Fun Ways to Build The Symbol-Making Stage
Somewhere between the wild loops of scribbling and a recognizable picture, children pass through a fascinating in-between stage: symbol-making. This is where marks on paper start to stand for real things in a child's mind, even if the shapes are still simple and far from realistic.
Why the Symbol-Making Stage Matters
The symbol-making stage is often considered a bridge between motor play and true representation. A child who draws a circle and calls it "the sun" or a set of lines and calls it "grass" is doing something remarkable: using a simple mark to stand in for a real-world idea. This kind of symbolic thinking underpins not just drawing, but also early literacy, since letters and words are, in a sense, symbols too.
What the Symbol-Making Stage Looks Like
During this stage, children often begin repeating a small set of simple shapes — circles, crosses, and basic lines — and assigning meaning to them. A circle might become a face one day and a ball the next. These symbols are usually simplified and may not look much like the object they represent, and that's completely expected. What's important is the intention behind the mark, not its visual accuracy.
You may also notice your child starting to combine a few symbols together, such as a circle with lines coming out of it to represent a sun, or a circle on top of a bigger shape to suggest a head and body. These early combinations are exciting first steps toward more complete pictures.
A Simple Activity to Try Today
Ask your child an open question like, "Can you draw something that makes you happy?" and let them choose their own symbols, even if you can't quite tell what they are. Afterward, ask them to tell you about their drawing rather than guessing. This gives them a chance to practice connecting language with the symbols they've created, and it shows you value their ideas, not just tidy pictures.
Tips for Supporting Symbol-Making
- Ask your child to "tell you about" their drawing instead of asking "what is it?"
- Introduce a wider range of colors, since color choice often becomes meaningful at this stage.
- Avoid drawing objects for your child to copy exactly; let their own symbols develop.
- Point out simple shapes you see together in daily life, like circles or squares.
- Keep a folder of drawings so you can look back and notice new symbols appearing over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
My child's symbols don't look like what they say they are — is that normal?
Yes, very much so. At this stage, the meaning behind a symbol matters far more than visual accuracy. A wobbly circle can proudly represent an entire family.
Should I teach my child to draw "correct" shapes?
Gentle exposure to shapes through play is helpful, but it's best to let your child's own symbol system develop naturally rather than insisting on a particular way of drawing.
What stage typically comes after symbol-making?
Many children move on to combining symbols into fuller scenes, sometimes called the pictorial stage. You can read more in our guide to the pictorial stage.
Conclusion
The symbol-making stage is where drawing starts to become a language of its own — a way for your child to represent their world using simple, repeated shapes. Encourage their symbols, ask about their meaning, and enjoy watching their visual vocabulary grow. For a broader look at how drawing evolves over time, see our guide to drawing development stages.