Drawing with children is a wonderful way to encourage creativity, strengthen your bond, and develop their fine motor skills. Whether your child is a budding artist or just enjoys doodling, there are countless things you can draw together that will inspire imagination and provide a fun, relaxing activity for both of you. If you’re looking for new ideas, this guide will give you some exciting and easy drawing themes that kids will love. Plus, it’s a chance for you to channel your inner artist—who knows, you might even create your own version of Frank Brunner art!
1. Animals and Pets
Children love animals, and drawing them together is a great way to practice basic shapes and forms. Start with simple animals like cats, dogs, or fish, using basic circles, ovals, and lines. As your child’s skills improve, you can try more complex creatures like elephants, giraffes, or even dinosaurs. Encourage your child to imagine their own pet—a rainbow-colored dog or a cat with wings—and draw it together!
2. Fantasy Worlds
One of the most exciting things to draw with kids is a fantasy world where anything is possible. You can create castles, dragons, wizards, and magical forests. Let your child’s imagination guide you—maybe their world includes flying unicorns or a city made of candy! Drawing fantasy settings helps children think creatively and come up with their own stories. This could be a fun way to introduce them to more intricate styles of drawing, similar to the fantastical elements often found in Frank Brunner’s art.
3. Outer Space Adventures
What’s more exciting than drawing outer space? You can create planets, stars, rocket ships, and aliens. Start by drawing a simple solar system, showing planets like Earth, Mars, and Saturn. Then, let your child design their own spacecraft or alien creatures. Ask questions like, “What kind of planet would you want to live on?” or “What do you think aliens look like?” These prompts will help fuel their imagination and make the drawing session even more fun.
4. Favorite Characters
Children often have favorite characters from movies, TV shows, or books. Whether it’s a superhero, a princess, or a cartoon animal, drawing these beloved characters together can be a great way to bond. If your child loves a specific character, look up reference images to help guide your drawing. Encourage them to add their own twist to the character—maybe they’re wearing a different outfit or have a special superpower!
For example, if your child enjoys drawing superheroes, you can look at classic comic art styles, much like those used by Frank Brunner. His detailed and dynamic characters could serve as inspiration for your own superhero creations.
5. Nature and Landscapes
Exploring nature through drawing is both relaxing and educational. You can start by drawing simple scenes like a garden, a park, or a forest. Try sketching trees, flowers, mountains, and rivers, showing your child how to use shapes and patterns to create natural elements. As you get more comfortable, you can work on more detailed landscapes, such as sunsets over a lake or a tropical beach. This is a great opportunity to introduce your child to the beauty of the natural world and how it can be captured through art.
6. Self-Portraits or Family Portraits
Drawing self-portraits or family portraits can be a fun and personal activity. It’s an excellent way for kids to practice drawing people while also expressing their individuality. Ask your child to draw themselves with their favorite clothes, toys, or hobbies. Then, take turns drawing each other—it’s always fun to see how children perceive their parents! You can also draw a family portrait together, adding in details like pets or family activities.
7. Holiday and Seasonal Themes
Drawing around the holidays or changes in seasons can be a great way to make art relevant and festive. For example, during Halloween, you can draw pumpkins, ghosts, and witches. In the winter, try drawing snowmen, reindeer, or holiday decorations. You can also celebrate spring with flowers, butterflies, and baby animals, or summer with beach scenes and ice cream cones. These seasonal drawings help children connect their art to the world around them and add a bit of excitement to the activity.
8. Vehicles and Machines
For kids who love cars, trucks, and airplanes, drawing vehicles can be a blast. Start with simple shapes to build cars, buses, or trains, and then add details like wheels, windows, and headlights. Once they master the basics, you can challenge them to draw more complex machines like helicopters, submarines, or even futuristic vehicles from their imagination. Incorporating different types of vehicles also helps children learn about the world of transportation while having fun.
9. Patterns and Abstract Art
Sometimes it’s fun to step away from representational drawing and explore patterns and abstract designs. You can show your child how to draw repeating shapes, zigzags, spirals, or random splashes of color. Abstract drawing allows kids to play with color, line, and form without worrying about getting the “right” shape or proportions. It’s all about exploring creativity! You can even take inspiration from modern artists or styles like Frank Brunner’s art, which often features bold patterns and unique compositions.
10. Your Child’s Imagination!
Sometimes the best drawing ideas come straight from your child’s imagination. Ask them what they’d like to draw or what kind of story they want to tell. Children have amazing, creative minds, and they might come up with something unexpected—like a city where all the buildings are made of jellybeans or a group of superheroes on an underwater adventure. The more freedom you give them to explore their ideas, the more creative and confident they’ll become in their drawing abilities.
Drawing with your child is not only fun but also a meaningful way to foster creativity and develop artistic skills. From fantasy worlds to family portraits, the possibilities are endless. Whether you’re doodling a simple animal or diving into complex patterns inspired by Frank Brunner art, every drawing session is a chance to create, connect, and enjoy the world of imagination together. So grab your pencils, paper, and a little inspiration—and start drawing!