Your child is ready to draw and color as soon as he can hold a large crayon comfortably. Allowing your child to doodle frequently can help him gain strength and control in his fingers and ultimately teach him that markings and lines may represent things, shapes, and letters.
Here’s how to get your little Picasso started drawing and coloring, along with some information on why this is such a significant development. Fair warning: He can get so eager to leave his imprint that he scrawls anywhere except on the page!
When Do Kids Start Coloring?
Around the one-year milestone, start using those thick crayons. The majority of toddlers are prepared to begin coloring and scribbling between the ages of 12 and 15 months, but learning to draw is a process that unfolds in stages, just like everything else linked to children.
Here’s a timeline of when your budding artist may take off:
- 12 to 15 months: Your child will probably be eager and ready to hold a crayon securely enough to draw marks after he has mastered the pincer grasp (holding items with his thumb and forefinger). At this age, children tend to use crayons more for huge, random arcs, blobs, and inadvertent scrawling, which is more of a study in enjoyment than skill.
- 15 to 18 months: Drawings and colorings made by your toddler will certainly progress to more expressive interpretation. In those swirls, you might not be able to make out the forest or the trees, but you’ll start to notice color blocks and clearer markings and patterns.
- 18 to 24 months: The page will probably become increasingly crowded with his scribbles. At this age, everything crayon marks your child makes has meaning for him; the wavy loops may be a dog, or the vivid stripes could be his father.
How to Help Your Toddler Start Coloring?
Safety is paramount when it comes to the art supplies for your child. Make sure all materials are non-toxic because he’ll probably put whatever he’s using to color in his mouth. Fortunately, most kid-friendly art tools are. Pencils and pencils should nevertheless be avoided, as their sharp tips pose a risk of poking.
To maximize drawing sessions, tape a few pieces of paper to the floor or the tray of your child’s high chair to lessen the likelihood that they will slide about and annoy him. Let him go with a few chunky, non-toxic crayons (these are easier for little hands to wield and are more difficult to break), and chances are he will quickly grasp the obvious cause-and-effect of applying a crayon to paper on his own.
At this age, some crayon nibbling is normal and definitely won’t harm him, but it should be avoided (and be aware of potential stomach trouble).
Close supervision is essential for any kid-friendly activity, but avoid the urge to guide your inquisitive toddler when it comes to producing works of art – let him explore as independently as you can.
What Not to Worry About When It Comes to Toddler Scribbling
Your child could prefer to express his creativity using various mixed media and techniques if he doesn’t like sketching or writing.
For instance, he could like using rubber stamps, making collages out of glue, paper, fabric, and feathers, or sketching and coloring with chalk on a blackboard, construction paper, or the pavement. He might also like painting with non-toxic, water-based paints with a thick-handled paintbrush or sponges. Additionally, your youngster could enjoy using water-based, washable markers for drawing and molding child-safe play clay with their hands.
Mention it to your pediatrician if your kid isn’t able to imitate drawing a vertical line by the time he or she is 12 months old, is still using a fisted grip to hold a crayon at 18 months, or isn’t using a pincer grasp at all.
When Do Kids Start Drawing?
Your young Leonardo will start progressing to larger and bigger things after he has mastered the ability of doodling and coloring. He will be able to draw more identifiable forms, such as circles, around the age of 3.
When do children begin sketching people? A family photo should be anticipated anytime around the age of 4. His followers may not have a distinctive appearance, but they almost certainly have a face, a body, and some limbs or legs (or both). Children at this age also begin to sketch other common things, such as the sun or flowers.
Your child will begin to understand the distinction between writing and drawing as he approaches kindergarten, so his artwork may eventually include “words” that explain his creation.
