Does your 3 yr old draw?

[ajsmom]

My ds will 3 in August and he has yet take much interest in coloring or drawing. After a bit of coloring he pretends that the crayons are logs and uses them for play.

I'm in no rush to have him draw but was curious when other little ones draw...

thanks,
Rebecca

[idaismyname]

My four year old has little interest either

I have a four an d a half year old that will occassionally color but doesn't seem to care for it. She still scribbles when she draws also instead of making pictures. I wouldn't worry about it. I have a seven year old that loved coloring at an early age. I think it' quite creative that she pretends to build with the crayons.

[dotcommama]

My oldest is five started to really try to draw pictures of things maybe six months ago. My almost three year old likes to scribble and trace things, but not really draw. Though he did go through this phase where he only wanted to draw on white paper with a black pen/marker/crayon or paint and would draw this big circle with a squiggle at the bottom. Same picture over and over again - it was kind of odd. When i asked him what it was he said, "A potato." :

[amymarie]

My dd is 3.5 and only shows interest in drawing when I am writing something...then she'll scribble and make some happy faces that don't look too happy...she also has started wanting to write her name...I think all children are different and some like to write/draw and others don't.

[simonee]

My 3.75 yo dd started drawing about a year ago, and is one of the most prolific drawers I've ever seen at her age. She draws quite well and has lots of fun doing it, but she doesn't color. She also doesn't do many other things that most kids her age do, like climbing or saying abc's or counting much beyond 10. So I think that her drawing at that age is pretty extraordinary, and from what I see in her peers, most just aren't that much into it. And even then, she just started at your ds's age.

I feel with drawing the same as with singing: it's one of these things that we really like and expect our toddlers to do, but many don't really until they're older. I wouldn't think much about it at all, though I agree that the log thing is quite creative

[mamabeard]

my boy is 3 and a quarter and draws (and "writes"- mostly zigzags, but a few letters too) all the time! it's quite extraordinary; he's really deliberate about it, and his pictures are adorable and hillarious (mostly people- giant oblong heads with concentric disc eyes, noses and big goofy smiles and little L feet at the bottom, sometimes giant antenae-like hairdos).. but he's little for his age and doesn't sleep very long, so don't feel bad!

[Tanibani]

My 3 yr old son draws a little bit. I'm very much into "art" so I have supplies and a desk for him.... but he's really into MUSIC! He's happy listening to his CDs and strumming his guitar (or playing drums, or this or that...)

There is a great book called Young at Art: Teaching Toddlers Self-Expression, Problem-Solving Skills, and an Appreciation of Art by Susan Striker.

The book is outstanding... she explains how to introduce materials... and goes over each age/stage.

Read it... you'll be happy you did.

[EFmom]

My five year old dd still isn't wild about drawing or coloring. Since she started kindergarten this year she'll do it a little more because it's expected in school, but given a choice, she'll do just about anything else.

[Bladestar5]

My 3year old has been drawing since he was old enough to figure out how to draw. I had to watch him of course, so he wouldn't eat the crayons! I can't remember the exact age, but he was really little. Maybe 18mos, or less. He was walking at 11mos, so it wasn't too long after. He loves to draw! I think it is different for every child, though.

[ajsmom]

Well ds wanted to use the little library pencil today so perhaps I spoke too soon...

[DeChRi]

My dd will be 4 on Easter and has been drawing since she could hold a crayon. But it has always been her "thing". She has amazing artistic ability. My neighbor has a son the same age who couldn't give a thought to drawing, but can ride his little bike up and down the street with the greatest of ease, and my dd can hardly sit on it without crashing. I guess they all come into their own in their own due time

[Chelly2003]

My son (3 1/2) has figured out how to draw some letters, he scribles more when he's doing pictures, and he prefers to watch DH or myself color (: )

He does like to get stuck into play dough, and sticking things on paper, seems he likes that a lot more.

[Lady of Z Lake]

My dd is a little over 3-1/2, and she loves to draw. In fact, she just started drawing people (imagine an egg with stick arms and legs and circles for eyes! ). She draws other things as well. It's absolutely fascinating to see the evolution. She has always enjoyed scribbling, but LITERALLY overnight about 2 months ago she began drawing representative things (is that the right word?) and not just lines.

She can make a couple of letters, only because she chose to. I don't push the alphabet at all. She's all in to spelling her own name and others' she knows.

[hydrangea]

Maybe you'll luck out and she won't start to really draw until she's past the stage where the walls seem like good canvasses. We had a lot of that.

Both my daughters drew as soon as they could hold a crayon and are excellent artists, especially my older daughter. They take after my husband, not me, I assure you. Because they were (still are) such good artists, other parents have always seemed drawn to come to me about their own children's artistic abilities or lack thereof. Many of my daughters' friends didn't draw until much later. Some still aren't terribly interested, even at 6 or 7.

[countrymom]

My 3 year old draw and draws and draws-- we have books full of his drawings-- (I draw a lot too-I am an artist so he may have picked something up from me)-- he draws lots of people- complete with hair, belly buttons, hands /fingers and feet & toes--eyebrows! He draws pirates- sail boats- octupus etc. but the other kids his age in both preschool and playgroup are not so advanced at drawing. I think he is an exception to the average 3 year old in his artistic ability.

But everyone is different and that is what makes the world go 'round.

[MamaMonica]

My DD - almost four- has been drawing since she was very young (about 14 or 15 months) and often entertains herself by drawing things and writing letters. She draws animals, people, birds, cars-you name it. It seemed to be her natural inclination. She may have watched me and wanted to (I am an artist and work in my basement studio) but she kept at it on her own.

[ajsmom]

I thought I lived in the land of mildew!

I didn't think anywhere was as moldy as our town. MomaMonica where are you?

[MamaMonica]

Hey- I'm up here by Seattle and we are quite moldy! :LOL Sorry to hear the Land of Mildew extends south! :LOL

[ajsmom]

We should begin a new thread - You know you live in moldytown when...

Your 2 yr old ds can operate the dehumidifier!

[Funkeemonkey]

two different kids...

my ds who is now 5.6 would never pick up a pencil to draw write or dance with (even). I despaired when he started school even though he seems intelligent enough. I needn't have worried. Even though he is still developing fine motor skills he has caught on to schooling very well and has not been lost because of his lack of pre-school writing prep.

my ds who is 4 has always liked to draw and colour and now write. He has great fine motor skills.

All kids are different. But what I do know is that no matter what I did to encourage them they always did what they wanted to. I think my ds 5 was always scared of not being right or perfect. So when your child does pick up a crayon say lots of adoring things - no matter what result is produced. (except of course if the walls are at stake. lol)