Controlled Scribbling

Scribbling: It’s Important for a Child, Part II

By Lois E. Wilson, Senior Scribe

Former Art Education Instructor, Miami University

During the second stage, controlled scribbling, children show more motor control over their marks.  This indicates they are developing coordination between hand and eye which is reflected in their other activities such as eating and dressing. The child scribbles enthusiastically in repeated up and down, back and forth, or circular patterns. Children like the pleasure they receive from this repetition of motion; therefore, they usually scribble without taking their tools from the paper or surface. Their kinesthetic enjoyment from the motion seems to be related to that they experienced as infants when being rocked.  They should be permitted to express this newly found eye/hand control without interruptions breaking their concentration.

When children are scribbling, do not direct them into drawing objects, naming colors, or finding subject matter within the scribbles. It is the motor activity that is important for development. Scribbling provides another method of expression in addition to those of talking and crying and is also helping the child to develop skills which will be used all through life.

In the third stage of scribbling, children start to name their scribble marks. The child may point to one and say: “This is my Daddy’s car. This is my house. This is me.” This naming does not mean the child started with the intention of drawing a car or house. But by naming the scribbles, they show that they are beginning to think in word pictures. In this stage, giving a choice of colors becomes more important as it stimulates children to relate more to their work.

All during our lives, we store perceptions, experiences, and emotions. These appear as the child names and talks about his scribbles. It is important that others do not thwart this expression of what the child knows and feels by saying or inferring something negative about the child’s work or by indicating it is not up to some arbitrary standard.

Mary says about one of her scribbles, “This is a cat.” Her mother replies, “That doesn’t look like a cat.” Not knowing the function scribbling plays in development, the mother gives the signal that the child does not know how to draw a cat. With such feedback, Mary is not likely to enjoy expressing herself visually. The mother could have encouraged Mary to continue talking about the cat: “Mary would you tell me more about your cat: Does your cat make any sounds? Does it have a name?” Mary will use her knowledge about cats to answer verbally.

When children exhibit a desire to talk about their scribbles, motivate them to express their perceptions, experiences, and emotions during this naming stage.  It will enrich their awareness and help them be more confident when communicating through verbal and visual expressions.  Scribbling is one of the first steps toward a child’s creative development and is an exciting stage of growth.  Understand the activity for itself, encourage it and most of all—enjoy it.