There’s a test I like to give the little ones I work with now and then starting from the time we begin to do art projects, usually around 1 or so. It’s called, The DAP (draw a person) test, it’s been used for many years now, although most professionals will give the test to children around the ages for 3-4, but I like to start earlier, usually asking the children to draw a smiley face, instead of a person (sort of like a toddler version).  It’s a very simple test, really, but it gives me so much valuable information about their cognitive development that I try to give it at least a couple times a month.

Today, Little B finally did it!!  She drew her first smiley face!!!

Before this smiley face, she would draw scribbles and say, “see my face!!”.  I would cheer and applaud her “face” asking her where the eyes and mouth were and she would either point to a random spot on the page or ignore my question all together.  But today, she pointed right to the eyes and said, “these are his eyes, his mouth, and hair!!”.  It was quite the epic moment, at 2, she draws her first smiley face!!!