• Skip to content
  • Skip to navigation
Raising Children Network
  • Pregnancy
  • Newborns
  • Babies
  • Toddlers
  • Preschoolers
  • School age
  • Pre-teens
  • Teens
  • Grown-ups
  • Autism
  • Disability

Shared drawing: why it’s good for children with disability or autism

Shared drawing is creating a picture together by taking turns to add to the picture.

Shared drawing is a great way for children with disability or autism to learn to work as part of a team, share and solve problems. It’s also good for building fine motor skills and imagination. And it can help children learn about shapes and colours.

This activity is particularly good for children with limited verbal communication skills. They can respond, express their emotions and connect with others through drawing rather than speaking.

What you need for shared drawing

All you need for shared drawing is:

  • two or more people – pairs or groups can be adults with children, or children with other children
  • plain paper, around A4 size
  • crayons, pencils or markers in a range of colours.

How to do shared drawing

  • Start with a piece of paper and a crayon or marker each. It works best if each person uses a different colour.
  • Draw a shape or a few random lines on your paper.
  • Swap your paper with the other person and continue drawing from their marks. You could draw squiggles and patterns, or you could start turning shapes into recognisable pictures. For example, a straight line might become the top of a boat, and a circle might become a face, the sun or a car wheel.
  • Swap back and forth as many times as you like.
  • Try not to worry too much about the final picture – focus instead on enjoying the process.

How to adapt shared drawing to suit children with diverse abilities

For children whose language skills are still developing, talk about what you and your child are drawing. For example, you could name the colours, shapes and objects in your picture. And ask your child open-ended questions to encourage conversation – for example, ‘Wow, I like that loopy line! What could that be?’

For children who have difficulty with fine motor skills, you could use large grip crayons that are easier to hold, or large paint brushes and bigger paper. It can also help to draw or paint upright instead of on a flat table. You can use clips, Blu-Tack or masking tape to stick the paper to an easel or a wall.

Download printable version

Looking for more play and learning ideas for your child? You might like to explore our other activity guides. Some of these have been created for typically developing children, but they can all be adapted to suit children with diverse strengths and abilities.

Supported By

  • Department of Social Services

Raising Children Network is supported by the Australian Government. Member organisations are the Parenting Research Centre and the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute with The Royal Children’s Hospital Centre for Community Child Health.

Member Organisations

  • Parenting Research Centre
  • The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne
  • Murdoch Children's Research Institute

Follow us on social media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Twitter
Join 60,000 subscribers who receive free parenting news. Sign up now
Aboriginal flag (c) WAM Clothing
Torres Strait Islands flag
At raisingchildren.net.au we acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we live, gather and work. We recognise their continuing connection to land, water and community. We pay respect to Elders past, present and emerging.
  • Privacy statement
  • Terms of use

© 2006-2023 Raising Children Network (Australia) Limited. All rights reserved.

Warning: This website and the information it contains is not intended as a substitute for professional consultation with a qualified practitioner.

This website is certified by Health On the Net Foundation (HON) and complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information.