ABSTRACT
Around the age of 7 or even earlier children can become dissatisfied with the symbolic drawings which they have done and are likely to say that they cannot draw properly. Children see how to draw birds by joining up two circles or fishes by adding to an oval shape. When they develop their own repeated symbols this is quite natural to them and part of their evolving perception. But when shapes are forced on them by an adult, then progress may be somewhat held back. The most important symbols are nearly always the largest, often representing the children themselves and there is no sense of perspective or space as people know it. When such drawings are produced it is not uncommon to find children returning to scribble within a few seconds of concentrated drawing. Art materials are fairly new to children of this age and playing with them is just as important as doing any drawing.
