Drawing is a great activity for children. It allows them to explore their creativity, improve their fine motor skills, and express themselves in a way that words sometimes can't. But how does it actually work when children learn to draw?

Whether your child is just starting to explore doodling or is already creating impressive drawings, there are simple steps to help them develop their technique.

Here we go over how children learn to draw, what you can do to support them, and which Flippy Pens are perfect for every step of the journey!

1. The blunder phase – the first step towards creativity

All great artists start somewhere, and for most children, the first step is to doodle freely! From around 12 months of age, children begin to experiment with holding pencils and making lines on paper.

What can you do?

• Give them a sketchpad and let them explore!

• Use non-toxic crayons with thicker grips, so they can hold them easily.

• Have no rules – just let them create freely!

Tip: Having a special place where your child can draw makes it easier to encourage creativity.

2. From mess to simple shapes

At the age of 2-3, children begin to discover that lines can be shaped into something specific, circles, squares and maybe even an attempt at a sun! This is a perfect time to introduce simple drawing exercises.

Simple exercises:

• Draw a dot on a piece of paper and ask your child to turn it into something fun.

• Draw a circle and let the child fill it with faces or patterns.

• Practice drawing simple shapes together.

Try this: In Flippy Drawing Club you get inspiration and drawing tips directly to your email, perfect for children who want to develop!

3. Stick figures and simple figures

When children are 3-5 years old, they start drawing more recognizable figures, often stick figures with big heads and happy smiles. At this age, they love drawing things they see around them!

Here's how you can help:

• Ask about their drawings and let them tell you what they have drawn.

• Encourage them to add more details, such as hair, clothes, or backgrounds.

• Introduce felt-tip pens to make the drawings more vivid.

Best choice: Flippy Pens have dual tips – one wide for coloring and one thin for details!

4. Perspective and details – drawing becomes more advanced

At the age of 5–7, children begin to understand proportions and want their pictures to look more realistic. They experiment with drawing houses, animals, and people with more detail.

Fun challenges:

• Ask them to draw their favorite character from a book or comic.

• Let them create their own superhero or fantasy creature.

• Try drawing with different techniques – shading, outlines and color transitions.

Tip: Want more inspiration? Check out more creative ideas under Inspiration !

5. To draw like a pro – keep developing!

As children get older (7+), they start to experiment even more. They might create comics, paint with shadows, or try drawing in different styles.

So they can take the next step:

• Try more advanced drawing exercises, such as drawing faces or landscapes.

• Experiment with different pens, such as acrylic pens or fineliners.

• Encourage them to draw regularly – the more they practice, the better they will become!

Ready to take your creativity to the next level? Become a member of Flippy Drawing Club and receive exclusive tips, inspiration and drawing assignments directly in your email!

Try Flippy's colored pencils!

With the right colored pencils, creating becomes both safe and fun for your child. Take a look at our selection and choose the colored pencils that suit you best. After that, just let your imagination flow! Whether your child is a budding artist or just loves to doodle a little on paper, colored pencils are a perfect way into a colorful world of play and learning.