15-Days of Inspiring Daily Creativity
Starting March 16, 2020, as schools across the country were closing and temporary homeschooling became the new norm, the Kennedy Center came to our collective rescue. The Kennedy Center Education Artist-in-Residence at Home program started bringing us Mo Willems streaming live daily via YouTube.
The playfulness and humor you’ve grown accustomed to reading in Mo Willems’s hit books featuring PIGEON and PIGGIE AND GERALD continue to shine through on-screen!
All 15 archived episodes remain available.
Pigeon and Mo Willems inspire our children: “I Am An Art Maker! And you can be, too!”
Gratefulness
We’re so grateful that this art program inspires daily creativity in our children; however, we’re most appreciative of this very public spotlight on a working professional artist — a man who is shaping and impacting our personal lives and society.
Although the production team is not front-line medical personnel, we consider Mo Willems and the team #heros, too. We’re thrilled to see such public appreciation and support for the arts in our country!
Speaking of gratefulness, you may enjoy our 26 Letters of Thankfulness project. It uses LEGO brick-built letters to prompt thankful thinking!
Additional Artist and Illustrator Videos
Many other authors, artists, creatives, and illustrators echo the mantra to our children: “You are an art maker!” Check out our list and links for online art classes for kids.
Lunchtime Doodles with Mo Willems
For three weeks, starting March 16, 2020, Mo Willems recorded from his studio each weekday, and children were able to watch live at 1:00 p.m. ET. Now, we can watch at our convenience from each episode’s permanent link on YouTube.
Each episode includes a FREE MO WILLEMS printable. Visit the Kennedy Center‘s site to download each one.
Have you completed all 15 episodes?
Don’t forget to grab your free Mo Willems Graduation Gift Printable and display your child’s MMD (Master Mo Doodler) Degree.
The first three episodes are below.
Get More Inspiration from Pinterest
This Mo Willems Pinterest board is chock full of activities, book reports, arts and craft ideas, and more about your favorite kids’ author and illustrator, Mo Willems.
#socialdistancingdoodlers
Doodling – A lasting pastime…
The pandemic is a bit behind us, and my son is now in 4th grade. His schoolwork and notebook pages are still full of playful doodles! His drawing style is changing a bit and seems to take inspiration from his favorite graphic novels, Dog Man, Stick Boy, Big Nate, Cat Kid Comic Club, Wings of Fire, and Shel Silverstein’s poems.
Explore some of his work below.
I love this doodle sheet below because my son is creating his own “unexpected mashups.” Drawing unique combinations is one of my favorite art projects for any age! I’ve used this concept as a prompt to teach logo design in my college graphic design classes.
Below, my son created a “Mouse Bird” and “Horned Rat” and a scary toothed Penguin and Squirrel. The little faces drawn around the loose-leafed paper holes are always my favorite!
I especially enjoy how doodling allows kids to play with varying scales in their drawings. There’s a humongous venus fly trap about to devour a teeny, tiny human in the sheet below. Fourth-grade boy humor at its best! Again, I love the combo doodle of the “Duck Cat.”
Are you looking for more Doodle Inspiration?
You might enjoy our Circle Shape Drawing activity. It’s simple; you can use our printout or take the concept as a prompt next time you’re doodling or drawing with your kids. Create circles and turn them into doodles. Give yourself a theme, like animals or spring, or draw whatever comes to mind. Most of all, have fun!
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