On the go
Drawing activities for a visit to the grandparents
Things to draw together on a visit or a sleepover: an interview comic, a drawing swap and a few books to keep at Grandma and Grandpa’s house.
- Time
- An afternoon
- Ages
- 4 to 12
- You need
- Pencils, crayons, 1 sheet
How to run it
Interview a grandparent
Ask the four questions on the comic sheet: what they did for fun at your age, their favorite food, the silliest thing that happened to them, and what to do today.
Draw the answers as a comic
Each answer becomes a panel. Grandparents can help with the details (“the car was green, with fins”).
Swap drawings
Both draw the same thing, like the family dog or the house, then swap and add one thing to each other’s picture.
Keep a book at their house
A step-by-step drawing book that lives at Grandma’s turns into a tradition: one new character each visit.
Tip: Date and keep the comics. In a few years they become a family history.
Keep it going: books for this plan
Each book page on FirstArtBooks shows what’s inside. The Amazon button shows the current price.
Step-by-step drawing · ages 5+How to Draw: Cartoon Cats and Dogs
Draw the family pets together.
See it on Amazon
Trace then color · ages 3+Trace Then Color: Cartoon People
Trace the family as cartoon people. Ages 3+.
See it on Amazon
Step-by-step drawing · ages 5+How to Draw: Sketchbook
Blank pages for comics and drawing swaps.
See it on Amazon
Questions parents ask
Do grandparents need to be able to draw?
No. The comic is about the stories. Stick figures are welcome, and kids love being the better artist.