3.6 yo can't draw, hold a pencil - what should I do?

[JoandMax]

DS1 is 3.6 yo, pretty normal for his age - lots of chatting, making up games, unreasonable moments, eats and sleeps well. He's happy at Pre-school, has friends, interacts well and staff say no problems at all.

But I'm a bit worried about one area - he can't draw at all, not a line, circle, anything. He struggles to hold a pencil properly and then gets cross and just scribbles.... It seems most of his peers are way ahead of him with this, sone writing their own name, drawing people etc. He does like doing craft things so sticking, paper maiche and he's good with his hands in other ways - building train tracks, Lego and blocks.

Do you think this is something to worry about? If so what do you think the cause could be or likely action needed?

dd1 was miles behind with pencil control at 3.6. Now at 4.9 she seems to have caught up to being pretty average at letter/number formation, although her drawing probably still a little behind. we haven't done anything in particular, somehow something just clicked, and she has just focused her efforts more since starting reception in September.

if you search for posts by "mrz" she has posted absolutely tonnes of fab advice on how to improve pencil control

I'd say don't worry - I assume he's at nursery/preschool? Let them work on itm he'll crack it eventually. Carry on doing the thing s he enjoys at home, he's clearly got appropriate fine motor control if he can build lego etc

BTW my 3 were drawing and writing there own name by 3-3.6yrs BUT that is because they were at full/nearly full time nursery and sitting down and copy writing your name on a slip of paper was part of the routine. Don't think it made them any more able- it was a way of filling 5 minutes that they enjoyed!

Thanks for replies, will search for those posts a bit later when the chaos of breakfast is over!

He is at pre-school and they have said they will keep an eye and encourage him to join in more - they don't have to do drawing when the stuff is out so I think he just carries on with te things he enjoys more!

Out of interest, did he crawl as a baby? We are doing some brain gym exercises with our nearly 4 year old ds who didn't crawl and struggles with some tasks that involve co-ordination. E.g. climbing stairs properly. As a teacher, I have found these to help with fine motor control too.

Bethylou - he crawled at 6 months, he's always been very physical and was good at climbing, running earlier than a lot of his friends.

He was a late talker and even now would much rather be building a den or riding his bike than chatting!

I remember starting a thread about same thing when ds was that age. Someone suggested games/toys that involve fine motor skills , picking up teeny things etc. I can't remember what we did exactly but I do know that it did help him improve his pencil control.
But he wasn't interested really at that age so I didn't push it . When he wwent to school he improved slowly and at age 9 now has beautiful handwriting
So don't worry too much .He will do it in his own time.

Thanks ggirl - very reassuring. He too just isn't interested in doing it, DS2 on the other hand loves drawing and talking, complete opposites!

I have got some new craft bits and loa of sequins and stuff totey and get him used to it, us lots of smaller jigsaws for us to do together. I don't want yo force him to do drawing as that could make him dislike it even more