How to Use Classroom Sketchbooks for Creative and Critical Thinking

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There are a lot of different challenges for educators today; keeping up with the curriculum and the ever-changing landscape that we call education, engaging students, meeting the spectrum of needs, and engaging all the learners and their learning styles in your classroom. It’s no wonder why teachers get oh-so-teacher-tired. Kids, like adults, also have various social emotional needs and ways to express their interests and identities. 

Classroom sketchbooks can not only be a resource to use for art lessons in your classroom, but they can be used intentionally to cultivate creative confidence, curiosity, and critical thinking children. They can be the key that opens the door to an adventure of creative confidence, experimentation, risk taking, and embracing mistakes. Sketchbooks can be the doors to our minds and identity; they can be deeply personal, but also places of exploration and discovery. 

In this article, I will explore how educators can transform simple sketchbooks into powerful tools for fostering creativity, critical thinking, and curiosity in the classroom. Through mindful drawing practices, visual journaling, and open-ended art prompts, sketchbooks become more than paper—they become personalized spaces for exploration and expression. I’ll share practical strategies for integrating sketchbooks into your daily routine, combining art with cross-curricular learning, and building creative confidence in even the most reluctant learners. Whether you’re an art teacher or a general educator looking to nurture visual learners, this piece will give you inspiring and accessible ideas for infusing more creative thinking into your classroom culture.

 

Why Creativity Matters Now More Than Ever

Now, more than ever, we are in dire need of creative thinkers. In society, we are evolving and creating faster than ever, and have big problems that need outside-the-box thinking to solve. Whether it’s a human creating art, performing in theatre, writing a book, designing a skyscraper, building a bridge, or collaborating with others to send humans into space and land them on Mars, creativity is essential. Now, with AI, it is important in technology to have creative thinkers developing new frontiers, devices, and technology to support technology and AI and keep up with the ever-evolving technological landscape. 

In a world where education is becoming more about rigid expectations, testing, screens, and overstimulation in our day-to-day lives, we as teachers, can also think about ways for carving out space for visual thinking, mindfulness, and imagination. And although this is an art activity, it engages the creative and critical thinking parts of our brains and soothes student needs for social emotional learning, mindfullness, and exploring their interests and identity through exploration of a variety of mediums and concepts.

Sketchbooks not only allow an opportunity for you to cover visual arts curricular content, but also health (social emotional learning) as a mindfulness and identity exploring activity, and it can be cross-curricular as well. In addition, drawing and exploring various art mediums allows students to understand cause and effect of actions they take, but also allows them to engage their fine motor skills, creative thinking, and critical thinking.

In today’s classrooms, sketchbooks aren’t just doodle pads—they’re mini incubators for creativity, self-reflection, and stress relief. By dedicating even just a few minutes of sketch-time each day, educators can open a door to “visual thinking”—a powerful way for students to process ideas with colors, shapes, and imagery. This visual outlet encourages mindfulness, grounding learners in the present moment, while also lighting the spark of imagination. When students sketch, they’re not just drawing; they’re exploring questions like: What if? What might be? This practice nurtures flexible thinkers who can tune into their inner voice while building focus and self-awareness—skills that transfer far beyond art class.

“My contention is that creativity now is as important in education as literacy…”— Sir Ken Robinson

This quote isn’t just catchy—it’s a wake-up call. Educational research backs it up: engaging in creative practices like sketching supports emotional well-being, cognitive flexibility, and lifelong learning. For instance, neuroscientists highlight that creativity involves cooperation between brain regions—emotions, memory, imagination—making it more than artsy flair; it’s foundational brain growth (JRC Publications). And studies show mindfulness and creative thinking go hand in hand, boosting students’ academic performance and mental resilience.

By inviting sketchbooks into your classroom, you’re not just decorating walls—you’re cultivating flexible, resourceful thinkers who’ll carry that spark of creativity throughout their lives.

What is a Sketchbook Practice?

Sketchbooks are more than just doodle spaces; they’re places of exploring one’s identity, interests, and a safe place to take risks, generate ideas (hello creative thinking!), and reflection. No matter if you’re in kindergarten, or an artist in their studio (like myself), sketchbooks are a place to try new things and see what happens. For me, my own sketchbooks are a place of continuous self-discovery, where I allow myself to dive deep into the depths of my mind and imagination, my emotions, my thoughts, my feelings, and my current interests and see what is there. I continuously try new things and allow both my skills and thoughts to develop. 

In elementary, sketchbooks can be a place for students to practice their fine motor skills, see how art mediums work or work together, and explore and share their feelings, thoughts, and interests. Sketchbook prompts can even be interdisciplinary and you can connect your lessons to other subjects and lessons you’re exploring. You can do directed drawings, do themed art lessons, or provide elementary sketchbook prompts and see what happens. If you’re learning about arctic animals in science, why not draw arctic animals in your sketchbooks too?

In middle school, sketchbooks can be used to allow students to now further develop and investigate deeper themes, asking them to become more creative and critical thinkers. Here we ask them to experiment with a broader range of art mediums, and ask them to take more risks as artists. Middle school level sketchbook prompts should meet these requirements but also engage students at this age group.

In high school, sketchbooks are now a place of diving deep into one’s own identity. They are exploring, experimenting, and developing their ideas not only as artists, but as humans. They are to further understand their own selves, but also develop their own styles of mark making as emerging artists. High school sketchbook prompts should now be more open-ended and sophisticated while challenging students to be creative, take risks, and explore the depths of their interests and identities.

Need Classroom Sketchbooks?

These are some of my recommendations for supplies to get you started. These are amazon links that are cheap and in bulk to help you get started- because let’s be real, it is what teachers need haha!

Sketchbooks: Grab this pack of 20 by clicking here.

This pack of mini watercolors! Yup, I love the bulk. Grab them here.

Finally, this set of Pencils, Erasers, and Charcoal. It comes in a pack, super cheap. I think if you get 1 set per table group, that is enough to share. Put some colored tape on the pencils and put them in a matching colored pencil box or table center or bin so it stays with the table. For what is included, it’s a pretty sweet deal. Grab them by clicking here.

The 3 C’s of Sketchbook Success

1. Consistency: Regular sketchbook use builds habits and confidence. Even 5–10 minutes daily can spark big creative growth! Try morning warm-ups, early finisher activities, or mindfulness breaks to weave it seamlessly into your day.

2. Creative Prompts: Mix structured and open-ended prompts to keep things fresh. Ideas: draw your mood, emotions journaling, storytelling, nature sketches, art history responses, or even doodle to music! Variety keeps students engaged and inspired.

3. Cross-Curricular Integration: Sketchbooks aren’t just for art—they’re versatile tools that enrich every subject. In Language Arts, students can create story maps, illustrate characters, or visualize vocabulary. For Science, use them for nature journaling, diagrams, and life cycles. In Social Studies, sketchbooks shine with cultural art responses or portraits of historical figures, offering visual entry points for deeper understanding.

Setting Up for Success

When it comes to materials, you’ve got options: invest in actual sketchbooks (so official!) or keep it simple with stapled paper packs or folders or duo tangs—both work beautifully. Or if you don’t want to do any of that, just do sketching with loose paper! Art is meant to be challenged, broken, and reinvented.

For classroom flow, think storage and routines. Where will sketchbooks live? When will they be used? What art mediums can be used? Can they rip out pages or do we turn the mistakes into masterpieces? Set clear expectations and teach mini-lessons on how to use them. Building sketchbook habits takes a little front-loading, but it pays off big when students know exactly what to do.

And here’s the magic move: model it. Grab your own sketchbook and create alongside your students. I also like to share what the artwork is about. Plus, if you’re showing that you are experimenting, being creative, making mistakes and taking risks, and being vulnerable, they will too. When they see you taking risks, making mistakes, and having fun, it normalizes the creative process. You’re not just teaching art—you’re cultivating brave, imaginative thinkers.

The Magic of Mindful Drawing

Sketchbook time offers more than creative expression—it becomes a powerful tool for social-emotional learning. By integrating mindful drawing practices, students develop self-regulation skills, emotional awareness, and the ability to focus their attention with intention. This quiet, reflective time acts as a reset for the classroom, helping to transition into the next block of learning with a calmer, clearer mindset.

Consider incorporating strategies such as drawing to soft music, “doodle breathing” (pairing slow breaths with linework), or exploring pattern repetition through zentangle-inspired prompts. These simple yet effective practices nurture resilience and emotional well-being while fostering a classroom environment grounded in focus and creativity.

Final Thoughts

Even a small sketchbook practice can spark big changes in your classroom. This low-prep, high-impact routine helps students build creativity, regulate emotions, and reset their focus—so your next lesson starts with calm, engaged learners. Just 5–10 minutes a day is all it takes to see the difference. To make it easy, explore my Sketchbook Programs here: Ms Artastic Sketchbook Resources on TpT.

For even more support, download my FREE Ultimate Year-Long Art-Making Guide: Get it here. It’s packed with monthly art plans, step-by-step tutorials, scavenger hunts, choice boards, and printable prompts—everything you need to feel confident and inspired teaching art all year long. And to keep the creativity flowing, subscribe to my YouTube Channel, Ms Artastic or listen to the Ms Artastic Podcast.

About the Author
Kathleen McGiveron, the artist and educator behind Ms Artastic, is passionate about helping teachers and homeschool families bring creativity into their classrooms. With years of experience designing engaging art lessons, Kathleen has been featured on NBC LX News and inspires thousands through the Ms Artastic YouTube Channel and Podcast. She creates resources that make teaching art joyful, accessible, and stress-free. Start your creative journey with her FREE Ultimate Year-Long Art-Making Guide: Download it here.

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