Think Before You Draw
A Free Design Guide for Kids
If you’re a 3rd–5th grade teacher or a parent, chances are you’ve seen this: The yearbook cover contest. The t-shirt design contest. The “create a poster” assignment.
And you’ve probably seen all kinds of approaches:
Some kids freeze, unsure where to start.
Some kids dive in—but just end up copying last year’s design.
Some kids love to draw, but aren’t sure what their design is trying to say.
And some kids have never thought of themselves as “creative” at all.
That’s why I made this guide—for every kid.
Because when you ask a child to design something, what you’re really asking is:
→ Can you take an idea and use images, color, and text to help people understand it right away?
And that’s a skill no one is born knowing. But it’s absolutely something kids can learn.
Why I created this
As a graphic designer—and a mom of two—I’ve seen this up close. My own kids have had many opportunities to enter school design contests, and every time I watched them try to figure out where to begin, I realized:
No one teaches kids how to think like a designer.
They’re given a blank sheet of paper, and maybe a few rules about what words to include. But there’s no guidance on how to come up with an idea, or how to think through what the design should communicate.
Design isn’t just about drawing
A lot of professional designers (myself included!) aren’t the best at drawing or painting. And that’s okay—design isn’t about being a great artist.
Design is about solving a problem and sharing a message. It’s about making things clear, creative, and easy to understand.
And kids are not too young to understand that difference.
This guide gives them a way to combine their creativity with strategic thinking—so they can feel proud of what they make, not just because it “looks cool,” but because it works.
What’s inside
Think Before You Draw is a free, printable design guide made just for kids. It walks them through the four simple steps designers use every day:
Brainstorm ideas (What do I want to say?)
Find your style (How do I want it to look?)
Sketch it out (Try different layouts!)
Choose and refine your favorite (Bring it to life!)
There’s no pressure. No grades. No “perfect.” Just a process to help kids pause, plan, and create something with purpose.
Who it’s for
This guide is designed with 3rd–5th graders in mind, but could easily work for older students too.
It’s great for:
Art teachers looking for a short, strategic project
Classroom teachers assigning posters or yearbook art
Parents of kids who love to create but don’t always know where to start
A few things I hope kids learn
That your first idea might be fine—but your third or fourth is usually more interesting
That “bad” ideas are part of getting to the good ones
That design (like anything) takes practice
That you don’t need to be a perfect artist to be a great designer
And most importantly—that it’s okay to try again, change direction, or start over
Want the Guide?
You can download the full printable PDF right here:
Feel free to share it with your students, your kids, your classroom, or your art team.
And if you use it—I’d truly love to hear how it goes.
Thanks for helping me cheer on the next generation of clear-thinking, creative little designers.
A SPECIAL THANKS TO MY MODEL: MY 11-YEAR OLD, AVERY
I’m Jill Lawlor—a brand identity designer for small businesses, and a big fan of thoughtful, creative work.
If you enjoyed this resource, I’d love it if you gave me a follow on Instagram—that’s where I share behind-the-scenes design tips, branding advice, and the occasional ode to school projects. :)
Likes, comments, and shares mean the world to small business owners like me—thanks for cheering me on. 💛
