Drawing Activities for The Symbol-Making Stage
Somewhere between scribbling and recognizable pictures lies the symbol-making stage, where circles, lines, and simple shapes start to stand in for real things — even if only the young artist knows what they represent at first.
What the Symbol-Making Stage Looks Like
In this stage, a child often begins repeating certain shapes, like circles or crosses, and may start assigning meaning to them, even if the meaning shifts from moment to moment. A circle might be a face, then a ball, then a cookie, all within the same drawing session. This flexible, symbolic thinking is a meaningful step forward from earlier undirected scribbling.
Activities to Support Symbol-Making
- Ask open-ended questions like "tell me about your drawing" rather than guessing what a shape represents.
- Offer simple shape-tracing games alongside free drawing to build shape familiarity.
- Try "add a symbol" games, where you draw a circle and your child decides what it becomes.
- Introduce basic coloring pages with large, simple shapes that echo what your child is already drawing.
- Encourage storytelling about drawings, even brief or changing stories.
How This Connects to Later Stages
As symbol use becomes more consistent, children often begin combining symbols into simple scenes — a sign of moving toward what's often called the pictorial stage. You can read more in the pictorial stage and the scribbling stage for context on what comes before.
Tips for Parents and Teachers
- Let meanings shift freely; a symbol doesn't need to stay consistent to be meaningful.
- Avoid correcting a symbol to look more "accurate" — the goal here is expression, not realism.
- Notice repeated shapes and gently name them back ("I see lots of circles today!").
- Keep materials open-ended so your child can experiment freely with new symbols.
Frequently Asked Questions
My child's symbols change meaning every time. Is that normal?
Yes, very much so. At this stage, a symbol's meaning is often fluid and depends on the moment, which is a completely typical part of symbolic thinking.
Should I encourage my child to draw more "realistic" shapes?
It's generally better to let symbols develop naturally at your child's own pace rather than pushing toward realism, which tends to come later on its own.
How can I tell if my child has moved into this stage?
Look for repeated shapes used with apparent intention, and a willingness to name or explain what a shape is meant to be, even loosely.
Conclusion
The symbol-making stage is where drawing starts to become a form of storytelling. Offer curiosity instead of correction, and enjoy watching your child's own symbolic language take shape.