Child Development Associate (CDA) Practice Exam 2025 – All-in-One Guide to Exam Success!

Scribbling is best understood as an early stage in the development of children's art and writing skills. This stage is critical in child development, as it helps children experiment with different forms of expression, develop fine motor skills, and start to grasp the concepts of symbols and representation. When children engage in scribbling, they are not just making random marks; they are also beginning to understand the relationship between their movements and the marks produced on paper, laying the groundwork for more advanced writing and drawing skills in the future.

While it's true that some may see scribbling as a sign of artistic talent or a form of random mark-making, these views don't capture the developmental significance of the activity. Additionally, discouraging scribbling is counterproductive, as it is an essential part of children's creative expression and cognitive development. Encouragement and acknowledgment of their scribbles can foster a child's confidence in their abilities and support their growth in both art and literacy.