Growth mindset art activities help kids see that drawing improves with practice. The most powerful one is simple: draw something today, draw it again next week, and compare. Others include adding “yet” to “I can’t draw,” turning mistakes into new ideas, and drawing the same character three times. Drawing makes progress visible in a way few subjects can.
What is growth mindset?
Growth mindset is the belief that abilities grow with effort, practice and good strategies, rather than being fixed. Kids with a growth mindset are more likely to keep going when something is hard. Art is a perfect place to practice it, because progress shows on paper. See is drawing a talent or a skill?.
10 growth mindset art activities
- Before and after. Draw a character. A week later, draw it again after a lesson. Put them side by side.
- Draw it three times. Draw the same character three times in a row. The third is almost always the best.
- The power of yet. Write “I can’t draw ___ yet” and draw it anyway. Revisit in a month.
- Mistake makeover. Make a random scribble on purpose and turn it into a creature.
- Ugly drawing contest. Everyone draws the silliest, ugliest monster they can. Laughter beats fear.
- Feedback gallery. Classmates leave one kind, specific comment on sticky notes.
- Progress portfolio. Keep every drawing from a term in a folder and look back at the end.
- Copy, change, create. Copy a lesson character, change one thing, then create a new one. See character design for kids.
- Brave lines. Draw a whole picture without erasing.
- Teach it. Kids teach a younger sibling or buddy how to draw a character. Teaching shows how much they know.
Words that build growth mindset
- “You’re getting better at hands because you practiced them.”
- “That part was tricky, and you didn’t give up.”
- “What would you try differently next time?”
- “Look how different this is from last week.”
More in how to praise a child’s drawing and questions to ask kids about their art.
Why step-by-step lessons help
Guided lessons give kids a reliable way to improve. When a child draws the same How to Draw character weeks apart, the progress is unmistakable. That’s evidence, not just encouragement.
In the classroom
A before-and-after drawing at the start and end of a unit or term makes a great display and a meaningful assessment. See directed drawing and the teacher resources.
The book that helps
Draw a How to Draw character today and again next week in the Sketchbook. The difference is the best growth mindset lesson there is.
How to Draw: Cute Cartoon Monsters
How to Draw: SketchbookAs an Amazon Associate, FirstArtBooks earns from qualifying purchases.
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Questions
What is a growth mindset art activity?
An activity that shows kids drawing improves with practice, such as drawing the same character a week apart and comparing.
How do you teach growth mindset through art?
Make progress visible, praise effort and strategies, and treat mistakes as part of learning.
What is the “power of yet” in art?
Changing “I can’t draw that” to “I can’t draw that yet,” which turns a fixed belief into a skill to work on.