As your child reaches 18 months sometimes earlier they will get interested in making their mark, this may be on walls,
carpets, floors themselves, this is normal you have to explain that it is wrong to draw on anything other than the things
you wish them to draw on, it will take time but it will get through. One of our mums told a wonderful story of when she took
her child to a relatives and give her some felt tips to play with she didn't watch as the child merrily went of the paper
onto the cream couch with the black marker, the child could not see what she had done wrong as she was doing what she was
told and only writing on the paper.
Eventually their scribbling with a chunky pens or crayons will produce that first exciting picture. By two to three you'll
find circles and lines appearing in the drawings, and by the time they get to preschool you may see these shapes being put
together to form stick figures.
Children learn to draw the same way they learn to do everything else, by copying. Drawing with children helps them discover
that shapes can carry meanings, and more importantly, that they can create shapes themselves. Drawing with babies and toddlers
is great fun. Start with simple shapes, naming them and stating the colour that they have used. They will recognise many from
their picture books. Draw simple faces. As you draw, explain what you are doing for example: look, a happy smile", "a sad
face" etc. Draw trees, flowers, grass, a house, people and animals. Don't be put off if you can't draw your child has no idea
that you are not Rembrandt. They will quickly develop their own style and that will adorn your fridge and walls for many years
to come
