Crayon Your Community
Summary
Participants in a Crayon Your Community event draw maps of their neighborhoods or towns, including all natural and built elements that they identify as important to their vision of the community.
Tool Description
Meeting participants complete hand-drawn maps of their communities, either individually or in groups. Maps typically include trees, streets, water bodies, buildings, or other features that are important to each person’s vision of the community.
Participants are given a sheet of paper, drawing materials, and a set amount of time with which to draw a map of the community. The materials and situation are intentionally designed such that maps will not be precise or high-tech. The activity is often used as an opening in community visioning workshops and processes.
Facilitators can give as little or as much direction as they like, asking people to include certain elements or leaving the instructions intentionally vague. Sample prompts range from:
- Draw your neighborhood
- Draw what's special about your town
- Draw a detailed map of your neighborhood, including all the built and natural features
- Draw a map of where you go during a typical day
It's helpful to post maps on a wall at the end, pass them around, or otherwise share them with the group. A facilitator can then lead a discussion about what's similar and different about the maps, what trends emerge, etc.
Summary of Costs
$0-99
Associated Costs
- Additional Supplies
- Facilitation
Strengths
- Works well as an ice-breaker and as a way for people to learn how others experience the community differently.
- Very low-tech and inexpensive, this activity can be carried out anywhere, and with any group of people (different ages, professions, cultures, etc.).
- This is an excellent activity to "level the playing field." Asking adults to use crayons and draw a map may force them out of comfort zones and enable collaboration with people who are different.
Limitations
- The activity does not typically foster any long-term projects or exhibits.
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Submitted By:
svannostrand
Last Updated: August 15, 2012, 12:10 pm
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