw something they ate, or an object they found in nature, like a leaf, flower, or bug.
2. Start it together.
There’s often nothing more daunting for artists and writers than the blank page. So instead of sending kids home with a brand new sketchbook, start by doing the first few pages together.
This helps conquer the fear of making that first mark in an otherwise pristine sketchbook. It also provides an opportunity to answer questions that might come up. Plus, it’s easier for kids to keep going than it is to start.
3. Lay down some sketchbook rules.
- Fill the entire page.
- Use pages in order – no skipping pages!
- Use both sides of the page.
- No crossing out or scribbling out… turn “mistakes” into happy accidents.
If a sketchbook project that spans the whole summer feels overwhelming for your students, consider giving them a 30-day sketchbook challenge. Shortening the length of time can make a time-based project feel more doable and less intimidating.
Or, for more flexibility, try a “5 for 5 Challenge”. This allows students a shorter term commitment with less emphasis on consecutive days.
Maybe you’ve been wanting to do a sketchbook project of your own. If that’s the case, “Feed Your creative Soul – with a Sketchbook”, might be just what you need to get started.
an inspiring quote
“Journaling is like whispering to one’s self and listening at the same time.”
~ Mina Murray
A sketchbook is like a journal in visual form. Writing can be included, but the main focus should be on the art.
Sometimes a title or a few words can add to the meaning of a sketch or painting. And sometimes the art just stands on its own.
With or without words, a sketchbook is a great place to work out ideas. It can help kids record an experience, process their feelings, or simply enjoy a meditative activity.
A regular sketchbook practice would be a healthy habit for your students to develop this summer and enjoy for a lifetime.