Playing with one's children
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Attention and perfection in the plastic arts comes through play first. Here are a few examples of fun activities to practice with the family or to fill some time at a birthday party. You only need a few sheets of paper and a selection of markers or pencils (and an optional eraser). May the best one win!
The riddles
- The word to be guessed: the first player draws an object or a word. The one who guesses the answer gets a point and takes the next turn.
- Who is it? In the same spirit, guess a relative or a celebrity from his characteristics.
- What does he do? Guess a trade from separate elements (e.g. mason = trowel + house)
- Half a word: draw an object and hide half and have the others guess it.
- The riddle: a classic, reserved for older children.
Tip: Games to make!
Paper, cardboard, scissors, pencils or painting can easily transform rainy Wednesdays into the making of family games. On the menu: card game, 7 families, dominoes, small car race track and even Chutes and Ladders! For the smaller adapt this activity with coloured dots or stickers.
Paper, cardboard, scissors, pencils or painting can easily transform rainy Wednesdays into the making of family games. On the menu: card game, 7 families, dominoes, small car race track and even Chutes and Ladders! For the smaller adapt this activity with coloured dots or stickers.
Graphics games
- Geometry obliges! Pull a word from a hat (e.g. house), a shape from another (e.g. circle). Everyone draws the subject using only the shape defined, as many times as necessary.
- Mini bac in drawing: define categories (everyday objects, animals, nature, etc.), choose a letter of the alphabet… Everyone illustrates his proposals.
- Alphabet-number drawing: reproduce an object using only numbers or letters of the alphabet.
- S.O.S. memory: draw a series of colorful forms or a quantity on a square of paper; each player has10 seconds to observe and must reproduce the best.
- Calligram, a favorite of Guillaume Apollinaire and suitable for older children: illustrate a word by how you write it.
Progressive drawings
- Sequence of events: draw an object on a band of paper, fold it to hide three quarters of it. The next player draws an image from this base.
- Monsters: Along the same idea, the first player sketches the top of the head, concealing the major part. In turn the others will do the rest: the bottom of the face, body, legs and finally tail. Gales of laughter guaranteed!
- The changing detail: select two objects, draw the first. The next player reproduces it by modifying a item… and so on until obtaining the second object. Complicate the difficulty by tossing two dice to define a maximum number of steps.
Suggested products
Canson® "C" à grain®
See also
Your children's graphic development

From first scribbles to complex country scenes, your child goes through numerous stages. Decription.