Painting and drawing
Draw repeating patterns
Fill boxes on a page with simple repeating lines, loops and dots.
Who might enjoy it: People who enjoy doodling, knitting or any work with a steady rhythm, and those who prefer simple tasks with no right answer. Suits a quiet afternoon when conversation feels like too much.
- Setup
- About 3 minutes
- Activity
- 10–30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Mess
- No mess
- Where
- At a table, seated-friendly, bedside
- Help
- Someone nearby
Materials: 3 everyday things, listed below
What you need
- A sheet of plain paper, with a grid of large boxes drawn on it
- A soft pencil, a thick marker or a crayon
- A ruler, if the boxes need to be drawn
No need to buy anything special
- No ruler? Fold the paper into squares, or use the edge of a book to draw straight lines.
- No pencil? Use a crayon or a ballpoint pen.
What to do
- Place the paper on the table, with the grid of boxes facing the person.
- Choose a pencil or marker together, and offer a choice of color if they want one.
- Make a short line or a dot in the first box, and invite them to copy it or add their own.
- Fill the box with a simple repeat, such as lines going the same way or loops in a row.
- Move to the next box and try a different repeat, such as dots, zigzags or circles.
- Keep going one box at a time for as long as it feels pleasant.
- Stop when the page is full or when they want to stop, then look at the pattern together.
It is okay to stop or change it
It is fine to stop after one box or a few lines. Put the page aside and look at it together later, or simply watch the marks being made without adding more.
Make it easier or different
- Make it easier
- Draw one line for them to copy, then fill only the first row of boxes together.
- In bed or an armchair
- Use a clipboard on a lap tray and a page with just four large boxes.
- For low vision
- Use a thick black marker and large boxes with dark outlines, and say each line aloud as it is drawn.
- Less to see, hear or touch
- Use one color and a slow, quiet pace, and stop whenever it feels like too much.
- Without words
- Offer to guide their hand gently, only if they seem comfortable with that, and pause often to see if they want to continue.
Safety
- Use washable, non-toxic markers or crayons, and keep them away from the mouth.
- Put the caps back on markers when not in use, since they dry out and can stain skin.
- If a ruler is used, choose one with a rounded edge, or none at all.
These are practical suggestions, not medical advice. You know the person best.
Repeating marks are easy to start and easy to stop, and no part of the page is wrong. The rhythm of one line after another can feel settling, and the person chooses how many boxes to fill.