Look and Draw Study

Your child draws a real object placed in front of them by looking closely at it as they go, then compares the drawing to the object and adds details they missed.

How to do it

1. Choose one interesting object together, such as a leaf, a shoe, a toy, or a piece of fruit, and set it where your child can see it clearly.
2. Ask your child to look at the object for a moment before drawing, noticing its shape, edges, and small details.
3. Have them draw slowly, looking back at the object often rather than drawing from memory.
4. When they think they are done, hold the drawing next to the object and ask what else they can see that is not on the page yet.
5. Let them add those details, then choose whether to draw the same object again or a new one.

What you need

• Paper
• Pencil
• Real object

Make it yours

Younger, 5-6 years: Pick a simple object and draw just its outline. Older, 8-10 years: Add shading where the light and shadow fall, or draw the same object from two different angles. Siblings: Everyone draws the same object and they compare what each person noticed