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Many parents discourage scribbling, but it’s actually an important step in a child’s development. Just as early babbling leads to the development of language, scribbling leads to the development of symbols, an important cognitive process. Scribbling can be both deeply satisfying and beneficial for children, engaging them emotionally, physically and cognitively. Children can be quite intent about their scribbling, concentrating for a half hour or longer, especially if they are encouraged by parents. Developing the ability to sustain concentration is a great tool for life.

As soon as children can pick up and hold a marker of some sort — crayon, pen, pencil, lipstick, you name it — they take pleasure in making marks. At first their scribbling is random and disordered. But as children practice, they soon become quite intentional about their drawing and develop a vocabulary of marks that they practice and repeat.

Adults can reinforce this process by showing delight in their child’s scribbles and by naming the marks they make. “What a great wiggly line you made!” “Oh, look at that nice slow line — now it’s zooming fast!” “Dot, dot, dot, dot! You are making dotty, dots!” This encouragement and descriptive naming helps children develop visual, expressive, and relational concepts, as well as a sense of worth and validation.

Eventually children will form a circle, and as they gain control of circle making, lines may begin to emanate from the circle — the precursor of a person. Soon children begin to name their drawings. The ability to create a symbol and assign meaning to it is such an important cognitive and intellectual landmark, and lays the groundwork for reading in later years. Celebrate this moment!

At first children’s’ symbols may be undifferentiated- the same symbol may serve as a self-portrait, a dog, or family member. Over time the symbol becomes differentiated and details may begin to appear. The lines emanating from the circle or head develop fingers, but there may be lots of fingers. Eventually even adults can recognize that there is intentional difference in the child’s images.

Children at this stage of development should be encouraged to talk about their drawings, and indeed, they may be eager to do so and tell elaborate stories while they draw. As they talk, it is common for children at this stage to draw over the top of previous symbols as the action of their narratives unfolds resulting in a paper full of marks. The process is clearly the important issue here, and the child is not concerned about creating a finished product- that will come later.

Having an adult write the narrative of the story on the paper can help the child further develop the connection between words and symbols, and indicate to the child that her/his symbols and art-making are an important activity, worthy of attention. Asking questions can help your child expand the details they are representing as well as narrative they are creating.

How did all great artists start? As scribblers! Enjoy this time, and help your child be a great scribbler.

References & Additional Reading

• Efland, A. (2001). Art and cognition, integrating the visual arts in the curriculum. (pp. 41-45, 61). New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
• Eisner, E. (2002). The arts and the creation of mind. (pp. 93-147). New Haven, CT: Yale University Press
• Hurwitz, H., & Day, M. (2001). Children and their art, methods for the elementary school. (7th ed., pp. 45-68). New York, NY: Harcourt College Publishers.
• Lowenfeld, V., & Brittain, W. (1987). Creative and mental growth. (8th ed., pp. 34-73,). New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
• Uhlin, D., & De Chiara, E. (1984). Art for exceptional children. (3rd ed., pp. 3-34). Dubuque, IA: Wm. C. Brown.