How old was your child when they first drew something recognisable?

[Poppetty]

My 26mo DD has just started drawing potato ppl out of nowhere. One day scribbling the next day drawing ppl! With two arms, two legs, two eyes, nose, mouth, toes and hats(?)! She's drawn about 30 of them in a day and also drew me a car and a truck (ok the car was a random shape with two circular/swirly wheels under it and the truck a bigger shape with four wheels under it - pretty good representation anyway I think!)

I don't think I have ever seen a kid this little draw like this though. She's really never been advanced with anything before, pretty average kind of a kid, even a bit behind with some milestones, late talker etc.

So is this within the normal age bracket or do I have a talented little artist on my hands?

[Nai]

DD1 was under 2.5 when she first drew a person and the carers at childcare were amazed - they said it was very young to be drawing that. She is 4 now and writes and draws well so I think it will mean that your little one will have good fine motor skills when it come to things like that.

[Epacris]

Aww, that’s lovely, very clever. I’m still waiting for my DS to draw something recognisable. He will be four soon and he still just scribbles. He will draw a person type thing but only if someone helps by talking him though how to do it. He’s just not interested. They’re all individuals.

[megs]

My eldest son was around 3 1/2 before he started drawing pod people. My DS who coming up 4 is only just drawing them now. Must say though that my boys have not shown any great interest in drawing. They tend to be more into jigsaws and outside play. I also agree it is all just indiviual.

[~Kim~]

ooh clever girl!
Like Nai, my little miss started recognisable stuff about 2.5-2 3/4. She just loves to draw and colour and write and would do it all day everyday if I could keep the supplies up.
I saw an excellent article recently about the stages of drawing. Will see if I can find it and PM you.

[Nettie]

My DS is 2 and 4 months and has just progressed to circles after doing straight lines for quite a while!

Kim - do you think you could send me that link too? Just out of curiosity!

Poppetty - I love that she's drawing hats!

[Lisa]

I think you have a little artist there!

My DS2 started to draw people just after his 3rd birthday. They always had sad faces though as he couldn't work out how to do the semi circle the other way. He has finally worked that out though so now we get lovely long legged drawings of us with massive smiles. Gotta love their early artwork

[~Kim~]

Done Nettie

[Artechim]

DS is about to turn 3 and has just recently started circles. An artist he is not lol

[Trillian]

Over the years I've done a lot of work at my kids preschool as they have gone through so we're talking kids that are just 3 up to 5.5yrs and when they have done drawing of people, often it is the girls that seem to master this earlier and better than boys. At the start of each year they have to do a picture for their keepsake folders of "Me at my first day of Preschool 2009" etc and there are easily more girls than boys that can draw an actual person. This includes both the 3yo class and the 4yo class. I have no idea why that is though and it is purely anecdotal, but still interesting none the less. I know with my own kids that DS1 and the girls could draw quite early, but DS2 who is 3 in 4 weeks is no where near drawing anything recognisable.

I found this link that might give some people and idea as well Drawing Development in Children

[Mum2SweetCs]

My DD is 28months and only draws circles that are more egg shaped than circles. But the other day she made a photo frame from paddle pop sticks (a very crooked one but she was gluing 2 sticks on top of each o therquite well)

I guess all kids are diff but its good to know you may have an artist on youcr hands =)

[krysalyss]

I think DS was about 2.5 when he drew people that looked like people.

[skybie]

DD1 was about 3.5 when she drew her first face, thats still all she can draw but can make them happy or sad

[Poppetty]

Thanks all!

Over the years I've done a lot of work at my kids preschool as they have gone through so we're talking kids that are just 3 up to 5.5yrs and when they have done drawing of people, often it is the girls that seem to master this earlier and better than boys. At the start of each year they have to do a picture for their keepsake folders of "Me at my first day of Preschool 2009" etc and there are easily more girls than boys that can draw an actual person. This includes both the 3yo class and the 4yo class. I have no idea why that is though and it is purely anecdotal, but still interesting none the less. I know with my own kids that DS1 and the girls could draw quite early, but DS2 who is 3 in 4 weeks is no where near drawing anything recognisable.

I found this link that might give some people and idea as well Drawing Development in Children

That's v interesting re girls mastering drawing earlier, seems to be the case for those that replied in this thread too... Go girls!