Art & Craft — Design, Mixed Media and Technology

Subtopic: Freehand Block Lettering (Age 9, Kenya)

• Know what freehand block lettering is.
• Draw simple block letters without rulers.
• Use local materials and simple digital tools to decorate letters.
• Create a small poster or name card using block letters.

Freehand block lettering means drawing thick, simple letters by hand (no ruler). The letters look like boxes or shapes — easy to read and great for signs and posters. You can decorate them with colour, patterns or bits of magazine.

• Pencil and eraser
• Sharpie or black marker (for outlining)
• Coloured pencils, crayons, poster paint or leftover fabric
• Old magazines, newspapers, glue, scissors (for collage)
• Paper (plain, lined, or reused cardboard)
• Optional: phone/tablet with a simple drawing app

1. Draw a light pencil outline of the letter A — make it big on the page.
2. Make the letter thicker by drawing another line around the first outline. Keep the thickness even.
3. Erase the inside guideline so you have a solid block shape (the A now looks like a thick shape).
4. Use a black marker to outline the thick shape carefully.
5. Decorate the inside with colour, patterns or glued magazine pieces.

• Magazine collage: Cut small pictures and glue inside each letter for texture.
• Fabric letters: Glue fabric scraps inside thick letters for touch and colour.
• Bottle-cap dots: Glue bottle caps around the letter edge for a fun frame.
• Natural materials: Use small leaves, seeds or sand glued to letters for a Kenyan nature look.

If you have a phone, tablet or school computer you can:

• Open a simple drawing app (Paint, Notes, or free apps) and practice drawing thick letters with your finger or stylus.
• Type a letter in a large font, print it, then trace and decorate by hand.
• Take a photo of your finished work and share with your teacher or classmates.

• Be careful with scissors and glue. Ask an adult for help when cutting.
• Practice first with pencil before using the marker.
• Make your letters big and simple — small details are harder for beginners.
• Try writing your name in block letters and decorate each letter differently.

1. Warm-up: Draw 10 different block letters on scrap paper in 10 minutes.
2. Group task: Make a poster for "Our Class" using freehand block lettering and collage.
3. Show and tell: Each pupil shows one decorated letter and explains materials used.

Ask each child to make a name card using freehand block letters. Check for: even thickness, neat outline, and creative decoration.