When children scribble on paper, it may not seem to be much of anything, but they are actually practicing several important skills.
- Scribbling helps prepare children to write by developing fine motor strength, hand and finger control, and cognitive skills for writing.
- Scribbling also encourages children's developing creativity.
Young children need paper and tools such as crayons, washable markers, and pencils to draw or write with. Make the tools available to children at home and in their child care program. Allow children to use the materials freely, with no directions.
For more information on the value of scribbling, check out the eXtension Alliance for Better Child Care articles on Helping Young Children Learn to Write and Art in Child Care.
