Two weather sketches from one window: draw what you see
By Erik Nilsen · Kroni3 min read
The family can make two small sketches of the view from the same window during one day. Draw a few things you can actually see, then compare the pages. You do not need to explain why the weather changed or know what will happen later.
Choose a view you can see from indoors and two moments that fit your day. The first might be after breakfast and the second later on. The activity should also be able to end after the first drawing if the rest of the day takes a different direction.
Keep a few fixed reference points
Include a couple of things that stay in place, such as a tree, roof edge or post. The drawing does not need to be precise. These reference points help everyone understand the view when the pages sit beside one another.
Each person can choose what to include. The child does not need to copy an adult’s colours or composition. They might draw one tree and a cloud, while another person sketches large patches of light and shade. You can write down the actual observation time so it is clear which sketch came first.
Use words for what is visible
Ask “What would you like to show on your page?” instead of “What will the weather be today?” The child may notice wet surfaces, a bright sky or moving branches. A small written note can describe something that is difficult to draw.
Separate what you see from what you assume. “The roof looks darker now” is an observation. “It will rain again this evening” is a different kind of statement that the sketch does not have to answer. A question can remain open without the adult improvising an explanation.
Compare one thing at a time
In an imagined example, Nora draws a tree during both observations. At first she leaves the sky pale blue; later she adds a large grey patch. Her brother mainly notices that the shadow beside the wall looks different. They point out one difference each without deciding which page best represents the day.
If the view looks much the same both times, that can be what you write. The activity does not need a dramatic change to work. Keep the pages together with the actual date if you want to save them, or let the child use them in another drawing. You have made two descriptions of one real view; there is no need to begin a daily weather diary.
