Y'all know that I love to craft with the kiddos in my life and I also love hand lettering. But, I never really thought about Hand Lettering with Kids until I received a copy of my sweet and talented friend Amy Latta's book Express Yourself A Hand Lettering Workbook for Kids. This is the perfect book for budding artists, writers, and doodlers, or any kid who is inspired by all the amazing hand lettering they see online. For parents, this book is a trusty boredom buster, keeping kids entertained and developing creative thinking skills.

A big Thank You to Beyond the Blackboard for sponsoring this post, the ideas and opinions are my own. This post, Hand Lettering with Kids may contain affiliate links. Using links to these sites means I may earn a percentage of the purchase at no extra cost to you.

Here are the Supplies needed to Hand Lettering with Kids
- Express Yourself a Hand Lettering Workbook for Kids by Amy Latta
- We Are Ooly Brilliant Brush Markers
- Tombow MONO J Drawing Pencil, 4H Grade
- MONO Eraser from Tombow
- Tombow MONOTWIN Permanent Marker
- Cricut BrightPad
- Paper – I like to use either Strathmore Marker Paper or Mixed Media Paper (the important thing to remember is that the paper you select is super smooth)
- FREE Printable Ice Cream Quotes, download below ⇓
Here's how to start Lettering with Kids
STEP ONE
The very first thing that I have to do when I get a new set of pens is make a color swatch. It is important to know how the colors will look on the paper. I then label the back of the swatch and place it with the markers. These Brilliant Brush markers from We Are Ooly have deep rich colors with a large brush tip that gives thick downstrokes and thin upstrokes. Very easy to use for all skill levels.

STEP TWO
When hand lettering with kids (or adults) thumbnail sketches are a great way to get ideas down on paper. They also help with layout, font style and size. I always use my MONOTWIN Permanent Marker for sketching because it has a fine tip and a bullet tip.

STEP THREE
Then sketch out the quote design full scale on a sheet of basic printer paper. I use a MONO J Drawing Pencil in a 4H Grade, this hard lead is easy to erase. Don't worry if this version is messy, I'll explain next. Mix and match the styles, designs, and tutorials from Amy Latta's book Express Yourself A Hand Lettering Workbook for Kids to create a funny quote. Kids love funny and so does Amy!

STEP FOUR
Layer the messy final sketch onto the Cricut BrightPad (other lightbox or even a sunny window) with Marker Paper or Mixed Media Paper on top. Select the colors for your quote, and then start with Basic Brush Lettering from page 116 at the top in turquoise. The “without” is traditional thick and thin lettering and the “there would be” is single weight hand lettering.

STEP FIVE
The pink lettering is a combination of thick downstrokes and thin outlines that Amy teaches on page 46. I added serifs to my letters instead of polka dots. The Brilliant Brush markers are perfect for these thick strokes of vibrant color.

STEP SIX
Doodling is one of my favorites and I love that way Amy teaches how to incorporate drawings into your quotes on page 28 Drawing Donuts. I added an ice cream cone to my quote and a cherry on top of the “I” in Ice Cream. Colored with the Brilliant Brush markers and outlined with the MONOTWIN Permanent Marker.

FREE Printable Hand Lettered Files
Here are the downloads as promised! I have included the final colored quote that you can print at home and display. As well as the greyscale version that can be printed and traced with your very own color scheme. Let me know which one is your favorite!
I hope you have enjoyed my Hand Lettering with Kids project and that you will use it as a jumping-off point to get creative with your kids (or yourself!) Amy's book Express Yourself A Hand Lettering Workbook for Kids breaks down all of the tutorials into doable step by step directions so that everyone can be successful.

This is a really fun quote for all ages. Kiddos from elementary school through high school and college can create their own versions, and so can you, whether you're crafty Aunt Beth or not. You can even design a quote and learn hand lettering with kids together as a family! There’s no right or wrong way to create during quarantine, just grab some markers and get started (with a little inspiration from Express Yourself, of course!) Order all the supplies you need easily from Beyond the Blackboard, and you’ll be ready to start creating your own memories in no time.

Thanks for stopping by!

Thanks once again for sharing your work – your projects are appreciated
You are most welcome, Kendell! I am glad you enjoy them!