Tape a huge sheet of paper to the floor and let them draw on their hands and knees.
For ages2y - 8y
Time available35 min
Prep4 min
Mess
Noise
YouI will set it up, then step back
Working big and low uses the whole body, and children draw far more freely on the floor than at a table.
What you need
a large roll of paper or taped-together sheets
crayons or chunky pens
masking tape
How to do it
Tape a large sheet of paper flat to the floor at the corners.
Put crayons in the middle rather than handing them out.
Suggest one starting point only: draw a road, or draw around your own hand.
Let it become whatever it becomes over the next half hour.
Leave it down and let them come back to it later.
Most activity lists ignore the things that actually decide it
Drawing on the floor engages the shoulder and trunk rather than just the fingers, which builds the postural strength that neat handwriting later depends on. The large scale also removes the perfectionism that a small sheet of paper invites.
Adapting by age
2 to 3 yearsChunky crayons and expect scribbling. That is the developmental stage.
7 to 10 yearsDraw a map of an imaginary place, with a key.
Keep it safe
Washable crayons if the floor is carpeted, and tape down every edge so nobody slips.