The article reviews the literature on two questions: what is the normal course of creative development, and do peak periods exist during which people are most open to efforts to foster creative abilities. Six specific periods are identified as peak periods of creative growth. (DB)

The assumptions of stage theory and major theories of child art are reviewed in order to develop an explanation of artistic expression that allows for variable endpoints and accounts for relationships between children's drawings and adult art. Numerous studies indicate strong similarities among children's early drawings, which suggests that…