Have your child simply draw some lines with a marker on paper and then fill in the blank spaces with colours or patterns as they desire.
(It’s okay if they don’t want to stay inside the lines!)
There is an artist in us all and doodling is great way to explore this, because you never know what might develop! Colouring doodles is a wonderful activity to do with your child to engage their imagination through free hand drawing and using colors to express themselves.
It also builds early writing skills!
Much of preschoolers’ early writing skills are developed through arts and crafts projects. Those first pictures and scrawls across the page are an important first step in the writing process.
Bonus activity:
Want to take their learning to the next level? When your child draws a picture or makes those adorable lines and squiggles, they are often also telling a story! Have your child talk to you about what they are drawing. Practicing putting the drawing into words is a first step to reading and writing.
Write down on a piece of paper what your child tells you about their drawing. Attach it to the bottom of their drawing when it is done. Read the story back to them and proudly display it on the refrigerator or in another prominent place in the house.
This is a great reminder for children that spoken words be written down and written words can be read! Knowing both these things is an important step in their process towards learning to read and write themselves.