Why Drawing Belongs in STEM (Hello, STEAM)
STEM needs creative problem solvers, and that's why it became STEAM. See how drawing supports engineering, design and science thinking in kids.
Drawing belongs in STEM because engineers, scientists and inventors sketch to think. Drawing helps kids plan designs, explain how things work and imagine solutions, which is why many schools now talk about STEAM, with the A for art.
There is a myth that kids are either "creative" or "STEM kids". In real life, the two overlap all the time. Every bridge, phone and rocket began as a sketch.
Why engineers draw
Before building anything, engineers sketch. A quick drawing lets them test ideas cheaply, spot problems and share plans with others. Kids who are used to drawing their ideas have a head start on this way of working. They are comfortable putting an idea on paper, looking at it critically and changing it.
Robot dinosaurs: where art meets engineering
Robots and dinosaurs are two of the most popular interests among kids who love science. How to Draw: Robot Dinosaurs combines both. As kids draw a robotic T. rex, ask engineering questions. How do the legs move? Where are the batteries? What would the tail be for? Drawing a machine makes kids think about how machines work.
STEAM drawing challenges
- Design a machine. Draw a machine that cleans your room. Label each part and what it does.
- Fix the problem. Draw a solution for a real problem, like a lunchbox that keeps ice cream cold.
- Blueprint. Draw a treehouse from the front, side and top.
- Upgrade an animal. Give an animal robot parts to help it survive somewhere new.
- Build it, then draw it. Build with blocks, then draw what you made.
Drawing explains how things work
Diagrams are drawings that explain. When a child draws how a seed becomes a plant or how a pulley lifts a box, they are showing that they understand. Teachers use drawings to find out what kids really know, because a picture can reveal a misunderstanding that a multiple-choice question misses.
More than one kind of smart
Encourage your STEM kid to draw, and encourage your artist to try engineering challenges. The most interesting ideas come from the overlap. If your child loves inventing, read draw an invention for more ideas.
Questions parents ask
What does the A in STEAM stand for?
Art. STEAM adds art and design to science, technology, engineering and math, recognizing that creativity and visual thinking are part of innovation.
How is drawing used in engineering?
Engineers sketch to explore ideas, plan designs, find problems early and communicate plans to others before building anything.
What drawing activities support STEM?
Designing machines, drawing blueprints, making labelled diagrams and inventing robots all combine drawing with STEM thinking.
More in brain and learning, or browse all 217 posts on the blog.
Keep reading
- Drawing and Critical Thinking: Kids Asking WhyDrawing mash-up creatures makes kids ask why and what if. See how drawing builds critical thinking, decision making and reasoning in children.
- What Happens in a Child's Brain When They DrawWhat happens in the brain when children draw? A plain-English guide to how drawing connects seeing, thinking, moving and feeling as kids grow.
- Can Drawing Stretch a Short Attention Span?Short attention span? Drawing can help kids practise focus in small, satisfying chunks. Try these tips for building attention one drawing at a time.
- Tracing vs Freehand: Which Helps Little Hands More?Tracing or freehand drawing: which is better for young kids' motor skills? Learn what each one builds and how to use both, from age 3 upward.
