Scribbles

Look at this beautiful learning experience!

That might not have been your first thought when you say these pictures. You might have said to your self “they’re just scribbles, what the big deal?”

Listen. There are countless opportunities for learning in our preschool classroom every day. One experience is not better than another because each child is different and could learn something different than their peer in the same situation. That is the beauty of kids and learning and play. It’s unique to each child.

Sometimes scribbling can be viewed negatively- like it’s less than other forms of art. I’m going to challenge you to throw that idea out the window. Art is art.

When kids scribble they are learning:

🎉 Pre-writing skills: it lays the foundation for pre-writing skills including hand control, pencil grip, and early understanding of the concept of making marks that represent something meaningful.

🎉 Creativity & imagination: children freely explore and experiment with lines, shapes and patterns. This fosters their artistic expression and imaginative thinking.

🎉 Fine motor skills: scribbling helps develop fine motor skills as children hold writing utensils and manipulate them to create marks on paper which strengthens their hand and finger muscles.

🎉 Expressive communication: it serves as a form of expressive communication for young children who may not have developed formal writing or drawing skills yet. It allows them to convey their thoughts, emotions and ideas visually.

🎉 Self-confidence: scribbling promotes self-confidence as children take pride in their creations, no matter how abstract or seemingly random they may appear. It nurtures their sense of accomplishment and ownership of their artwork.

The last thing we want is to think it’s “just” scribbling. It’s much more than that.