What is the practice?
Many everyday activities can help your toddler build skill and interest in scribbling and drawing. Having frequent opportuni- ties to use drawing/writing tools—especially with responsive parents and caregivers joining in the fun—gives toddlers a head start at developing early drawing and writing abilities.
What does the practice look like?
Using markers to draw on a white board, making designs with water or chalk on a sidewalk or fence, and sketching squiggles in a sandbox with a stick are activities that help young brains and hands prepare for writing. Such activities are most powerful when you give praise and ask questions to further your child’s experimenting and interest.
How do you do the practice?
Every day is filled with natural opportunities for toddlers to scribble, draw, and “write.” Focus on what captures your child’s interest, and start there.
- Is your child eager to draw on his own, and display his work?
- Does he show curiosity about what will happen when he uses different kinds of art materials?
- Is he using scribbling in a purposeful way to ‘write’ his name, tell a story, or draw a picture?
- Supply your toddler with plenty of different drawing materials, including markers, crayons, pencils, paints, and chalk, as well as a variety of surfaces to try out. Craft paper, lined paper, chalkboards, glazed paper, and even the bathtub are interesting surfaces where your child can make her mark. Let her try painting with common household or craft items such as drinking straws, feath- ers, cotton balls, cotton swabs, toy cars, and empty spools. Encourage your child to use her imagination and be creative.
- Let your child’s artwork and scribbling be a source of pride. Mount and display his work at home and ask for his help in your own everyday writing tasks. Toddlers love to be able to “sign” their own pictures, or “write” their names on the bottom of a letter to a relative or friend.
- Help your child understand that drawing can carry meaning by asking him to tell you about his pictures. Show interest in what he is working on. Ask questions that prompt him to talk about the colors he is using, the shapes he is making, and what his picture is about.
How do you know the practice worked?
Take a look at more of the art of writing
Water “Paint”
Charity and her mom are working in the garden on a hot day. Charity seems to be getting a little bored pulling weeds. “Do you want to play with water?” Mom asks. Charity agrees with de- light. Together they fi ll a pail from the outdoor faucet and fi nd a few old paint brushes in the garage “You could use these brushes and water to paint the driveway,” Charity’s mom suggests. “You can make it really pretty!” Charity becomes absorbed in paint- ing the sidewalk, driveway, and even the side of the house with water. She loves watching the darker colors of the wet spots fade as they dry in the sun. Then she paints some more!
Finger Paint Gift List
Two-year-old Rafael’s mom is writing a list for a Christmas shop- ping trip. It isn’t easy to think with Rafael bouncing around the room. “Come help me, Rafi ,” calls Mom. She sits him down beside her at the kitchen table with colorful felt-tipped markers and an extra-large piece of paper. Mom tells him, “This will be your Christmas list, Rafi . Draw what you want Santa Claus to bring you.” “I want trucks,” Rafael starts, “and Spiderman, and a puppy, and….” “Great,” his mom says. “Draw them for Santa so he’ll know what to bring you.” Each time Rafael fi nishes a draw- ing, his mom pauses in her work so he can tell her what he drew and all the details. “This is beautiful,” she tells Rafael. “Look at all this orange! Santa will be so impressed. I’m going to hang up your picture list so everyone can see how hard you worked.”
Bath Paints
Leslie, a 34-month-old with fi ne-motor delays, likes playing with toys that feel interesting to the touch. Some examples are play dough and fi nger paints. When Leslie takes a bath, her mom gives her bath paints that wipe away easily with water. Bath paints en- courage Leslie to use drawing skills without worrying about getting too messy. “What color do you need today?” Leslie’s mom asks. “Blue,” Leslie says, and her mom squirts some into her palms. She makes big circles on the side of the tub. “I’m drawing water,” Leslie says, “I’m drawing a big rain storm.” “How does rain look coming down?” Leslie’s mom asks. Leslie makes long streaks with the sides of her hands. Her mom helps guide her fi ngers to make smaller raindrops. “That’s beautiful rain,” her mom says. “Maybe you can also draw some fl owers growing in the rain.” Leslie looks forward to her bath time with paints every day.
