Why did first and second graders not make drawings of word problems? We have insufficient data for a firm answer to this question. In the following statements, we offer a tentative interpretation of our findings. We do not believe that the first and second graders failed to make drawings because they could not carry out the strategy. When instructed to make drawings of word problems, those students made correct drawings in almost 50% of the cases. We suggest that the first and second graders did not draw spontaneously because they judged that visualizing simple addition and subtraction word problems is of little help in overcoming their difficulties. In a recent study (Hamaker & Van Essen, 1989), we found that having first graders generate drawings of simple word problems before solving them did not improve problem solutions. Knowledge and experience of the usefulness of a problem-solving strategy like making drawings is an essential condition if a pupil is expected to apply the strategy in a situation in which the solution process is not algorithmic. Against the (uncertain) benefits of the strategy, there are the efforts of applying an unknown and unpracticed strategy (Frijda & Elshout, 1975). Because making drawings of simple addition and subtraction word problems does not seem to facilitate problem solving for young children, this condition was insufficiently realized in the first study.