I can't help but put on my educator hat when I watch my 22 month old daughter scribble. In the past week or so, I've been fascinated at how she seems to be more aware of the actual marks she is putting on the paper. Before it was pretty much about the movement of her arm, hand and fingers. And it was social - she asked us to draw things and shapes and use different colors. But now she comments on her own lines - little, big - and some labels - door, house, and so on. And, she consciously trying to fill a page with marks.
Did you know that there is an actual 'alphabet' of scribbles? Last Fall I taught a class on Art and Creativity in Young Children and we talked about Rhonda Kellogg's scribble alphabet. There are elements like 'dot,' 'single vertical line,' and 'imperfect circle.' After these simple marks, we start thinking about different combinations, and how the page is filled (or not). And this is just in the first few years of life!
I know it's universal but it's still fascinating to actually see it unfold!
