Why Read Aloud Time is Drawing Time

Maia likes to read with me and so we often take turns reading and listening.

We do this for some of her homework books, even. I don’t know if it’s strictly kosher but she’s a great reader so I don’t worry about it.

We often combine reading time with drawing time or sewing time.

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Combining read-aloud time and drawing time seems like a good way to keep the non-reader’s hands and body occupied. One of us fidgets and flips and does all kinds of gymnastics otherwise (not naming names, of course) and the other of us has a hard time reading when this is going on.

So long ago we started hand sewing, doing embroidery, finger knitting, knitting with needles, and drawing during our reading sessions. Sometimes we go through stretches where Maia finger knits yards and yards of yarn. Or I embroider designs on wool felt.

Lately though, we’ve been doing a lot of reading and drawing.

A couple of days ago, we finished reading Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm* and drew up a storm.

*SUCH a wonderful book for reading aloud! It’s aimed at 8 to 12 year olds according to the Amazon listing, but Daphne (age 5) and I (age 38) enjoyed it just as much as Maia did. We liked it so much that I’m planning to give some of Jennifer Holm’s other books a try soon.

I read while the kids did magazine collage challenge drawings and drew with oil pastels.

Maia took her turns reading while I drew with oil pastels (and experimented with scratch art designs) in my somewhat neglected “daily” sketchbook.

Daphne didn’t do any of the reading, but she drew and drew.

And drew some more.

And even added some Wikki Stix designs to her oil pastel art.

Later in the evening, Maia did a pen drawing while we finished the book.

I’ve always been a doodler and liked to doodle in my notebook during class growing up and in college. It helps give my hand and body something interesting to do while I listen. Plus, as a visual person, I think it helps me to retain what I hear.

As for Maia, to say she’s an active kid might be an understatement. She always seems to be moving and fidgeting.

We have a wobble seat and a mini trampoline and a yoga ball for her inside and swings, stilts, hula hoops, jump ropes, and even a slackline for her outside. (And Daphne, too, of course!) She does gymnastics and has taken dance and aerial arts in the past.

She just needs to move.

A lot.

Telling her to sit still is hard (and not usually effective) but giving her something to do with her hands, whether finger knitting, sewing, or drawing seems to help.

I think reading time and drawing time go hand in hand wonderfully and recommend giving this combo a try with your kids, whether they are extra active or not.

Here are some drawing and art ideas we’ve done while reading aloud ::

• Simply drawing and doodling
• Magazine pictures as drawing prompts
• Back and Forth Drawings
• Double Doodle
• Collage
• Zentangle (A good intro to Zentangle on Tiny Rotten Peanuts)

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