Draw with your eyes closed
Draw simple pictures while your eyes are closed to explore touch, memory, and spatial awareness; compare results and describe how drawing changes.
Step-by-step guide to draw with your eyes closed
Step 1
Put one sheet of paper and your pencil on a flat table.
Step 2
Place the small object to draw where you can easily see it.
Step 3
Draw the object once while looking at it.
Step 4
Write "Eyes Open" under that drawing.
Step 5
Put on the blindfold or tie the scarf over your eyes.
Step 6
Draw the object once with your eyes closed on a new sheet of paper.
Step 7
Take off the blindfold and write "Eyes Closed 1" under that drawing.
Step 8
Put the blindfold back on.
Step 9
Draw the object again with your eyes closed trying to remember where parts of the object go.
Step 10
Remove the blindfold and write "Eyes Closed 2" under this drawing.
Step 11
Lay all three drawings side by side so you can see them together.
Step 12
Write or say three things that are different between the drawings such as size position or how the lines look.
Step 13
Share your finished creation on DIY.org
Final steps
You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!
Help!?
What can we use instead of a blindfold if we don't have one?
Use a folded dish towel, sleep mask, thick hat pulled down, or a scarf tied the way the instructions say in 'Put on the blindfold or tie the scarf over your eyes' to cover your eyes fully.
The blindfold keeps slipping and I accidentally peek—how can I stop that?
Gently tape the scarf or blindfold at the temples or use a snug sleep mask so you can reliably complete the 'Draw the object once with your eyes closed' and the second blindfolded drawing without peeking.
How can I adapt this activity for younger children or older kids?
For preschoolers, use a large, familiar object and crayons on a bigger sheet and do only 'Eyes Open' and 'Eyes Closed 1', while older kids can add a timer, repeat 'Eyes Closed 2', and write more detailed observations when they 'Lay all three drawings side by side'.
How can we extend or personalize the activity after finishing the three drawings?
Decorate each drawing with color, measure and label differences in size or position when you 'Lay all three drawings side by side', and then photograph your set to share on DIY.org as suggested in the instructions.
Watch videos on how to draw with your eyes closed
How to draw a closed eye drawing easy step by step tutorial for beginners with pencil Basic drawing
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How to draw a closed eye drawing easy step by step tutorial for beginners with pencil Basic drawing
How to Draw a Closed Eye | Realistic Step-by-Step Tutorial for Beginners
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How to draw Closed Eyes for beginners.... step by step
Facts about sensory play and spatial awareness
✋ Fingertips are packed with thousands of touch receptors, so feeling the paper and pencil helps you 'see' with your hands.
🧠 A famous idea in psychology says short-term memory often holds about 7 ± 2 items, which is why simple drawings are great for this game.
🎨 Blind-contour and eyes-closed drawing exercises are classic art-teacher tricks to sharpen observation and hand-eye coordination.
🔍 Comparing two drawings side-by-side helps kids practice describing changes in size, position, and shape — great vocabulary and observation practice!
👁️ When you close your eyes, your brain leans more on proprioception (your sense of where your body is) to guide your hand.
How do you do the closed-eyes drawing activity?
What materials do I need for drawing with eyes closed?
What ages is the closed-eyes drawing activity suitable for?
What are the benefits and variations of blindfolded drawing?
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