Thinking sheet · Brain games and puzzles

Don’t Lift Your Pencil!

Draw four things without lifting your pencil once. Loops and doubling back are allowed!

Grades
1–5
Time
about 15 minutes
Kids practice
planning a path, fine motor control, creative constraints

What kids do

“Pencil down… and don’t lift it until the drawing is done!”

  1. A cat
  2. A house
  3. A fish
  4. Your choice
  5. How hard was it?

How to run it

  • Show one first: a cat in one wiggly line.
  • Doubling back over a line counts as fair.
  • Go slowly and plan the next move.

Talk about it

  • Which drawing needed the most planning?
  • Did the rule make you more creative?
  • What else could you draw in one line?

Take it further

Write your name in one line, joining every letter.

Pairs well with

Free for home and classroom use. Print as many copies as you need.

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