First marks: coloring at about 12 to 18 months
Aiming at anything is still ahead. The page is the target, not the drawing on it, and that is exactly what this stage is for.
What a child at this stage can usually do
- Holds a crayon in a fist and makes marks on paper on purpose
- Understands that moving the hand leaves a trace, and repeats it to see it happen again
- Moves from the shoulder and elbow, so the marks are long and sweeping
What to look for in a page
- Very thick outlines. A thin line vanishes under a fist grip and the child sees nothing happen
- One large shape filling the sheet, so any mark lands somewhere that counts
- Sturdy paper, because at this stage the crayon presses hard and sometimes tears
- Subjects the child can already name out loud: a ball, a cat, an apple
The book we publish for this stage
First Coloring Book for Toddlers Ages 1-3
111 big, simple pictures, hand drawn with thick lines, no small detail, one drawing per page. Animals, fairy-tale characters, flowers, foods and everyday objects keep every page new. The word under each picture can be colored too, so first words and letters come along with the coloring.
About the bookBuy on Amazon · $6.99
Sold and shipped by Amazon. We earn from the sale.
Where the developmental facts come from
Ages on this site are typical ranges, not deadlines. Children reach these points at their own pace, and a few months either way is ordinary.
- Learn the Signs. Act Early.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Developmental MilestonesStatPearls, National Library of Medicine
- Developmental Milestones: Fine Motor and Visual Motor SkillsChildren's Hospital of Orange County