The Art of Scribbling
Children all over the world go through the same developmental sequence in scribbling, each step being a building block for the next.Here’s what to watch for.
At first, a toddler is mostly aware of the physical sensation of holding a crayon and moving his arm. Dropping, rolling, and even tasting it may absorb his attention long before he notices the lines he’s created.
Because shoulder muscles develop first,early scribbles are sweeping arches. Later, with more elbow and wrist muscle control, scribbles become smaller and more rounded. You’ll see your child beginning to experiment with shapes. These shapes are filled in at first, but eventually become outlined, forming all sorts of small enclosed figures, including circles.
Next, children begin to combine shapes—often a cross is superimposed on…
