The Scribbling Stage in Early Development

As a new preschool teacher, I received pictures colored by children on a daily basis. I kept a few sentimental drawings but admit that most pictures ended up in the garbage because to me, they were nothing more than scribbles, wild horizontal & vertical lines, and uncontrolled markings. Now having worked in the early childhood field for almost ten years I can recognize that they are much more than scribbles!

Those pages full of twisting lines and intersecting circles signify a stage in the development of drawing and writing skills. Zerotothree.org provides a great parent resource that outlines these 5 stages of drawing and writing:

• Stage 1: Random Scribbling (15 months to 2 ½ years)
• Stage 2: Controlled Scribbling (2 years to 3 years)
• Stage 3: Lines and Patterns (2 ½ years to 3 ½ years)
• Stage 4: Pictures of Objects or People (3 years to 5 years)
• Stage 5: Letter and Word Practice (3 years to 5 years)

All children go through these stages, however, the pace will differ with each individual child. The article also provides ideas for parents to encourage art and writing skills in young children:

• Make art a regular part of playtime
• No need for instructions
• Notice the process, not just the product
• Experiment with a variety of art materials as your child nears 3 years of age
• Use art to help your child express strong feelings
• Encourage your child’s attempts to write
• Display your child’s art and writing

Not only can these scribblings show you how your child understands the world at a very basic level, but they can also help children develop fine motor control and fine motor skills. Click here to read the full article provided by zerotothree.org. I may not keep every drawing given to me, but I can recognize its significance to that child’s development, and now so can you!