Is Your child Ready for Art Class?

Sep 9

As a parent, you might be eager to introduce your child to the world of art. But how do you know if they’re ready for a formal art class at Corner House Studio?

At Corner House Studio, we use two important factors to determine if a young child is ready for our classes: their drawing development phase and their level of independence.

Drawing Development: From Scribbling to the Pre-Schematic Stage

One of the key indicators of art class readiness is your child’s drawing development. By around age 4, most children move from the scribbling stage to the pre-schematic stage. Understanding this shift can help you recognize when your child is ready for a structured art class.

What Is the Pre-Schematic Stage?

The pre-schematic stage is the second major phase in a child’s artistic development, typically appearing between the ages of 3.5 to 5 years. During this stage, children begin to create intentional and recognizable forms in their drawings. Unlike earlier scribbling, which is more about movement and the sheer joy of mark-making, pre-schematic drawings have structure and purpose.

Some signs your child is in the pre-schematic phase include:

Simple representations of people, animals, or objects (think of basic shapes, like circles for heads and straight lines for bodies).
An emerging sense of proportion and scale, though it may not be accurate (for example, a child may draw a person with a very large head and small body).
The use of symbolic drawing, where one shape represents something specific. For instance, they might say, "This is a tree" as they draw a circle with a line underneath.

Children at this stage also tend to assign meanings to their drawings and may proudly explain what they’ve created. This growing ability to visualize and communicate through drawing is a great indicator that they’re ready for an art class environment.

Independence: The Confidence to Thrive in Class

At Corner House Studio, our art classes are drop-off only, which means parents stay out of the studio work areas. For this reason, it’s important that your child feels comfortable being dropped off.

Signs your child is ready to be independent in class include:

They’re comfortable in new situations.
They’re able to follow simple instructions from teachers.
They can manage new environments without getting too upset.
They can handle necessary things like using the bathroom or washing their hands on their own.

It’s totally normal for kids to feel a bit nervous in new situations, but they should be able adjust after a little time. If your child is used to being in daycare, preschool, or other group settings without you, they’re likely ready for our drop-off art classes.

At Corner House Studio, our goal is to nurture your child's creativity in a supportive and enriching environment. Ensuring they’re developmentally ready will help them feel comfortable and confident, which ultimately allows them to get the most out of their art experience!