Children’s drawings and mental development

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‘One of the earliest self-expressive and communicative activities children engage in is drawing. The act of drawing is spontaneous and universally enjoyed by children. As a young child proudly presents his/her squiggly lines, irregular shapes, and colour patches, how are we to make sense of them?’ (Author unknown, 2014, Pg.8) This question will be referred to in relation to Piaget’s cognitive development theory. This theory depicts that there are four stages in which “children actively construct knowledge as they manipulate and explore their world”. (Berk, 2012, Pg.19) These stages are; sensory motor stage, pre-operational stage, formal operational stage and concrete operational stage. (Berk, 2012, Pg.19) Berk explains that children’s drawing development progresses in three phases: scribbles, first representational stage and more realistic drawings. (Berk, 2012 Pg.310) This essay will explain the connection between children’s mental development in relation to drawing at the more realistic drawings phase, focusing on the concrete operational stage of Piaget’s cognitive development theory. The more realistic phase of drawing is described by Berk as children creating more complex drawings. It is in this phase of drawing that children’s development in logical perception is increased. Throughout this phase children enhance their “depth cues, such as overlapping objects, smaller size for distant than for near objects, diagonal placement, and converging lines.” (Berk, 2012, Pg.310) According to Piaget’s cognitive development theory, children aged approximately 8 to 12 years of age emerge into the concrete operational stage. (Golomb, 2004, Pg.109) During this stage children’s cognitive development becomes more logical, flexible and o... ... middle of paper ... ...ngs. This article focused on the connection between Piaget’s concrete operational stage and the more realistic phase of drawing that experienced by children (approximately 8-12 years). By looking at the different concepts of Piaget’s theory, such as metacognition, reversibility and spatial reasoning the process of drawing can be related to the different components of children’s mental development. Works Cited Author unknown, (2014) Unit 4782 Education Foundations [unit outline] Retrieved from http://www.canberra.edu.au/learningsupport/file/2c983317-c716-4cf8-a7fb-32b7b94ddb88/1/4782%20Ed%20Foundations%20%28updated%29%20s1%2014.pdf Berk, L. (2012) Infants, Children and Adolescents [7th edition]. Illinois State University. Pearson. Golomb, C. (2004) The Child’s Creation of a Pictorial World. [2nd edition]. United States of America. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

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