To help a perfectionist child with drawing, lower the stakes and change what success means. Use tracing pages or step-by-step guides so the start isn’t scary, try silly subjects that can’t be “wrong,” make “no erasing” warm-ups a game, praise effort rather than results, and show them your own imperfect drawings. The goal is a child who enjoys drawing, not one who draws perfectly.
Signs of perfectionism in drawing
- Erasing over and over, sometimes through the paper.
- Crumpling or ripping drawings.
- Refusing to start (“I’ll mess it up”).
- Tears or anger at small mistakes.
- Comparing every drawing with someone else’s.
These kids often care a lot and have high standards. That’s not a bad thing. They just need help getting comfortable with the messy middle of learning.
9 ways to help
- Remove the blank page. A tracing outline or a step-by-step guide gives a safe start. On a How to Draw page, a light gray outline shows the whole finished drawing on every step, so kids know where every line goes. See how a How to Draw page works.
- Go silly. Goofy faces and weird monsters have no “right” look. See silly face drawing.
- Play no-erase games. Blind contour drawing, drawing with your other hand, 30-second sketches. Mess is the point.
- Use pen sometimes. It sounds scary, but removing the eraser removes the endless fixing.
- Turn mistakes into ideas. A wobbly line becomes a tail. See growth mindset art activities.
- Praise the process. “You tried something new with the hair” beats “It’s perfect.” See how to praise a drawing.
- Show your mistakes. Draw next to them and say, “Oops, that leg’s too long. I’ll make it a giraffe.”
- Set a timer. “We’re drawing for 10 minutes, then we stop, finished or not.”
- Keep a “practice” sketchbook. Pages that are just for trying. See sketchbook ideas.
What to avoid
- Saying “It’s perfect!” (it raises the bar for next time).
- Fixing their drawing for them.
- Comparing with siblings or classmates. See drawing with mixed ages.
- Hanging up only the “best” drawings.
When it’s more than drawing
If perfectionism shows up everywhere (schoolwork, sports, getting dressed) and causes a lot of distress, talk to your child’s teacher or pediatrician. Drawing can still be a gentle place to practice being okay with imperfect.
Related
Read what to do when a kid says “I can’t draw” and common drawing mistakes and fixes.
The book that helps
Silly faces are hard to get “wrong,” and a gray guide or a tracing outline takes away the blank-page fear.
How to Draw: Silly Faces
Trace Then Color: Goofy FacesAs an Amazon Associate, FirstArtBooks earns from qualifying purchases.
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Questions
Why does my child erase everything when drawing?
Often because they have a clear picture in their head and feel upset when the drawing doesn’t match it. Guides, silly subjects and no-erase games help.
How do I help a perfectionist child enjoy art?
Lower the stakes, praise effort, use tracing or step-by-step guides, and show your own imperfect drawings.
Should I take away my child’s eraser?
Sometimes, as a game. No-erase warm-ups help kids get comfortable with imperfect lines.