Caitlin's New Skills (3yrs 7mths)

Caitlin is learning to write her name and make representational drawings. She drew her first self-portrait on paper in school last Thursday, which now hangs in her class with those of her classmates. When I arrived to pick her up that day she was very excited to show me where it hung on the wall. Happily she also drew a picture of herself with a sun and a picture of me that we brought home.

Caitlin's Self-Portrait                       "Mammy" by Caitlin

Then on Saturday, she watched Ashley draw a picture of Martin Luther King Jr and promptly decided that she wanted to draw one herself. She was very proud of her picture and I think part of the thrill for her is that her pictures now look like something.

"Martin Luther King" by Caitlin (left) and "Martin Luther King" by Ashley (right)

We went through a spell last year when Ashley donned the hat of art critic and kept telling Caitlin her pictures were "just scribbles" and not pretty. Needless to say Caitlin was crushed. From time to time after that, when I would encourage Caitlin to draw a picture, she would very glumly report that she couldn't draw because her drawings were "just scribbles" . My friend Linda, who is a fabulous artist, and I tried to educate Ashley a little on how art can be produced in many different ways. Linda is a big Jackson Pollock fan and introduced Ashley to the idea that even adult artists "scribble" and make beautiful paintings. It's taken a bit of delicate work but in the recent past I've heard Ashley comment to Caitlin, "Your scribbles are beautiful Caitlin". Caitlin has come to enjoy drawing pictures her way again and it is wonderful to see her so delighted about the art she is producing now.

On Tuesday, when I picked her up from school she had drawn portraits of Ashley and James, "because I already made one of you and me". We are planning to frame  this set of family pictures

"Ashley" by Caitlin                            "Daddy" by Caitlin

Caitlin can count up to 29 and when I taught her the words thirty and forty in bed last night she went on up to 46 and then lost steam. I could see her visibly deflate as if the effort of thought had just worn her out. She did look very please with herself though. She's also starting to recognize the word "the" when we read the chapter titles in The Magic Tree House Books. I also notice that when Ashley is trying to sound out the letters of the words in the chapter title, Caitlin is quick to grasp the word, even before Ashley has finished the letter sounds.

It really is just amazing to watch these development milestones in action. I feel very privileged to be able to witness their growth in this way.

Related Posts:
Congratulations Caitlin
Caitlin’s First Day of Pre-School
Decrypting Toddler Language
Keeping Up with Toddlers
Caitlin and the Shoe Rule
Bending the Rules
Lessons and Puzzles