I’m a doodler.

Facing long meetings or tasks where I need to intently listen, I instinctively reach for something to draw on—not as a means of escape, but as a way to focus. I know I am not the only one. 

Doodling, when done mindfully, has been shown to boost attention and cognitive processes. It helps in information retention, reduces mind-wandering, and provides a creative outlet that promotes stress reduction.

I think we could all use some of that. And so with the Global read Aloud kicking off on Monday – are you joining? I thought why not share this post again on some ideas for using directed drawing prompts during read alouds.

Now, these are not necessarily for during the reading; after all, we want students to be able to relax into the text, and if you are asked to do something simultaneously often it is the attention to the text itself that gets lost. But, it can be used as a way to dive deep into the story, to showcase critical thinking, and to start conversations about what we noticed and what we know.

To further enhance this practice, consider incorporating a few best practices for mindful and directed drawing:

When we bring drawing into our read-alouds, the goal isn’t just to keep kids busy with pencils and paper. It’s to help them see, feel, and process the story in new ways. Here are some ways to make drawing during read-alouds both intentional and joyful.

Start with an intention. Kids do better when they know why they’re drawing. A simple, kid-friendly goal—“today we’re trying to show what the main character is feeling” or “let’s draw the setting so we can picture it more clearly”—gives focus without shutting down creativity.

Connect drawings to the story. Anchor the drawing to what you’ve just read. Maybe it’s a character’s choice, a key object, or a powerful scene. This helps kids process and remember what matters in the text.

Slow down and notice. Encourage kids to pause and pay attention to the details in the words before they draw. What did the text actually say? What clues help us imagine it? This practice builds careful readers as much as it does careful artists.

Leave room for choice. Prompts are great, but don’t box kids in. Let them interpret the scene or character in their own way. This freedom is where their personality and imagination show up.

Share and talk it out. Build time for kids to show their work and explain their choices. “I drew the sky dark because I think the character felt scared.” These small conversations grow community and deepen understanding.

Use drawings as conversation starters. Ask, “Why did you draw it this way?” or “What made you notice that detail?” Their answers often reveal big insights about how they’re making sense of the story.

End with reflection. A quick question—“What did your drawing help you notice in the story?”—can turn doodles into deeper learning.

When we approach directed drawing in this way, it’s not about pretty pictures. It’s about creating another doorway into the story, one where creativity and intention work together.

I placed them into a slideshow, but here they are as well