What age child drew this?

[nc198567]

Just want to know if I'm being PFB or not.

2

I think you lot are mean. OP clearly isn't saying her child is a genius! I think this child is noticeably better than average at art - the people have bodies, the proportions are generally good, and the stance tells you something about how they are feeling. Most 3 year olds would not be able to produce this. Can't we just agree that yes, this child probably does have a talent for art, instead of sneering? Nowhere does the OP suggest she thinks her child is the next Leonardo da Vinci!

Her artwork is lovely, OP. It's good but not extraordinarily exceptional for her age.

Just keep letting her enjoy it, provide her with good materials, lots of paper and time to keep enjoying it.

@pompomsgalore

This is interesting... It's amazing when their drawing starts developing isn't it.

What's really interesting to me is how consistent it is, across time and culture. Look at this news.artnet.com/art-world/ancient-childrens-drawings-saved-by-mud-in-russian-pompeii-148462

Children's drawing skills vary massively at age 3 and 4. When children start in reception some will draw fully formed people with heads and bodies or clothes on, fingers and toes and even eyes with eyelashes and eyebrows etc. Some will still be drawing a circle with sticks coming out for arms and legs (no body) and simple dots for eyes and nose.

Your daughter will probably be very creative- my dd was able to draw detailed pictures at age 3 and she has always been excellent at art- grade 9 GCSE, doing A'level now and wanting to go to art school.

@Biscuitsneeded

I think you lot are mean. OP clearly isn't saying her child is a genius! I think this child is noticeably better than average at art - the people have bodies, the proportions are generally good, and the stance tells you something about how they are feeling. Most 3 year olds would not be able to produce this. Can't we just agree that yes, this child probably does have a talent for art, instead of sneering? Nowhere does the OP suggest she thinks her child is the next Leonardo da Vinci!

But what If you genuinely don’t think the child “genuinely has a talent for art”

Nasty? Absolutely not
But I’d rather not lie

I think it's good for an almost 4 yo OP. My 5yo has only just started drawing in this much detail. As have all the other 5yo I know!

OP clearly isn't saying her child is a genius!

But she wants us to gasp and say her child is a genius. Why????

I could read & write full sentences when I was 4, but I was so shy, I couldn't walk into a room or speak to a teacher. At 3 my younger DC hardly spoke either of the languages in our household; by 4 he was fluently speaking both languages and making linguistic jokes which relied on mixing aspects of his languages.

We all have different things we're good at and not so good at. At 3, those things are so much in flux that talking about "exceptional"

Going against the grain here but I think it's impressive a 3 year old drew that. Usually at that age you have legs coming directly out of the potato head.

@Oftenithinkaboutit I agree.

@nc198567Op I really don't mean to come across as mean, sorry if you feel a bit attacked. I think the general consensus is that you should just enjoy your DD and her great artwork, don't worry about talent. Its a bit tricky figuring out 'talent' at this age. It's a bit like reading, some kids are great early on and get overtaken by others with age.
You want to nurture what she enjoys, not necessarily what she may be innately talented in. If she loved art, carry on with it. Encourage it. Time will tell if this is something she is especially talented in.

3

Just read full thread. Oh dear op. Oh dear.

3-4?

There's a link to level of detail in children's drawings and later life intelligence, but it's not about style or proportion. It's about the amount of details. It's worth a look into because it's absolutely fascinating.

Either way, don't worry if you're being PFB, she is your PFB why shouldn't you a bit ott and mega proud of her? You should be her strongest supporter and anyone who makes fun of you thinking your own daughter is the best thing ever is just a downer. You should think she's the best(just don't go showing off too much with her peers parents irl)

My dd is 3 so I would say 3. A talented 3 year old.

3 or 4

I would have guessed pre-school and wasn't surprised by the 'reveal'. It's lovely OP and it's nice that you're proud, but as others have suggested just enjoy it rather than over-thinking where this sits on an ability scale.

3/4 year old girl or a 5 year old boy

That’s very good for a 3 year old. Adding details such as fingers and observational additions like eye and hair colour and length is above what is generally expected for a 3 year old. And she can apply this to 2D with her self portrait and her elephant which are also very good indeed.

DS1 was still scribbling at that age - he drew his first recognisable stick figures just before he started school, just turned 4. He’s 8 now and while clearly not artistically gifted he seem’s pretty average for his age.

DS2 has drawn recognisable faces etc since he was 2 and could definitely have produced something like the OP’s drawing at 3-and-a-bit. He plateaued a bit from 3 through 4 though and isn’t really exceptional in his reception class.

There’s such diversity in how quickly they pick things up at this age, it doesn’t necessarily mean anything about talent.

Much better than most in the reception class I work in, and more patient than my 4 year old! 😂

I would have guessed 4.
Children don’t usually start drawing figures with torsos (independently/undirected) until around that age.

@Cutelittlesquizzer

That’s very good for a 3 year old. Adding details such as fingers and observational additions like eye and hair colour and length is above what is generally expected for a 3 year old. And she can apply this to 2D with her self portrait and her elephant which are also very good indeed.

I agree!

@MistandMud

Have you had children not follow the typical stages of drawing? Just curious as DS started more with outlines, for example he drew a recognisable cat curled up at two and a half, one line showing the head shape with ears, around for the body and tail then added eyes. He never did the heads with legs or similar. Wondering how common this is?

One of mine used to draw feet and legs but not necessarily bother with the heads. He's autistic. Not sure if it's connected.

DS seemed to focus on the whole form rather than heads first. The cat he drew was the first thing other than a scribble and he wasn't much interested in scribbling before that. How he drew was simple but unmistakable, like the 'idea' of a cat or a kookaburra. I'm autistic, he isn't, but I do wonder if it's related.