My 5 Year Old Has a Slight Problem Copying Things

Maybe you can start with simple shapes and see if she can copy them. One shape at a time. If she can I wouldn't worry, I think she just chose to do her own thing this time. Not really a bad thing, but you might want to talk to her about when it's time to stay in the lines and when it's ok to go buck wild.

Sounds like she sees things like Piccaso, the basic shapes of things. My daughter's more of a Van Gogh, swirly bloby into the shapes of things. You might invest in art supplies for home, let her do as she pleases at home but at school she has to follow directions.

I don't think, based upon what you have said, that you have anything to be worried about. She sounds smart and creative. No one will ask when she applies to college for samples of her kindergarten copying homework to be turned in, she will be fine. So long as she can follow directions other than copying - she is fine. She may be just bored and ready for more of a challenge.

Sounds like you have an artist on your hands. Who says what a vase is "supposed" to look like? I have a drawing from my daughter from that age and it was mostly blobs but when I asked the "artist" she always told me "a tree with a stream in front of it and clouds in the sky".
As long as she can write her name and copy letters, then let her art be her own. My now 14 year old artist daughter tells me: "I have to go to school, I have to take classes I don't like, I have to clean my room, I have to do homework, I don't want to 'have to' do anything else someone else's way!".

I just read your SWH, and I totally agree with you. It's not so much a "problem," as something to work on. It's important to respect the person in authority and do what is asked of you (even if you think it's stupid).

Because we are fortunate enough to visit the grandparents often and our kids have gone to babysitters and daycare, we have had lots of opportunities to talk about the fact that different places and people have different rules. It's really help, also, that we dress up for church and talk about how important it is to dress appropriately for church and other places.

I wouldn't worry, but I would be aware of it and think of it as something to work on. She doesn't always have to want to do it, but we all sometimes have to do things we don't want to do.

I don't know that there is anything "wrong" with her as others have pointed out she may have just a very artistic mind...but I don't think it would hurt to have her take a couple of tests to check to make sure that she can do it, she just chooses not to. I always did very well in school had a super high aptitude in reading and writing...but I had an incredibly difficult time with spatial relationships. I struggled with things like knowing where to start writing a "to" address on a letter, copying a picture or even drawing a picture that was preplanned (a house, a tree). I had trouble with scale, etc. It wasn't drastic, I wasn't drawing crazy seussian pictures or anything because I tried REALLY hard, but I was also very creative in my compensations for this issue.

This also translated into difficulties in math especially geometry and things that required thinking ahead in a kind of "logical" way if that makes sense. I've learned my own ways to adapt but always wish I would have figured out if there was something I could have done to address these issues earlier.

I'm not saying this is your daughters issue at all, if she even has an issue. Just saying I can kind of relate if there is a processing issue.

She sounds like an artist with her own imagination!

She's only 5...my dd couldn't do much on paper back then...writing things was really hard for her. Even in first grade, her writing was frightening. Now in third grade, she writes very nicely. She's not much of an artist, but neither am I.

I lot can happen in a few years...give it time. She's fine.

I was this exact way. (Still am.) I am completely fine, and still an artist to this day. The thing is, I COULD have painted the vase and flowers. I could have painted it very well. I just say MORE, and that was much more fun, challenging, and interesting.

Bring it up with her teachers, and ask if there should be more concern. I would only be worried, if her teachers are worried.

My youngest son hated coloring from the time he was a toddler. He hated art and would rush through it as fast as he can. Your daughter seems to have a talent for art, doing it different could be her showing individuality to something she is talented in. I would let her show her creativity at home and see where she goes with it. I have a cousin who is a artist and it is interesting to see his work.

It could just be that she's an abstract thinker. She made "her" vase of flowers. She may not feel the need to do it. I wouldn't be worried, but if I wanted her to work on it, I might give her things to trace. For istance simple pictures from a very easy coloring book and some rice paper. Tear out the page and put the rice paper (at Michael's) over it and let her trace it with her choice of pencils, pens, crayons, or markers. Then have her recreate what she's traced on her own paper. Start with really simple things. Ask her if she can. Find out if it's a "can't" situation or a "won't" situation.

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It could just be that she's an abstract thinker. She made "her" vase of flowers. She may not feel the need to do it. I wouldn't be worried, but if I wanted her to work on it, I might give her things to trace. For istance simple pictures from a very easy coloring book and some rice paper. Tear out the page and put the rice paper (at Michael's) over it and let her trace it with her choice of pencils, pens, crayons, or markers. Then have her recreate what she's traced on her own paper. Start with really simple things. Ask her if she can. Find out if it's a "can't" situation or a "won't" situation.

It could be nothing but what comes to my mind is the following questions, "is there any family history of dyslexia or any learning disability LD"?
Like someone else said, either she is creative or she still may be creative but there may be something going on. Usually even a creative child wants to follow directions at a KG evaluation when she knows she needs to. Good luck!

My sister, now 48, still remembers the trouble she got into in Kindergarten for coloring her bunny pink. She is now a successful hair stylist. What are we doing to kids? This is supposed to be art!