3.5 Art Skills

So I got Matthew's progress report from preschool. He got mostly "satisfactory" on everything but in the "art" sections where it had coloring in lines, copying shapes, cutting with scissors, etc his skills are still "emerging" and his teacher said he needs to practice more. ??? Now, I know I have one friend whose son the same age is writing his own name and cutting out hearts, etc, but this kid has always been pretty advanced where as mine are, well, not so much

So, I was curious about other 3.5 year olds. Are your kids doing more than just scribbling? Be honest

Truthfully, my boys prefer painting. They don't have the best fine motor skills. Matthew still doesn't have a "favored" hand for holding a pencil, etc.

Thanks!

 

Honest? Ben was writing his name (okay, his is an easy one) and most letters by 3.5. Now at almost four he can write simple words with ease, and has a pretty firm pencil grip. He can color in the lines if he wants, but his teacher wouldn't know it since he hates to color really, and rarely attempts. And he can cut on a straight or curvy line. From what I can tell from his peers, he may be a little ahead of the game though, so I don't know if that is a fair comparison. But you asked so I thought I would share.

 

My four year old just scribbles - no circles. I spoke to her teacher about it yesterday and they didn't have any concerns. I think she just has talents in other areas!

 

I've heard some boys are not as interested in colouring. Maybe fingerpainting might be more in their style.

 

At that age my big girls were past just scribbling, but they were always art obsessed so I'm not sure that's a fair comparison. Naomi was a bit (not much) past just scribbling but Luke was not. He would happily join in art activities but for drawing/colouring that was basically scribbling with a few different colours and then pronouncing "Wonderful! It's finished!" and leaving to play something else. :lol: He also did not have a dominant hand for holding a pencil/scissors (we think he's going to be right handed now, but for a long time we thought left) which I think delays fine motor skills. Since around 4 he has been more and more drawing pictures of things, before he would often say the drawing was "a pattern", and he is getting much better at writing letters.

Also I think colouring in the lines is overrated I'd much rather my children drew their own imaginative scribbles pictures!

 

Mine are not quite 3.5 but I can tell you they are nowhere near coloring inside the lines and I haven't really had them sit down and write yet. I have had a table since before the were two with coloring books and crayons. The other day they were "coloring" which lasts all of two minutes and consists of scribbling as hard as they can...one of my son's always breaks the crayon...and then they want to hang it on the fridge. Anyway, I assume they will perfect those skills once they start a tot/pre-school program in September. IMO 3.5 seems pretty young to think they are already behind in art/writing skills. I think they will be fine and they are in school/program that's why they go right, to learn...

 

At that age my girls were just scribbling. Around 4 they would tell my what the picture was (I could not tell from their picture), I think probably since they were 5 they've been doing actual pictures and u can tell what everything is.

Oh colouring within the lines, I can't remember when but probably closer to 5 for us.

They have always loved scissors so they've been using those pretty well for a few years, but wouldn't be able to cut out a heart perfectly, maybe a box or rectangle. They are 5 1/2.

 

I have one of each.

One DD can write her name neatly, copy simple words (cat, hi, pig) and write many letters. She can also draw a detailed person and color in the lines with lots of colors. Can draw shapes and some animal faces.

One DD can write her name barely legibly, draw a face witha blobby body with different colors, copy a few letters, does not color in the lines at all and tends to scribble all in one color. She does not have a dominant hand yet. Can draw circles, wavy lines, straight lines, a cross, but not a box or triangle.

Neither girl is good with scissors.

I think they are both doing well--just different skills. My first DD LOVES art of all kinds and the other ones enjoys painting, play doh, and craftier things more than pen/paper art.

I do know at our EI exit screener ( at age 3), they should be able to snip with scissors,draw a circle, a cross, and grip a crayon/pencil somewhat correctly.

 

Trevor scribbles. Trent can almost keep it in the lines and is more attentive and precise with his coloring. Both draw a respectable circle and copy lines that I draw but have zero interest in learning to draw the other shapes. They can cut with scissors but I haven't asked them to cut along a line to cut out a shape so I don't know if they can do that. Both can draw a capital and lowercase "T" and are learning to write their names but it's slow going. They will scribble and claim that it's a word. I know their motor skills aren't lacking since they can do and undo shirt buttons, zippers, snaps, thread beads, etc. Really, it's just a matter of them not being terribly interested right now.

 

Right there with you! My son has just started showing an interest in scissors and drawing. He can cut but he won't do it for long. He can draw a circle but it doesn't hold his attention. Now that he has finally shown an interest, we are going to start working on it. I really wasn't concerned but his teachers have mentioned it.

My daughter appears to be ahead of the curve. She draws, can write most of her name so we can understand it (she makes the strangest C), and she loves to cut up paper into little pieces to drive mommy insane. I just think my son had no interest until now. He did the same thing with puzzles and now he loves them.

 

I just think it's strange that they're getting "graded" on their art skills at age 3.5. I can understand evaluating art skills as an indicator of fine motor control, etc., just to give you an idea of whether your child might need help with something. But to actually care whether they color within the lines seems very strange. Maybe he just don't want to...?

Anyway, mine are 3y3m. Amy can write an A and an M (very wobbly). Her drawings consist of a combination of closed shapes and straight lines (just abstract, not representational), plus scribbling. She loves to cut with scissors, but she doesn't cut along any kind of lines, she just cuts things at random (to me) places and makes confetti all over the floor.

Sarah mostly just scribbles -- I don't think I've seen her try to make a letter or a closed shape. Scissors seem to frustrate her. She is more into things like fingerpainting, glitter glue, etc. In general she's just not as much into "art" as Amy.

I have no idea whether they can color inside the lines or copy a shape -- I've never seen them try. They do almost all their art at school, and the school's attitude is more just "Here's the paper, here are the art supplies -- have at it, kid."

 

At 3.5, my boys were scribblers who couldn't (or wouldn't) color in the lines or write their own names. That 4th birthday seemed to be a big turning point for the fine motor skills. They both started using scissors properly, drawing figures instead of scribbling (but only if their teacher instructed them to NOT scribble). They both learned to write their own names this fall (a big goal in their 4yo preschool class). Just this weekend, I caught both of them coloring inside the lines *faint*. One thing I have learned is that when it comes to milestones, past performance does not necessarily indicate future performance. In other words, the kids who pick up the skills early on are not necessarily any brighter than the kids who learn the skills later.

 

My girls aren't writting their names yet but they are master cutters. I think because when I need to keep them quiet, I quickly draw several shapes on a blank page and hand them the siccors and set them the task to cut them out. In other words, they've practiced that. And I've never asked them to try to write their names, they've never practiced that.

As for colouring in the lines, I think that depends on the attitude you've taken towards their art. I don't want to critized their art or color choices for fear of stiffling their inate creativity. One is a fairly fast colorer and often goes out of the lines but I've never told her she should try to stay in them. (When I have the time, I enjoy coloring with them and she has seen that I make an effort to stay in the lines.) That is the twin, btw who has better verbal skills. The other is very slow at coloring, but has a lot more control with the pen, she has better physical skills all around.

 

My 3.5 year old boys love to color and draw...Everywhere! But they get that from mommy. They draw trains and faces and color in the lines but they can't write letters or words yet.... They are still young so I'm not worried...yet.

 

I'm trying to remember that age. I know good and well Timothy would have only been scribbling at that age. He really just didn't have the patience to sit and try and stay inside the lines. Even now, most of the time he'd rather scribble and go fast than take the extra time. Timothy was making "T" at that time and we were working on writing names legibly.

Kids are truly going to do their own thing with art. Mine go to an art school for class once a week. Sarah drew a quite clearly recognizable Cat in the Hat at age 4 there. Yesterday, she quite clearly and accurately drew the Queen of Hearts. Timothy's was more a jumble of lines that I could pick out pieces of. Their talents are in different areas. Timothy is quite willing to sit and figure out things with his guitar. Sarah has no patience for that. But art class has shown benefits in especially Timothy learning fine motor control and he's actually trying and wanting to learn the patience to not scribble.

Marissa

 

Here's my honest eval for you. I use to be a preschool teacher. All kids are different and especially boys. Most boys are starting to learn to write their names at 3.5 yrs. and as far as coloring in the lines, well first grade boys have trouble with that. Most, not saying all, boys hate coloring. My boys only like to color if they get to color with markers. Fine motor skills with the scissors will get better with practice. Draw big straight lines on paper and have your kids cut along them. As they get better, make diagonal likes or big squares where they have to turn the paper a bit. For coloring practice, draw a big circle on a paper and practice together staying in the circle. Good Luck!