By age 4, which shape is NOT typically drawn by a child?

• A. Circle
• B. Square
• C. Cross
• D. Triangle

Answer: (D)

The skill being tested is early graphomotor development and the typical sequence of drawing geometric shapes. By age three, children usually can produce a circle, which is the simplest closed shape. As their fine motor control improves, they often attempt more complex figures; a square becomes common by around age four, and some children can even draw a cross as they practice intersecting lines. The triangle generally appears a bit later, around ages five to six, because it requires more precise placement of three distinct vertices. So by four years old, the triangle is not typically drawn, while circles, squares, and simple line shapes like a cross commonly appear.