To expect 5yr old DS to be able to draw representational pictures?

[TheSeaTheSkyTheSeaTheSky]

Hi all,
I'm probably over reacting about this but it's one of a number of issues with DS1 which make me concerned - although hopefully the answer is simply that 'he's a boy'!
DS1 is a late August birthday so just gone into Yr 1 aged just 5. Many of his friends seem to be reading and writing relatively fluently, drawing clear pictures of recognisable things (police cars, guns, the usual boy stuff) and even writing captions to them. DS1 comes home telling me he can't remember what he's done at school, which to my mind suggests he's messing about and not paying attention. When we play with play dough he just makes a mess instead of actually making 'something' that represents something in the world around him. Today I asked him to draw a picture and he just did scribbles - when I asked him to draw me a house he basically couldn't do it without a lot of help and guidance. He's never been into drawing and colouring and now I'm wondering if i should be 'making' him do it as a kind of homework.
He can copy words and write quite nicely when there's a treat in it for him and his reading is OK but this thing about drawing and making things that look like something is really bothering me. Is it just a boy thing or something more worrying? And if it is just a boy thing when can I expect him to 'get it' and start paying more attention to what's going on around him?
So AIBU to expect him to be able to do this? Is this a sign of something I should be doing something about or am I just an over anxious pushy mother?

I would expect a 5 year old to be able to draw a house

My DS could draw beautifully at that age and is very artistic. However, he could kick or catch a ball to save his life and still can't! Kids are good a different things, maybe yours just won't be particulary arty? My DD is also completely in a world of her own and it's hard to get her to focus sometimes. They usually get there in their own time.

couldn't kick or catch a ball
doh!

My daughter was shit at drawing at 5. She's 8 now and she's still shit at drawing. She's bloody clever though.

This really really doesn't matter.

Thanks pj, he is pretty good at kicking and catching balls, FWIW, and climbing / physical things,so maybe drawing just isn't his thing - I just worry that it's more to do with him not paying attention to anything and wonder what I can do to help him with it?
Likewise someday I would expect a 5 year old to be able to draw a house, too, which is why I'm worried

Ha ha ha thank you proud that makes me feel a lot better!

My 7yo count draw a house if asked. An attempt at a dog maybe, but not a house. maybe try for a dinosaur, or something that he is interested in. By the end of yr1 7yo still couldn't tell me what had happen at school that day.
Some children can some can't. I don't think it really matters.

A different approach would be to say tell me about this picture

You might well find that the marks he makes have meanings

He might have lost confidence with you directing how his creativity out to flow according to your notions

Making a mess with playdoh - do you have tools, scissors, rolling pin, cutters?

Ps I did nothing at school is a completely normal response

My 5yo DS can't draw 'things' and isn't much of a writer either. He can build incredibly complicated railways and name different types of trains though.

If he can write at all I wouldn't be worried. The fact that he can write neatly albeit with bribery suggests that drawing just isn't his bag right now. He obviously has good fine motor skills so don't stress.

Late August born 5yo dnephew could draw a house/monster/dog/car... But I'm blowed if i can make out what it is unless he tells me! If there are any academic concerns, his teacher will raise them, surely? Or you could ask at parents evening?

Is he really not paying attention to what is around him, or are you assuming this because he doesn't draw those things?

FWIW, my son was not that much into drawing before school but he definitely went off it when he started school and started writing - he did not like writing and his start in writing was not great. If you want to help your son with letter formation, then give him opportunities to form letters in sand, glitter or shaving foam with his finger, lace cheerios or buttons onto laces, and learn to use scissors. Also, drawing in chalk on the pavement is a good one. These will help him with fine motor skills

My son's representation of things was through Lego.

Not telling you what he did doesn't necessarily mean much. It may be that he just doesn't want to talk about it after a long day - do you discuss your day in detail with your DH? OTOH, talk to the teacher about how engaged he seems

Do not make him draw. He may be feeling pressurised by your anxiety (been there).

Read to him as much as you can. This is the most important thing you can do for his education right now.

My ds1 is now 11 and draws funny little cartoons - like Harry Hill/Spike Milligan's

Noticing, and drawing are two different skills. I notice plenty. I am shit at drawing but can talk about what I see.

My 9 yr old DS has never been interested in drawing and is pretty bad at it, but he does draw very complex road systems. Maybe he just hasn't found his thing. However he is a very clever lad and has good ball/sport skills.

Boys develop fine motor skills later than girls so it will sort itself out sometime soon.

Maybe he is drawing a house and is just more artistic than the rest of us? Leave out mark making stuff and he'll help himself when he wants to.

yes, HSMM - leave the stuff out, op, don't put any pressure on

To counteract the 'can't remember' syndrome, I play the 'my day was more exciting than yours' game. I say 'I bet my day was more exciting than yours because I bought an extra recycling bag' or some such highlight. They then chorus 'no my day was more exciting, and they either say why or I ask them what they could possibly have done which was more exciting than me. Can repeat with interesting/ fun etc.

My dd can draw quite well but at the moment likes picasso and wierd interpretations with mouth above the nose etc, I have to ask her for an interpretation. She has really been inspired by going to art galleries and drawing things such as eifel tower, big ben etc rather than a normal house.

Thanks everyone this is all really helpful - especially the advice to lay off him and not pressurise! He does notice lots of things and can remember unbelievably complicated things to do with dinosaurs, lyrics to entire songs, details of places we went years ago etc so he clearly does pay attention to some things - perhaps its more to do with not being engaged and, yes, just not enjoying drawing in a representational way.
Loved the idea of 'my day was more exciting than yours', I'll definitely use that one! And yes, we do have lots of play dough cutters, shapes, scissors etc so he has plenty of opportunity and tools to play with. I think the biggest part of the problem is that I'm someone who likes to do things 'properly' and 'nicely' and, well, he isn't! Need to get over myself a bit there.
Thanks for the opinions and advice, gratefully received and has calmed me down a lot

DS1 can't draw very well, he builds things instead.

I am shit at drawing etc too so I am very unbothered.

TheSea - you sound like me and your DS sounds like my DS1. Please save yourself a lot of stress

Thanks Jamie I will do my best

Reading and writing fluently at just turned 5? Are they in some kind of private school bootcamp?