Why Is It Called the "Gang Age"??

"By the time children reach the age of 9 they are entering the stage of Drawing Realism, which lasts from 9 to 12 years" - Viktor Lowenfeld. The "Gang Age" is a very important stage for children because it is around this age when they begin to form their little groups of friends, often referred to as "gangs." At this point in a youngsters life they are more aware of themselves and tend to show this in their drawings. They also become more self-conscious of their role/place in society and add great detail in their artwork.

Toward the end of the stage they grow to be aware of proportion and depth and begin to display this in their art as well. Plus, unlike in previous stages of development, they are no longer eager to show adults their works and this is a result of their self-consciousness. During this stage it shows that the children have an increasing development of social independence. The gangs typically consist of same genders as a result of boys and girls ignoring each other through out the stint of this stage.