Drawing And Scribbling: Toddler Development - BabyCentre UK

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1. Toddler /
2. Toddler development

Drawing and scribbling: toddler developmentMedically reviewed by Jill Irving RN (Adult) RN (Child) RM (Lapsed), Health visitorWritten by The BabyCentre UK Editorial TeamPhoto credit: Gianetti for BabyCenter

When will my toddler learn how to scribble and draw?

It's a gradual process. Over the last few months of your baby's first year, his ability to use his hands, or his fine motor skills, will improve steadily. This means he'll be getting ready to pick up and use crayons. When he's about 15 months old, your toddler may be able to scribble. However, if he needs a little longer, that's fine too (Sheridan 2008: 25). Advertisement | page continues below From around 18 months old, your toddler will probably enjoy painting and drawing with crayons, washable felt tips, or paints (DH 2009: 78). He will hold the crayon or brush with his whole hand, and scribble and paint with large movements (Thomson Delmar Learning 2007). Between two years old and three years old, your toddler will learn how to hold a crayon or brush using his thumb and first two fingers (Sheridan 2008: 33). At first, your toddler will probably finish his picture and then tell you it is of Mummy or Daddy, or a pet, or a favourite toy. But as he grows, your toddler will plan what he's going to draw before he starts. This shows that he knows he can convey meaning with his pictures.

How can I encourage my toddler to scribble and draw?

Set up your budding artist with big sheets of paper taped to the table or to the floor. Lining wallpaper also makes useful drawing paper. If you're concerned about anything getting messy, cover it up. Offer your toddler thick, sturdy crayons, washable pens, or washable paints. In the summer months, you could try chunky chalk to use on paving stones. A fun activity you can do with your toddler is collecting leaves from your garden or local park. Look for leaves of varying shapes and textures. Help your toddler to dip them into paint and place them on the paper to see what prints and patterns he can make. Even if it ends in a mess of paint and squashed leaves, he'll have fun getting there! It's best to let your child experiment and explore rather than giving him instructions. So let him put his hands in some paint, mix all the colours together, or scribble all over a piece of paper if he wants to. This will give him confidence in what he can achieve and it will also help him to feel a little more independent. Whatever your toddler creates, praise it! You could also put it on display in your home. This will show him that you value what he creates. Advertisement | page continues belowWas this article helpful?YesNo

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Sources

BabyCentre's editorial team is committed to providing the most helpful and trustworthy pregnancy and parenting information in the world. When creating and updating content, we rely on credible sources: respected health organisations, professional groups of doctors and other experts, and published studies in peer-reviewed journals. We believe you should always know the source of the information you're seeing. Learn more about our editorial and medical review policies.

DH. 2009. Habits and behaviour. In: Birth to Five. London: Department of Health. 85-98. www.dh.gov.ukOpens a new window [pdf file, accessed December 2012] Sheridan M. 2008. From birth to five years: children's developmental progress. London: Routledge. Thomson Delmar Learning. 2007. Denver Development Screening Test. academic.cengage.comOpens a new window [Accessed December 2012] The BabyCentre UK Editorial TeamBabyCentre UK’s talented team of editors and writers has decades of experience creating inspiring content Opens a new window Opens a new window Opens a new window

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