Exploring Imagination, Learning, and Expression in My Time, My Place, My Pace
Why Drawing Activities Matter
Drawing is more than a fun pastime — it’s a powerful way for children to express ideas, build confidence, and explore their inner worlds. In an OSHC or classroom setting, open-ended drawing tasks provide rich learning with minimal preparation and resources. All you need is a printed prompt, a handful of pencils, and a few minutes of space for imagination to flourish.
Unlike tightly guided craft activities, drawing invites each child to bring their own perspective. Every line, colour, and doodle tells a story — one that can be shared, reflected on, or proudly displayed. In doing so, these activities connect directly to the My Time, Our Place framework, nurturing belonging, wellbeing, learning, and communication.
My Time – Ownership and Independence
One of the most powerful elements of these drawing prompts is how they let children work in their own time. There’s no rush, no pressure for perfection — just a gentle encouragement to imagine and explore. Whether a child spends five minutes sketching or half an hour layering details, they’re practising self-management, patience, and creative persistence.
Drawing gives young learners a moment to slow down, make decisions, and enjoy the process. For educators, it’s a calm yet deeply purposeful activity that fits perfectly between transitions or after high-energy play. In My Time terms, it supports autonomy and self-direction, building confidence through creative ownership.
My Place – Belonging and Connection
These printable activities are easy to adapt to any environment. Indoors, outdoors, on clipboards or at tables — they allow children to define their own place in learning. When students sit side by side, share ideas, and discuss their drawings, they strengthen social bonds and develop empathy.
You might see one child designing a rocket beside another drawing a garden; both are creating unique expressions that celebrate their individual experiences. Displaying finished drawings on walls or in portfolios helps children feel that their voices matter — fostering a sense of belonging central to My Time, Our Place Outcome 2: “Children are connected with and contribute to their world.”
My Pace – Growth and Exploration
Every child approaches drawing differently. Some start with confident strokes, others begin shyly and discover their rhythm over time. Allowing children to explore at their own pace acknowledges different learning styles and developmental stages.
Teachers and OSHC educators can easily scaffold by offering tracing overlays for beginners, visual idea cards for inspiration, or extension tasks like writing captions and designing story panels. These small supports keep engagement high without dictating results. The emphasis is always on growth and exploration, not accuracy or comparison.
Practical Ways to Use Drawing Prompts
These printable worksheets shine because of their flexibility. Try them as:
- Calm entry activities during sign-in or morning routines.
- Creative transitions after sport, lunch, or outdoor play.
- Quiet time tasks for mixed-age groups.
- STEAM extensions linking art with science or literacy.
Simply print a few from the list below, add pencils or crayons, and watch the room settle into focused creativity. For display, create “gallery walks” where children present their work and describe what inspired them — building confidence in communication and presentation skills.
Linking Drawing to Learning Outcomes
Each drawing activity supports multiple areas of child development:
- Fine-motor skills – practising control, grip, and coordination.
- Language and communication – describing ideas, emotions, and choices.
- Executive function – planning, sequencing, and problem-solving.
- Social and emotional wellbeing – building confidence, pride, and resilience.
- Creative and critical thinking – imagining possibilities and reflecting on outcomes.
As educators collect samples over time, these become valuable evidence for My Time, Our Place outcomes — showing how creativity connects to learning across domains.
Inclusion and Accessibility
Drawing also creates a gentle, inclusive space for every learner. Children who find verbal expression challenging often thrive visually, sharing their thinking through pictures. Simple adjustments — thicker pencils, textured paper, or quiet work zones — can make all the difference.
For neurodiverse learners, visual structure (clear borders, simple cues, time markers) helps create predictability while still leaving room for imagination. Because these prompts have no right or wrong answers, they reduce performance anxiety and invite authentic participation.
Building a Culture of Creativity
When drawing becomes a regular routine — perhaps a Monday Warm-Up or Friday Share — it shapes a culture of creativity in your program. Children begin to look forward to “their time to draw,” often suggesting their own variations or mixing ideas from previous sessions.
This continuity reinforces that art isn’t an isolated subject but part of everyday learning. Over time, you’ll notice greater confidence, focus, and joy in how children approach all creative challenges.
Display, Reflection, and Celebration
A simple way to elevate these activities is by displaying finished drawings with title cards written by the children. Grouping artwork by theme — Space Adventures, Nature Explorers, Community Life — helps connect learning across sessions.
Encourage short reflections: “What do you like most about your drawing?” or “What did you try that was new?” These conversations strengthen meta-cognition and allow children to recognise their own progress.
Final Thoughts
Drawing isn’t just a way to fill time — it’s a foundation for imagination, communication, and wellbeing. Whether a child is designing a pizza with wild toppings, imagining a genie in a lamp, or sketching a treasure room, they’re practising vital lifelong habits: noticing, wondering, experimenting, revising, and sharing.
Through these printable drawing activities, educators create environments that value process over perfection, storytelling over structure, and joy over judgement. With only a few pencils and a sheet of paper, children discover how powerful their ideas can be.
Next Section: Printable Drawing Activities
Now that you understand the value of drawing in OSHC programs, explore these creative prompts — each connected to MTOP outcomes and designed to inspire imagination, connection, and self-expression available for free below.
FREE Drawing Activities that Inspire Creativity and Belonging
Drawing gives children a chance to explore their imagination, express ideas, and tell stories through art. These printable activities are designed for use in OSHC (Outside School Hours Care), classrooms, or at home — each one linking to outcomes in the My Time, Our Place framework.
Creative drawing encourages children to work at their own pace (My Pace), express their individuality in their own space (My Place), and take ownership of their creative journey in their own time (My Time).
Below are a few imaginative drawing prompts you can print and enjoy — all free to download!
🌟 My Time – Imagination and Expression
When children engage with open-ended drawing prompts, they take time to think, imagine, and express their ideas visually. These activities promote creativity, focus, and self-expression.
- 🚀 Blast Off Drawing Activity for Kids – Imagine your own rocket launch into space.
- 🪔 Draw the Genie Coming Out of the Lamp – A magical drawing prompt that inspires storytelling and creativity.
- 🏴☠️ Draw the Treasure Room – Kids create their own hidden treasure room filled with mysterious riches.
- 🦖 Draw What Hatched from the Egg – A fun way to imagine new creatures and explore cause and effect through art.
- ⭐ Draw Stars in the Sky – Perfect for quiet time, this activity encourages mindfulness and creative relaxation.
🏡 My Place – Belonging and Connection
These prompts encourage children to explore relationships, community, and the world around them. They promote social development, empathy, and an understanding of place.
- 👩🦱 Draw a Crazy Haircut – Kids design wild hairstyles and share laughs with friends.
- 🪟 Draw People in the Windows – A community-based drawing prompt encouraging observation and empathy.
- 🌺 Draw a Flower Coming Out of the Pot – Connects with nature and nurtures appreciation for growth and beauty.
- 🧺 Draw Your Own Picnic – Encourages children to think about family, friends, and sharing spaces together.
- 🏖️ Draw a Sandcastle – A fun, summery connection to beach play and creativity.
⏳ My Pace – Exploration and Learning
These printable worksheets help children explore at their own speed. There’s no wrong answer — each drawing reflects their learning journey and growing confidence.
- 🍕 Make Your Own Pizza – Great for sequencing, choice-making, and food creativity.
- 🍔 Build Your Own Burger – A playful way to explore design and balance in art.
- 📸 Say Cheese Drawing Worksheet – Encourages observation and composition like a real photographer!
- 🔍 What’s Under the Magnifying Glass – A perfect STEAM-inspired art activity for curious thinkers.
- 🧶 Draw the Longest Scarf – Encourages persistence and creative problem solving.
🎭 Linking to the MTOP Learning Outcomes
Each drawing activity supports children in:
- Outcome 1: Developing a strong sense of identity through self-expression.
- Outcome 2: Connecting with their world by sharing ideas and learning from others.
- Outcome 3: Having a strong sense of wellbeing through creative confidence.
- Outcome 4: Becoming confident and involved learners through exploration and imagination.
- Outcome 5: Being effective communicators through visual storytelling.
🖍️ Encourage Creativity Every Day
These printable drawing activities are free to download and easy to set up. They’re perfect for quiet corners, creative sessions, or after-school programs — helping children explore, create, and connect through art.
🖨️ Explore all drawing printables here:
👉 View All Drawing Activities