# The kids are struggling to learn new vocabulary? Try drawing it instead > Research shows kids remember far more new words when they draw them than when they write or read them. Published: 2026-08-14 Canonical: https://studycat.com/blog/the-kids-are-struggling-to-learn-new-vocabulary-try-drawing-it-instead/ --- Parents spend a lot of energy hunting for the best way to help a child learn new words. Flashcards, repetition, songs, apps, the options never seem to run out. Researchers have spent decades testing this question, and one of the answers is surprisingly simple. Children remember more words when they draw what their new vocabulary is than when they simply write it down or read it. The effect holds even when the drawings are rough scribbles a parent might not recognize, which makes it so easy for everyone to use. ## **Key takeaways** * Children who draw an image of the vocabulary they are learning tend to remember it far better than children who just write it down * The benefit shows up even with quick, messy sketches, so drawing skill has nothing to do with it * Drawing works because it makes a child's brain process a word in several ways at once * A simple "draw the word" habit can turn ordinary vocabulary practice into active memory building ## **Why drawing beats writing when your child is learning new words** Drawing gives new information more places to stick in memory than writing does. In a series of experiments, [Wammes, Meade, and Fernandes (2016)](https://doi.org/10.1080/17470218.2015.1094494) asked adults to remember lists of simple words, things like apple, truck, or pear. Some participants wrote each word out several times. Others drew a quick picture of it instead. When everyone tried to recall the words afterward, the drawers consistently remembered more, in some cases almost twice as many words as the writers. What's notable is how little the instructions mattered. Researchers varied the task, adding shading, asking for labels, giving people more or less time, and the advantage for drawing held up every time. Writing a word activates language processing. Drawing it adds visual thinking and hand movement on top of that, and all three work together to build a sturdier memory trace. ## **Drawn information is so much easier to retrieve** Drawing forces a child's brain to do three jobs at once instead of one. To sketch a word, a child has to understand what it means, picture it, and then physically recreate that picture on paper. [Fernandes, Wammes, and Meade (2018)](https://doi.org/10.1177/0963721418755385) describe this as an integration of meaning, imagery, and motor action, and argue that this combination is what makes drawn information so much easier to retrieve later. There's also a reason this kind of effort pays off rather than just slowing a child down. Psychologists call it a desirable difficulty, a small extra challenge during learning that feels harder in the moment but strengthens memory over time ([Bjork & Kroll, 2015](https://doi.org/10.5406/amerjpsyc.128.2.0241)). Simply copying a word out is easy, but that ease may make it difficult to stick. Here's how that plays out in practice:

Common approach

What the research suggests instead

Copying a new word several times

Drawing a quick picture of what the word means

Reading a word list aloud on repeat

Sketching first, then saying the word out loud

Aiming for a tidy, accurate drawing

Aiming for meaning, any scribble counts

The same principle explains why good language learning tools mix things up rather than drilling a word one way. Studycat's games pair new vocabulary with sound, repetition, and play, so a child hears a word, says it, and uses it in different contexts rather than seeing it just once. Drawing is a simple, screen-free way to add one more layer to that at home. ## **Try it at home:** Next time your child is learning a new word, hand them a crayon instead of a worksheet. If they're picking up nariz (nose) or orejas (ears) in Spanish, ask them to sketch it, label it, and say it out loud. That combination of image, word, and sound gives their brain three different hooks to hang the memory on, and most kids find it more fun than repeating flashcards. **Have fun keeping those minds on learning!** ## **Curious about the science behind how children pick up language most naturally?** *Our* [*approach to learning*](https://studycat.com/about/methodology/) *is built on findings like these.* ## **Frequently Asked Questions** ### **What age should I start using drawing to help my child learn new words?** Drawing works well from around age three, once a child can hold a crayon and make simple marks. Younger children may need help labeling their drawing, while older kids can add more detail. Our guide on [suitable ages for early learning](https://help.studycat.com/hc/en-us/articles/34568231183769-Suitable-ages-for-Studycat) has more detail. ### **How long should a drawing activity take?** Just a few minutes per word is enough. Short, frequent practice beats one long session, so a five minute drawing break most days works better than an hour once a week. See our guide on [optimal study time for children](https://help.studycat.com/hc/en-us/articles/34572715795993-Optimal-study-time-for-children) for more on pacing. ### **Does my child need to be good at drawing for this to work?** No. The memory benefit comes from thinking through what a word means and turning that into an image, not from artistic skill. A rough scribble works just as well as a detailed picture. ## **Scientific References & Further Reading** * *Wammes, J. D., Meade, M. E., & Fernandes, M. A. (2016). The drawing effect: Evidence for reliable and robust memory benefits in free recall. The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 69(9), 1752-1776.*[*https://doi.org/10.1080/17470218.2015.1094494*](https://doi.org/10.1080/17470218.2015.1094494) * *Fernandes, M. A., Wammes, J. D., & Meade, M. E. (2018). The surprisingly powerful influence of drawing on memory. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 27(5), 302-308.*[*https://doi.org/10.1177/0963721418755385*](https://doi.org/10.1177/0963721418755385) * *Bjork, R. A., & Kroll, J. F. (2015). Desirable difficulties in vocabulary learning. American Journal of Psychology, 128(2), 241-252.*[*https://doi.org/10.5406/amerjpsyc.128.2.0241*](https://doi.org/10.5406/amerjpsyc.128.2.0241) ## **About Studycat** Studycat creates five language learning apps — Studycat English, Spanish, French, German, and Chinese — designed to help children develop language skills through research-backed interactive learning games. With over 50,000 five-star reviews, parents trust our real learning outcomes on iOS and Android devices.