Draw Write Now

[Lots of boys]

I am looking at what to do for art next year for my boys. They really like to draw and have shown an interest in improving their technique. I would love to do an art appreciation with them soon too, but would like to start with a simple drawing program since they are showing such an interest. Has anyone used Draw Write Now? What do you think? I would be using it with a 5 and 7 year old - is it simple enough for that age group that it wouldn't frustrate them?

 

Would love to hear what you think?

[raceNzanesmom]

We don't use it as part of "school". I just have them here and when he/we sit down to draw we use them. My oldest is a gifted artist and he really likes how they teach younger kids. Simple, inexpensive, yet effective.

 

We don't use the writing portion.

[Grover]

I use it with my little guy as a once or twice a week sort of thing. We don't do the writing part of it, just the drawing, and then he dictates a story about the picture he's created. He enjoys it and it has shown him how to look at the shapes in things so he can draw them, so he's more confident about trying to draw now. He's not 5 yet.

[lorrainejmc]

My kids love DWN, too. I find it useful for illustrating their notebooking pages, rather than searching online for colouring pages. My kids are 9, 7 and 5.

[Targhee]

Has anyone used Draw Write Now? What do you think? I would be using it with a 5 and 7 year old - is it simple enough for that age group that it wouldn't frustrate them?

 

Would love to hear what you think?

 

My DD used it at those ages and really liked it! I think it is simple enough, once you show them how the drawing instructions build step by step, for them to use independently. I wouldn't necessarily call it an art program, though. It does teach them how to draw, position things, use backgrounds, etc. but the program, for us at least, was more for handwriting. It has copywork to be done, and then the drawing. The drawing served as continued fine-motor work using stroke directions and sometimes (the "girl" in book one) letters to create the drawings, and avoided the tedium of writing more words for kids who just aren't interested in more words. The books don't really cover the elements and principles of art that a true art curriculum would. But you may not be looking for those things at this point.

[twoxcell]

I think DWN is great fun, and makes a good supplement to any curriculum. DWN isn't exactly formal art study, but it is perfect for those ages.

[Aurelia]

We have it, but aren't really fans. There's not a lot of technique involved, and I don't really want her learning to draw a girl using the word "girl", although it's a cute idea. Ariel much prefers a couple of Usborne books, I Can Draw Animals and What Shall I Draw?. They are simple and have very clear instructions. We tried DWN a couple of times over the last couple of years and found the instructions frustrating.

[Lots of boys]

Thanks everyone.

 

I will check out the Usorne ones too and then pick something up for my kiddos to try :)

[Momma4Boys]

my boys really enjoyed Mark Kistler's draw squad book also

[Tiramisu]

DWN has always been a hit around here. Two of my girls were 5 and 7 when we started it. Now they are 9 and 11 and still take the books off the shelf for fun.

[GTJo1996]

My 7 yr old dd loves these books. I use them to temp her into writing stories. We have a primary grade composition book in which the top half of the page is blank. She picks an animal to draw and then writes a story about the creature. And I have to say I have enjoyed learning to draw the farm animals. I am NOT a gifted artist and it is helpful to see that cute things can be drawn from basic shapes step-by-step. Can't say enough good things about these books!

[BetterthanIdeserve]

Someone gave us a couple of the DWN books and they have been a hit with my DD6. I don't use the handwriting portion, but I did want to teach her (and me) drawing this year along with our picture studies. I really want to do Drawing With Children but I just haven't been able to jump in even though I've looked at lesson plans created by several others. For now I use DWN when she asks or as a treat for working hard and fast to get through her school work.

[duckens]

Whatever program you use, you may choose to do what I did with a 6yo girl I daily babysat.

 

She LOVED to draw, but was ready for a little instruction to be able to draw what she wanted. Most kids lose interest in drawing around that age because of frustration with not being able to transfer their ideas to paper.

 

I let her pick an animal or picture to draw from a drawing instruction book. (We have several from which to choose).

 

We talked daily about drawing with pencil and drawing lightly "because sometimes some parts will need to be erased." I drew pictures, too, to demonstrate as we discussed how to evaluate each step, but the expectation would be that she would draw THREE pictures of the subject.

 

The three pictures did not have to be identical, and gave her opportunity to

(1) learn and improve with each successive picture,

(2) be creative and try things a little differently with each picture if she wanted

(3) make mistakes, because she knew she had two other pictures to draw, too, and

(4) have a better chance of remembering how to draw an [insert subject here] because she had done it more than once.

 

Once the pictures were drawn, she would pick at least one to color and decorate with the "good" markers. Then she picked one copy for her "portfolio" (note art vocabulary) as her best work to be saved as a long-term record. The other two copies were sent home with her.

You inspire me to do something more regularly with my own dd.

[Lots of boys]

Duckens - I love this idea - I am going to try this with my boys.

 

Thanks everyone!

[Berta]

I'm another fan of DWN. My 6 yr old daughter is on Book 3 and just loves it.

[BetterthanIdeserve]

Whatever program you use, you may choose to do what I did with a 6yo girl I daily babysat.

 

She LOVED to draw, but was ready for a little instruction to be able to draw what she wanted. Most kids lose interest in drawing around that age because of frustration with not being able to transfer their ideas to paper.

 

I let her pick an animal or picture to draw from a drawing instruction book. (We have several from which to choose).

 

We talked daily about drawing with pencil and drawing lightly "because sometimes some parts will need to be erased." I drew pictures, too, to demonstrate as we discussed how to evaluate each step, but the expectation would be that she would draw THREE pictures of the subject.

 

The three pictures did not have to be identical, and gave her opportunity to

(1) learn and improve with each successive picture,

(2) be creative and try things a little differently with each picture if she wanted

(3) make mistakes, because she knew she had two other pictures to draw, too, and

(4) have a better chance of remembering how to draw an [insert subject here] because she had done it more than once.

 

Once the pictures were drawn, she would pick at least one to color and decorate with the "good" markers. Then she picked one copy for her "portfolio" (note art vocabulary) as her best work to be saved as a long-term record. The other two copies were sent home with her.

You inspire me to do something more regularly with my own dd.

What a fantastic idea! Thanks for sharing.