◷ 10–20 minutes daily◎ Ages 6–12✦ Creative Thinking
Quick start

Set aside 10–20 minutes each day for one drawing, craft, storytelling or animation challenge. Revisit a favourite activity on day seven.

Finished example for A seven-day creative challenge for kids
Inspiration image: one possible finished result. Your artwork should be your own.
Your creative mission

What you will learn

Regular small creative choices can build practice over time.

Skills: Creative habits, reflection and idea development

Jump to picture steps ↓

What you’ll need

  • Paper
  • Pencils
  • Recycled paper
  • Optional colour

Get ready: Use the calendar printable and set aside a short period each day.

Six-frame visual journey for A seven-day creative challenge for kids, ending in a colourful creative variation
Visual journey: use the numbered guide below for complete instructions. The final inspiration image is one imaginative variation, not a required result.
Follow along

Make it, one picture at a time.

Look at the picture, try that step on your paper, then move to the next. Follow the numbered stages, then choose your own colours and details.

  1. Stage 1 of 7: Day 1: Draw an imaginary animal using only circles and triangles.
    STEP 01

    Day 1: Draw an imaginary animal using only circles and triangles.

  2. Stage 2 of 7: Day 2: Invent a new use for an empty cardboard box and sketch it.
    STEP 02

    Day 2: Invent a new use for an empty cardboard box and sketch it.

  3. Stage 3 of 7: Day 3: Make a short comic with a beginning, a problem and an ending.
    STEP 03

    Day 3: Make a short comic with a beginning, a problem and an ending.

  4. Stage 4 of 7: Day 4: Find five shapes in your home and combine them into a picture.
    STEP 04

    Day 4: Find five shapes in your home and combine them into a picture.

  5. Stage 5 of 7: Day 5: Design a paper character with a secret ability.
    STEP 05

    Day 5: Design a paper character with a secret ability.

  6. Stage 6 of 7: Day 6: Create four frames of a tiny animation.
    STEP 06

    Day 6: Create four frames of a tiny animation.

  7. Stage 7 of 7: Day 7: Choose your favourite idea, improve one detail and share it with a parent or teacher.
    STEP 07

    Day 7: Choose your favourite idea, improve one detail and share it with a parent or teacher.

Make it your own

Keep a small folder for all seven attempts. Celebrate the choices and improvements rather than comparing drawings.

Talk about it: Which day gave you an idea you want to try again?

Help a young artist learn

These practical notes are for parents, carers and teachers. Children can follow the picture steps above.

For parents and carers — teach together

Start together

Use the calendar printable and set aside a short period each day.

During the activity

Praise the process and ask what the child tried differently.

Afterwards

Ask: Which day gave you an idea you want to try again?

For teachers — classroom adaptation

Learning focus

Creative habits, reflection and idea development

Demonstrate and guide

Use a daily gallery walk with constructive, non-comparative questions.

Observe, do not grade the artwork

Ask learners to describe one choice they made and one thing they would try differently.

Make it easier or take it further

Make it easier

Do just three of the seven challenges.

Extra challenge

Combine two days into a longer story or animation.

Free printable resource

Print the original activity sheet if it helps you follow along.

Download worksheet (SVG) ↓

SVG opens in a browser and can be printed or saved. Use A4 or fit-to-page printing where appropriate.

Keep creating

Create a funny three-panel comic

Practice visual storytelling with a beginning, a surprise and an ending.

Make a bouncing-ball flipbook animation

Animate a bouncing ball on paper, one little drawing at a time.

Activities are suggestions, not assessments. Adapt materials and supervise as needed.