The other day Simon, Grace, and I found ourselves with a sleeping Ruth and an entire afternoon without plans. (Something that recently never seems to happen.) As we talked about what we should do with our time Simon wanted to show me a book he had checked out of the library. It was called “Draw Dinosaurs”.
I hadn’t seen a book like this for years! Growing up my grandpa bought me loads of these kinds of books—how to draw cartoons, horses, fruit, 1950’s costumes, whatever…and I LOVED them. LOVED THEM. I poured over them for hours and hours, drawing everything in those books over and over again.
But then I went to college where I majored in art and apparently got too cool for them and then forgot about these books completely until Saturday when Simon showed this one to me. (He thought I might want to use it for the art class I’m teaching.)
After looking through it we pulled out some paper and pencils and got to work. It was like old times! I was 10 years old all over again. It was so much fun with all of us there talking and drawing around the kitchen table.
In truth, Grace lost interest after only about 15 minutes but Simon and I were there for quite awhile. With both of us busy drawing side by side it gave us an opportunity to talk about school, friends, and everything else under the sun. It was a perfect way to spend some time with my 8 year old.
Boys are funny things…they don’t always want to just sit down and chat about their life…but this gave us the perfect activity to facilitate that kind of communication. I think we’ll do this again and often. Simon just told me about the “Draw Cars” book that he wants to check out next. I told him–get it!
(And any other book that you’ll want to sit down and talk to your mom about for an entire afternoon.)
Time with our children is limited and I’ll take every one on one minute I can get…especially when those minutes were as enjoyable as the ones that we had the other day.
Have a great Tuesday!
-liZ
I have several of those books on my bookshelf at school! Ed Emberley drawing books were my favorite as a kid.
we were so meant to be neighbors!! my little guy is obsessed with these books right now! he has even had me google how to draw…a million times. story for you: my little guys k class is full of 11 boys. they are all allowed to bring in their own toys to share. this has really opened my little guys eyes to other toys that i dont allow or that he has never seen. he came home one day running off the bus telling me that we had to make a dirt bike right now! (and yes i am super proud of him asking to make it instead of buying it!!) anyways, we googled how to draw a dirt bike. we drew it together and he even made it 3d with the handle bars going side ways. he was so proud to share it in class the next day and what do you think happened? the little boy told him it was stupid! just broke my heart…but we keep drawing and i make sure he is proud of them no matter what! your an artist big time!!
we are off to buy some fleece today because he wants to make some real angry birds…even though im still not sure what they.
I remember spending much of my childhood with books like that too – I think I still have some lying around! So much fun 🙂
Helen x
Yes — I have several horse ones when I was growing up. And my 6 yo daughter just checked one of these out at her school library last week!
Those are some great looking dinosaurs! What a fun time/memory/hopefully new tradition. 🙂