The Art of Scribbling

The first time a child holds a crayon in their hand and what they put on paper is known as scribbles. From the very first mark that a child makes on a piece of paper, parents are already trying to guess what the child is trying to draw. Children also enjoy the process as much as the result. 

Importance of scribbling 

• Scribbling is the first step in learning to write for a preschooler
• It is essential for pre-writing skills
• Develops eye-hand coordination
• Strengthens fine motor skills – controlled movement and gradation
• It’s a good way to express themselves

No matter what chronological age a child starts to scribble, he or she will go through the following developmental stages:

1. Exploratory Scribbling: 

A child’s first experience with a crayon is to explore it with his or her eyes, mouth, and hands. This exploration usually results in practicing what he or she knows how to do, throwing, banging, putting objects away, grabbing, and mouthing. The random marks on the paper are usually a result of adult encouragement and the innate desire to imitate. Marks are often light colored in nature and are the result of banging the drawing tool on paper, dragging, or sweeping.

2. Disordered Scribbling: 

Lines go back and forth or up and down and are created by using the shoulder rather than the hand or arm movement. These lines can also begin to curve slightly. Children’s scribble patterns show an understanding of the boundaries of the paper.

3. Controlled Scribbling:

Will start to recognize that the drawing tool makes marks on the paper. These marks please the child and motivate him or her to make more. The produce repeated movements on the paper. Large areas of energetic scribbling start to create an overall shape regardless of the paper’s boundaries.

4. Shape Stage: 

Will begin to connect the two ends of a line to enclose shapes. These shapes will become circles, squares, and triangles, sometimes filled with color. Some children will begin to name their scribbles. These children seem to want to connect the form they perceive on paper with what they know - a long line becomes a train or a road, a circle, a sun.  “This naming of scribbling is of the highest significance, for it is an indication that the child’s thinking has changed.

5. Design Stage:

Uses more defined muscle control and shows a greater understanding of symmetry and order in the world around him. Takes the shapes he has learned and combines them.

6. Representational Stage: 

Draws basic people consisting of a round form, inner shapes that become the eyes, and two lines radiating from the circle, which become arms.