Today I’m interviewing my friend Jeanette Nyberg from Craftwhack about children’s creativity, drawing games for kids, and her brand new kids’ art book Tangle Art & Drawing Games for Kids (I shared some of the fun activities we did from it in my post yesterday).
Heads Up :: I’m giving away five copies of her new book at the end of this post!
Jeanette is an artist, mother, author and, I suspect, head silliness officer of her Chicago household. I think it’s a good combination. Plus she claims to be better at baking desserts than getting dinner on the table, which is totally me, too.
Okay, here goes…
Encourage Children’s Creativity with Drawing Games and Silliness
JEAN :: What are your favorite ways to encourage children’s creativity?
JEANETTE :: I think there are so many ways to encourage children’s creativity, it’s hard to narrow it down to just a few. Kids can learn to be creative in so many ways, through so many means, and we know that does nothing but benefit them their whole lives.
With that said, I love leaving mystery art materials out in plain site for my kids because it always works to lure them over to investigate.
Another way we foster creativity is to try to show them how to be present in the everyday—for instance, we’ll look around and point out things we see and discuss them. I’m trying so hard as an adult to be more present and mindful, and I think practicing this with kids can help enforce the concept to them.
We’re also always encouraging silliness in our household—in the form of impromptu made-up songs and dance parties. Silliness breeds creativity.
JEAN :: What do you like about drawing games for kids?
JEANETTE :: Drawing games are my favorite way to get kids moving a pencil across a piece of paper in a totally uninhibited, playful way. Kids start to become self-conscious about their ‘art skills’ fairly early on, and it makes me crazy. I don’t want kids to judge themselves based on what they hear others say about art. I guess this comes from me being so hard on myself as a kid and always comparing my drawing skills to others.
I think through art games, kids can learn that drawing doesn’t have to be something you are ‘good’ or ‘bad’ at, but instead can be an enjoyable creative activity for anyone.
JEAN :: How would you like to see children use your new kids’ art book?
JEANETTE :: Ideally, I want kids to pull this out whenever they have a few moments alone in their rooms. I want them to pull it out when they have a friend over to play some of the ‘games with friends’ from chapter 2, I want them to pull it out to use with their parents or caregivers, because adults need to be doing some drawing, too. I want them to basically eat and breathe the book and never let it out of their sight. Maybe even sleep with it under their pillow and pet it every once in a while. Oh. Is this starting to get weird?
JEAN :: Just a tad, Jeanette. But it’s okay. We expect a bit of weird from you. :)
Okay friends. Make sure to check out Jeanette’s blog, Craftwhack. Here are a few of my favorite posts of hers that you might like, too ::
- Easy Mixed-Media Drawing Project
- 10 Drawing Games for Kids
- 20 Drawing Ideas for Kids
- 25 So Cool Printmaking Ideas
- Popsicle Stick Art
I recommend you pick up a copy of Jeanette’s new book, Tangle Art & Drawing Games for Kids, for your kids. It’s full of fun ideas and creative activities that you they can do on their own, with friends, or with the whole family. Definitely a good one!
And if you want a chance to win one of five copies for yourself or to give as a gift, enter the giveaway below…
Kids Art Book Giveaway
For a chance to win one of five copies of Tangle Art & Drawing Games for Kids by Jeanette Nyberg, simple leave a comment to this blog post by Saturday, April 9th at 11:59pm EST and then tell the rafflecopter widget that you’re entering the giveaway. The winners will be chosen randomly and announced here on Sunday. Giveaway open to readers in the United States who are over the age of 18. Good luck!
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Thanks for sharing such great ideas!
I love drawing and i can not wait to share some of these ideas with our preschool students.
This book looks very interesting & like a lot of fun to try with my 4 & 3 year olds.
Love “Silliness breeds creativity.”
I can use this book with my grandkids! Looks like fun.
Such great ideas! I think this may be Christmas gifts for all the kids in the family!
I am a preschool teacher and have a few students who are already amazing drawers. I recommended this book to their parents and can’t wait to try some of the ideas out in my classroom to encourage others to join in the fun!
My daughter loves to draw. This looks so fun.
This looks like hours and hours of fun.
Can’t wait to give this book a try. Looks like a little of fun
Being silly and off beat was a big part of how I raised my own girls, who are now highly creative and yes OFF BEAT! Life is so funny and fun and we are always seeing the odd beauty of it all. So I am so excited about this book… it speaks to my life’s philosophy. When I was teaching elementary grades, I also did similar things with kids that made them laugh, but more, invited them to see the fun in life, and to be creative in their thinking. I’m so delighted to see this book and I’m jumping up and down in my office, if you can imagine how adorable that is. In my PJs.
Replying to my own comment!! ha ha. I would LOVE a copy of this book. I wish I had thought of writing it. But now I don’t have to, and that’s pretty nice.
My 7 year old daughter and I have been drawing together a lot with a couple simple games. This book sounds like just the thing to give us new activities.
Looks very interesting
Wow looks great! The kids and I at my family day care would love a copy of tangle art and drawing games for kids.thanks for the chance. Kay
I would love a copy of this book. I subscribe to her emails already.
That sounds fun
The book looks fun!
Great blog post. This books looks fantastic. We started tonight with some of the ideas you posted.
Thanks for the great ideas! Looking forward to checking out the new book.
Love this book!
Who needs screens?!
This is great and I feel inspired to alter our day a bit to include some of these ideas. The book looks fabulous. i would love to read this!
Thanks for sharing :)
My nine year old has specifically asked to do art this summer–drawing, painting, working with clay, trying collage–experimenting, and my four year old is eager to join. This book seems like it would have lots of great ideas to help our exploration!
My son and I have been drawing pretty regularly and I am excited to try something different and see what creative direction it takes us!
What a great looking book. I have an eight year old who has recently developed a love for drawing.
This looks like a fabulous book!
I’m always looking for new ideas to engage my kids in creative activities. This looks great!
We could use some more fun in our lives. Thanks for the great ideas.
Looks like this would be a lot of fun!
I would love to try the ideas in the book with my kids. For some reason they are not into art at all, even though I offer quite a few prompts as suggested by you, artful parent.
Thanks for introducing this book! It’s exactly what I”m looking for with my 3-year-old.
Cool book! Would love to win it. My girls and I love art.
So much fun! We love drawing, games and tangles! Perfect combo!
My kids will love it up!!
This book would be wonderful to have. I have 14 grandchildren and they are all interested in drawing. Each one of them would be proud to own this book. Thank you
Wow, this book looks awesome!
This book sounds great — I’m adding it to my “wish list.”
These ideas are great! The book looks awesome!
I love this! I’m so excited to do more interactive drawing with my boys. I’ve found my boys engage more with art when games are involved.
We love being silly! I think this book would be fun on a trip with cousins.
This looks like a really fun book. I’ve got three children who all love to draw, I think they would really enjoy this. Thanks for the chance to win a copy.
Thank you for this post! I always try to get my kids to draw, and it usually ends up with my oldest criticizing herself. I will keep trying , and perhaps pick up some creative drawing books. :)
This book is currently in my Amazon cart. I’m excited to have a look at it!
Looks like a great book!
This would be fun!
This book looks absolutely fantastic! It gives children the opportunity to be creative and have lots of fun doing so!
Looks great and lots of fun ideas for little ones
My niece and beep he would love this book! They are always looking for new ways to draw. At times the struggle with how to draw things. I can see rid book sparking lots of creativity.
We play a few drawing games. There are some great new ideas here. I would love to have a copy of her book.
This book looks so fun! I can’t wait to read it, and look forward to much fun with my kids.
Lovely post, I am excited to try this with my daughter!
I have been following both Craftwhack and The Artful Parent for while. I am excited to see you two working together!
It seems to be very engaging book, my children would love to do this.
I LOVE your blog and FB posts!! Soo many great, fun ideas. Thanks for a chance to win!
This book looks amazing. Hours and hours of silly fun
Oh my gosh, love love LOVE the great ideas I see on this site! I can’t wait to share them with my smart, creative 7 year old!
Some great ideas! I love to incorporate art into our homeschool. Thank you for the giveaway!
A drawing book is a great idea! I always have a couple of crayons and scrap paper for our toddler, but it’s tough getting her interested sometimes.
Reminds me of the work of Jean Julian
Looks so fun! Hoping to share this with my niece when she’s stuck in bed after surgery! (And another copy with my daughter when she’s old enough!)
My two sons love drawing!
This looks like so much fun! I have one kid who would draw all day, and one who I really have to encourage. I am always looking for something they can do together. The book sounds awesome, off to check the blog posts as well. Thanks!
This book looks like a lot of fun!
Love it!
Silliness definitely breeds creativity with my kid! Now only if I could find more ways of being silly with a 7 year old!:) This book looks good!
Looks fun! I would love doing this with my daughter.
This would be a great summer art option!
I would love to get this book for my crazy kiddos. Even if we don’t win it we’ll get it for our summer boredom buster.
Looks like a great book!
This looks wonderful! Art that is so fun and playful would be perfect for my boys!
I would love to incorporate this into my classroom teaching! Art and hands on activities are at the heart of my teaching in a high poverty urban school. fingers crosse!
I love the idea to use it as motivation to get the child’s imagination going.
This is awesome! I have a daughter who loves drawing. This would be an awesome way for her to branch out.
I bet my daughter would love this book!
Yes please!
My husband and I both love art and we love revising encouraging our kiddos in it.
All of my kids enjoy drawing. My teenage son still draws outside of school activities
Thanks for making parenting a little funner
Very cool! This would work great as some “done early” activities in my elementary art classroom.
Looks like so much fun! Definitely adding this to my wishlist.
Love the open ended aspect of this! So fun for all ages and abilities!
My grandkids love when I start drawing while we are waiting for a meal, etc. Would love to play the drawing game with them. Also thanks for sharing all your wonderful ideas.
Sam £€% = )
can’t wait to do some of these with the preschoolers!
Love your blog and all the great resources you pull from around the web! This book is going on the wishlist!
This book looks great! I’d love to use it with my kiddos. Thanks for sharing.
My son would love this book! Thanks for the great ideas, too!
Would love this!
Can’t wait to try. These look like great fun!
Great book!
This was a great look in to this book! I’m excited to add it to our homeschool collection!
I love this! I’m always looking for fun ways to be creative with the littles.
I’m always looking for ways to get my son more interested in art. I love these ideas!
Looks fun
Love this book. Looks like fun.
Would love to try some of these ideas with my boys.
Ooh, we’d love to win this
Love this, week definitely try with my two boys!
Such a cool book!
I help kids improve their fine motor skills. Would love to win a copy and to let parents know where to buy.
My kids and I love drawing together. Sometimes we draw whatever we want, other times we have a “contest” (it always ends in a tie! Ha!), and we use drawing to pass the time at restaurants and doctor appointments. We would love to try the ideas in this book!
I love your blog and we adore all the ideas, tips and tricks to being more creative!
Fun ideas!
Looks like such a fun book!
Thanks for the chance! This book looks wonderful. Also – the link for printmaking ideas is exactly what I needed today!
Being silly, playing, having fun…………..creating……..what a great way to lead a life!
As an art teacher, I am always looking for ways to get kids to unlock that creativity and let go of “being right.” This book seems like it is right up my alley.
This book looks great. My girls an I would have a blast with it. B
Awesome!
My daughter would love this. There is never enough art in her world
Love this! What a great concept!
thanks for Tge article. It seems like an interesting book and I like the idea of using drawing games to encourage kids’ creativity!
Such a neat looking book with great ideas. My daughter would love and it be a great thing for both of us to do together.
I love finding new ways to get creative with the kids. This book looks like so much fun!
my kids would *love* this!
I loved drawing as a kid and would love this for my son!
What a great idea! My kids would love the book!
This would be so fun!
Omigoodness, I would love this for my daughter!
Thank you so much for this opportunity and thank you for all the ideas, we love your blog and follow your Facebook page. Loads of creativity going on at the moment :-)
It looks like a great book for creativity !
What fun and creative ideas… For kids of ALL ages! I want to play!
I am going to try the magic crayon art idea today! Thank you!!
My daughter and I would love to win a copy of this book! We do an art activity together almost every single day, and it has become such a great bonding medium. Thanks for the opportunity!
This looks awesome!
This book will get mileage with the kids I teach. Thank you for the great ideas!
My daughter loves silly! I’ve always seen it as a sign of her age but it’s good to know that is also a way to access her creativity! Can’t wait to use the book and start fun art projects with her.
So many great ideas in this post – I can’t wait to see what the rest of the book holds! Thank you!
I would love a copy of this book. It looks great! Yay silliness!
This book looks awesome!!!! All 3 of my artsy kiddos would totally love this! Thanks for the giveaway! Also I love all the ideas you are always sharing?
I can not wait for this book!
such great activities!
Very neat
This looks great!
My daughter absolutely loves drawing, but she always asks for prompts or ideas, this book would help with that.
I love drawing games with my kids. I’m always looking for new inspiration
My son would love this
This looks like so much fun and my daughter would love it! Thank you for helping a “non artful” parent with ideas for her creative child!
This book looks so inspiring!
Super excited about this book! Seems just right for where we are in our artistic/creative journey with our four year old.
My child has autism and for the longest time her drawings were scribble. Then overnight she started creating the most spectacular and detailed pictures. Drawings were evidence of her brain developing in great new ways. I will find this book and keeo nourishing that part of her.
This book looks amazing. My kids and I love tangling!
This this is fantastic. Love to set them free to create! Thanks for sharing!
What a great book! If I don’t win, I’m buying it anyway!
Love silliness and drawing!
I’d love to win a copy of this book; it sounds great!
Great ideas!
I love all the creative ideas! Can’t wait to draw more with my kids!
Looks like a great book!
My kids love arts and crafts. This looks fun!
Love all ideas to keep my artist busy!
I am teaching an art enrichment cluster in May to primary school children and I’m planning on using so many ideas from your blog. You are an inspiration! Thank you.
I’d love to add this book to my art classroom collection! My students just love drawing games.
Great ideas! Would love to win a copy for our three children!
I will be bringing some of these ideas into the art room next week
Would love to win!
what great ideas! can’t wait to see more of this book!
This looks so fun! Thank you for the chance to win!
My kids and I would love this! Thanks for the chance!
looks like a fabulous book!
Kids are weird and this gives them a truly delightful outlet to let all that weirdness shine
I already love what I see.
I look forward to reading more!
The book looks wonderful. I’d love to use it for ideas in my Sunday School class and with my two kids at home.
Sounds like a fun book. A simple and fun way to encourage creativity without much set up. I like how every member of the family will enjoy this book with the fun drawing games that are taught.
This book sounds like one my six-year old daughter would add to the pet books she carries everywhere in her prized backpack. She likes to be prepared, and this would be awesome for waiting rooms, restaurant outings, and fun games with friends, too! Thank you!
Very interesting! :)
We LOVE to draw in our household. Can’t wait to try some of your tangle art suggestions!
What a fun book to share with my kids!
I absolutely love your posts! Gives me great ideas on what to do with my kids as well as teaching the kids in our community teen center. You’ve opened,my mind up to being creative lately and can’t wait for more ideas and new blogs!
Thanks for the give-away, the book and the ideas!
This is brilliant, I love to draw and work in a primary school and love to help the children to draw and show them how easy, exciting and rewarding it can be.
This looks like fun for the whole family!
This book sounds delightful! I’ve always felt like I’m no good at drawing but I’d really like to encourage my kids to enjoy the process without judgement while they’re still young.
This post made me smile
This book looks perfect for both my drawing-loving daughter and my son who thinks he can’t draw.
looks like super fun!!
Love This so much!! Right up my daughter’s alley.
Oooh, I love these. My 7 yo niece and I are often collaborating on drawing. Or drawing at the same time. We push each other out of our comfort zones. These ideas will be fun to add to the mix.
What a fun book!
Thanks for such great ideas! I’ll try these with the kids tomorrow!
This books looks like lots of fun. We would love to have one :)
This looks awesome!
I’m intrigued by the activities you’ve posted lately! Would love to see what more the book has in store.
This book looks like it would create hours of fun.
We love to doodle and draw. And I am always looking for new ways to try.
This is so great!
This would be such a fun way to add more interest to our drawing lessons! I homeschool and I think my kids would love to take a break from regular drawing lessons and do something crazy and fun! Thank you for the giveaway!
My daughter & I would love this book! Thank you for the chance!
Thanks for sharing her site!
What age (range) is the book intended for?
I’d love to see where this book would take my 5 year old’s imagination :)
So fun
Looks great! If I win, I hope my 7yo shares it with me! ;)
Kids spend so much time with technology. Putting away the screens, picking up a pencil and just being silly is desperately needed!!!
Looks like a great book!
This book looks like it has tons of fun ideas! My kids love to draw, and I think this would inspire them more.
Such a wonderful and creative idea! I can’t wait to share this with my little ones. Thanks for sharing and creating! :)
Thanks for sharing about this book and Jeanette’s blog! My daughter would love this book. I play a few drawing games with my kids and they are always greatly enjoyed!
This looks like so much fun! Will definitely be checking this out if I don’t win a copy :)
I love Jeannette’s spunk on Craftwhack and I’d love to try the book out with my two girls!
We are on spring break and I am TOTALLY using some of these tomorrow!
Looks like a lot of fun!!
This book looks so fun!! Thanks for the giveaway!
I love the swirly writing! My 9 yr old would love to do that!
I love it! My son is already a bit silly (he takes after his Father, haha) so this book of ideas would be perfect!
We’d love some inspiration for art games. We do the doodle drawing game we found on your site!
I love drawing games and use them as fun warm-ups and gathering activities for my summer camps. This book looks great!
The book looks really fun and would like try it out with my boys.
Thanks for the giveaway! That book looks great!
I love the idea that silliness breeds creativity!
Me, too!