As many parents and educators around the country are gearing up for pod learning, I've been thinking about fun drawing activities you could easily do in your pod. Simon Says is a fun drawing activity that can also double as an activity for assessing where your students are.
This is such a simple and fun activity. I've done it with my 4 year old son who really doesn't like to draw and my 6 year old daughter who loves to draw, and they both love it.
Materials: Small white boards, white board markers and erasers. I also recommend you invest in a good standing whiteboard for yourself. These materials will serve you well in your pod for math and writing activities, it is an investment you will want to make.
Go over the rules with them, if you have a group of kids you could ask one of them to explain the rules. "I'm going to ask you to draw something, but first I will say Simon Says, if I don't say Simon Says then don't draw it." In a small pod you could tell them that the person who follows only what Simon says the whole time will get to be Simon on the next turn.
Depending on your audience you can have them draw anything from a simple line or dot, to something more complicated like a palm tree or car. Start with some easy things to build up their confidence. First you draw the object then they draw it. It is okay if they copy what you did and it is okay if they draw it their own way.
You will learn from this drawing game what the children know and are capable of real quick. Can they draw a straight line? How about a spiral? Do they know their alphabet? Throw in an A or V. Do they know math? Throw in a square or hexagram. If you have older kids make it more complicated.
After you spend one turn being Simon, let a child come up and be Simon.
This is a fun game that will allow kids to take a break from computer time, or more challenging activities like reading or math.
Another very similar game you can play is Follow The Leader drawing, this will also allow you to assess what your students are capable of. You draw and they follow along in their drawing. Another fun drawing game is Pictionary, I used to play Pictionary on minimum days when I taught High School Art, it works best with a little bit older kids who already know how to draw.
If you know of more fun drawing games that could be easily used in a pod setting post them in the comments below. And if you want to read about how I set up a Specialist Pod in my backyard click here.