Quiet time
Screen-free quiet time: 20 calm minutes of drawing
A simple routine for an afternoon rest or a break between activities: a quiet corner, one calm page and 20 minutes with no screens.
- Time
- 20 minutes
- Ages
- 3 to 10
- You need
- Colored pencils, 1 page
How to run it
Make a quiet corner
A blanket, a cushion and a lap tray. Same place every day.
Set a timer
Twenty minutes is long enough to settle and short enough to finish.
Pick one calm page
The draw-your-day page has four small boxes. Tracing pages work well too: the repetition is soothing.
No talking about it until the end
Quiet time is for the kid, not a performance. Ask about the drawing afterwards.
Tip: Colored pencils are the quietest art supply. Markers squeak.
Keep it going: books for this plan
Each book page on FirstArtBooks shows what’s inside. The Amazon button shows the current price.
Trace then color · ages 3+Trace Then Color: Baby Animals
Calm, repetitive tracing pages. Ages 3+.
See it on Amazon
Trace then color · ages 3+Trace Then Color: Unicorn Animals
Gentle magical animals to trace and color.
See it on Amazon
Step-by-step drawing · ages 5+How to Draw: Baby Animals
Slow, six-step drawings for older kids.
See it on Amazon
Questions parents ask
My kid won’t stay in the quiet corner.
Start with 5 minutes and add a minute a day. Let them choose the page.