Simple fun :: tracing

Over the weekend our kids discovered a new activity that is fast becoming an obsession.
It's such a simple one.
I can't believe I haven't introduced it to them earlier.
Tracing paper and a pencil!
I was cutting some baking paper to fit a pan and remembered how much I loved to trace things when I was a kid so I tore off a few sheets and gave them to the littles.
They both chose some books and went to town.
All.day.
Our son traced an entire book!
Of course when I was in the grips of my own tracing fever in the late 70s I didn't know it was also developing concentration, writing and reading skills (our son traced all the words and sounded them out as he went) and comprehension (both kids talked about their pictures in-depth as they went; the expressions on character's faces, what they were doing, what they were thinking and saying and such).
Whilst our son was intent on completing a whole book our daughter dipped in and out of a few books. One of her favourites, Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! has lots of white space on the pages to which she added her own doodles, expanding on a story she knows so well. She also used some of her tracings as colouring sheets.

What a timely and welcome addition to the keeping-them-entertained-indoors activity list.