Hey, it's me, Mr. J, and welcome to today's drawing challenge. Do you have a couple minutes? Because today's challenge is draw a walking house. So grab something to draw on. Um, wait, something's not right. Hey, where are my notepads? Anyone, anyone see my notepads? Well, grab something to draw with and let's do this.

(Describer) Title: Drawing with Mr. J. He sits at a table with a black marker

[bright music] [pencil scribbles]

Okay, so there seems to be a mistake here but I'm sure we can make this work. I have a recycling bin here. Yeah, with some cardboard, a magazine, some old envelopes. Maybe just, maybe I could use one of these papers to draw on instead? I mean, it could work, right? All right, yeah, this could work. A walking house. Let's start by drawing a house first and then we'll add the arms and legs to make it walk. All right, now let's start with some simple shapes. So a house, I'm gonna start with the triangle first.

[bright music]

All right, and then under it a rectangle.

[bright music continues]

And I'm gonna teach you a trick to make it look 3D. If you draw a line out and a line out and up at the top another line, and then we'll connect them. Diagonal and down. And now we have the 3D house. I'm gonna add a chimney.

(Describer) Square at the top

All right, now let's add a face, eyes and a mouth.

(Describer) Two dots and a smile

And a door. Just a simple rectangle. And how about two windows?

(Describer) Two squares

Now to make it walk. So if I draw a line down, another line down, and a line and curve. A line and curve, it's starting to walk. How about two little shoes

(Describer) Two clog shapes

and then some arms with hands.

(Describer) Two lines on each side

[bright music continues]

Yeah, a walking house.

[pencil scribbles] [upbeat music]

So let's check in. Have you ever had that uh-oh moment when you don't know what to do? A challenge hits. And as your mind races, your face gets really expressive. Maybe your eyes get huge. What do your eyebrows do? Do they go up and then scrunch down while you're thinking? Maybe your mouth hangs open. You might not have any idea how you're gonna solve this problem, this challenge. Today, I was faced with a pretty interesting problem. I didn't have any paper to use for my drawing and yet, we were all ready to start the drawing challenge. I could have decided to give up and go home, but instead, I looked around for possible solutions. And in the end, I love this paper too. It might not have been what I originally planned but it's pretty cool and different. But I do admit that when I first realized there's a problem, I kind of panicked. I'm thinking, "Why did this happen?" And, "Why now, why me?" So I've learned a few tips along the way that might work for you too. First, take a deep breath and admit, yep, there's a problem here. And remember, that problems happen to all of us and it's the first step to finding a solution that could actually be kind of fun. And whether you realize it or not you're already a pretty experienced problem solver. Second, list out all the possible solutions that you can think of. Because the best solution might not be the first one you come up with. List out five or six and see what you have. And third, it's helpful when I talk through my problem with someone else, like a friend. It helps me calm down. And the best part, I listen and learn how other people come up with solutions to their problems. When faced with a problem, it is healthy and helpful to discuss it with someone you care about. You can use your drawing to talk with a parent or trusted adult. Maybe they'll help you select one of your ideas or come up with a new one. A walking house might seem like a really silly start to an important conversation about problem solving, but remember, that problems can be kind of fun if you draw your way through them. I'm sure your walking house is exciting and delightful. Here's mine.

[upbeat music]

(Describer) A walking house on cardboard

Well, thanks for joining me today as we drew a walking house and as we solved a pretty big problem. I look forward to seeing you next time for another drawing challenge.

[upbeat music continues]

Accessibility provided by the U.S. Department of Education.

(Describer) Accessibility provided by the US Department of Education.