3-year-old’s drawings

[Perlimpinpin]

This is what my 3 year old (turned 3 in May) drawings look like. He also tries to do circles, but that’s it.

Is this normal at his age? (The drawing behind isn’t his).

Thank you

Quite honestly no, it looks like what my 20 month old draws. But maybe he’s just not that into drawing, how’s his letters coming along, has he started writing the first letter of his name at nursery yet?

Thank you for your reply.
He can’t write letters yet, he can trace a simple straight line, albeit not very well, that’s it.

My 2.5 year old can do circles, and is now trying to draw triangles and squares - but he’s at home with me during the day and we both love creative stuff, so do lots of drawing and painting etc.

Can he do horizontal and vertical straight lines? That was in the 2-2.5 yr development check and it suggested showing DC first to see if they copy you. You could try that if he’s not doing that yet? I noticed that once DS could do this his marks were more intentional rather than just scribble. Draw things for him like basic shapes (especially if he likes shapes), show him how to colour within the lines. Draw stick men (that was another one in the Q - see if they recognise a stick man as a person), eg a DS stick man or a mummy stick man - mine thinks this is hilarious! Just some simple exercises to help him along if he’s not quite there yet.

What’s his grip like - is he still using a fisted grip or has he moved to digital pronate? (One finger pointing down on top of the crayon / pen). I think digital pronate gives them more control as well as being a natural step toward pencil grip, so you could try showing him if he’s still using a fisted grip.

Development is a spectrum though. My DS has really advanced fine motor skills but his expressive speech is delayed!! It could be that your DS has been focused on speech or gross motor. I’d try practicing / experimenting with him first - but if you’re still concerned you could always speak to the HV or nursery x

I work with this age group and this isn't unusual. It's possibly a little behind but not cause for concern. Every year 2 or 3 out of about 12 children that age would draw like this. There is a massive variation within the group, but either way we would expect a big improvement by age 4. Experiment with different grips, chubby crayons to pencils etc and see which he struggles with. Sometimes it's just a fine motor thing. If so there are lots of fun ways to strengthen the muscles and refine the movements.

if the issue is not grip but the mark making itself, you can motivate by making it more fun. Finger painting might work better, if he wont sit for it do it on the floor, or tape paper to a wall. Chalk drawing on the outside pavement is fun too. Or Flour or sand on a tray. Some children find it hard to just freestyle draw they prefer to get direction about what to draw, so challenge him to draw a specific item. Others don't like to be instructed and like to just do whatever feels good in the moment. Just observe and see what suits him best. Usually by 4 we expect them to copy a series of shapes, (circle triangle square) but I wouldn't be pushing it for now. Also I wouldn't worry about it too much, I'm sure he is just fine and far too busy running around or playing with cars for now.

Is this a serious thread, or is everyone kidding?

Mine was like this at 3. He’s now 6 and he can draw really cool cartoons with shadowing e.g. accurate Pokemon. His actual drawing has become quite good for his age, although he is still a little behind with his writing.

I would encourage a lot of activities involving fine motor skills. I was told by his teachers not to worry about drawing and writing per se (pre age 5). Things like Play Doh modelling, Lego, finger painting, messy play, etc also helps.

My 5 yr old drew like this aged 3.

He was never interested in mark making so any attempts to work on it were pointless. Overall his fine motor skills were not as good as his gross motor skills.

He's a very clever lad now, no concerns from anyone. He draws more obvious pictures now and he can write short words legibly but would still rather build something or express himself through movement!

You could sell that! Exciting use of colour. Swept lines convey a dynamic sense of movement. Insightfully contrasting speed with rest, this artist shows maturity beyond his years: we dare to suggest he is destined for greatness. As an early palimpsest, this work will become an important collector's item.

Make sure he signs it! Oh ... or makes a thumb print, then 😏

I’d have used the term mark making as a PP did.
If he doesn’t have one I’d get him a Magnadoodle type board ( with attached stylus and stampers)
Recently bought one for a 3 year old who isn’t that bothered about drawing but loves vehicles so I got him some transport stencils to go with it.
Using different implements ( chunky felt tips, chalks, brushes and water outdoors) will help and activities to develop fine manipulative skills e.g. playdough, threading, puzzles large peg boards.

That actually sounds completely normal for a 3-year-old! At this age, most kids are still experimenting with shapes, colors, and how to hold crayons or pencils. Drawing circles and random lines is a big milestone — it shows developing hand-eye coordination and early creativity.
When my little one was that age, I started introducing fun activities that made drawing more enjoyable, like using coloring pages for kids with big, simple shapes. It helped improve focus and fine motor skills while keeping things playful.
So don’t worry — your child is right on track. The key is to let them explore freely without too much pressure. Every squiggle is progress at this stage!

He’s 3 - get a grip. No idea if that is behind or ahead but it wouldn’t worry me because “he’s 3”!!!!!