3
Grown–up Talk Those Lovely Scribbles
With the multitudes of “washable” art products available on the shelves of our local department stores, we can safely assume that mark-making (in places we adults don’t want it) is a common problem. The truth about this activity is that it is a necessary part of each child’s artistic development. Let’s look at the very real temptation that mark-making presents. Children are entranced by lines and squiggles, those magical marks that flow directly from their arm and are so clearly controlled by them. The joy of making a motion and leaving its mark behind to see is exhilarating! It is so inspiring that it takes no time at all to fill up an entire wall or one’s entire body with wonderful marks. Mark-making, more commonly referred to as scribbling, is a natural phase of a child’s development in the arts. One must first see what the materials can do before one goes on to representational drawing. The young child is not only seeing what the material can do, but is using large and small muscle groups to see what his arm and fingers can do. That’s a lot of experimental learning. When adult responses are negative toward this activity, the child could shut down a very natural response that is designed to develop eye-hand coordination. Think of mark-making as an activity that has little to do with making a recognizable finished product. Allow mark-making. Just as we do not stop a baby from crawling, we should not stop a child from mark-making, recognizing it as an important first step. Children can and should learn that making marks is a specific type of activity that they do in a specific place with specific tools. Just as Mommy cooks on the kitchen counter, and mixes messy things using a bowl, art is made at the kitchen table (or wherever) with art materials using a piece of paper. Sit down with your child, get out pencils and paper and make marks. See what the pencil can do. Put away art materials and bring them out again at another time. Children who learn to care for their art supplies, by using them in the way the parent has demonstrated in times together, can be trusted with more freedom. Freedom to use art supplies whenever the child chooses should be gained, and it can be earned by responsible behavior.
13
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker