Why Do Toddlers Write on Walls?

Toddlers are artists, too.

Some parents joke that toddlers draw on walls to reflect a cave dweller stage in their development. Other parents or care providers don't find it so funny and wonder why toddlers are so compelled to do this. There are actually several developmental reasons. After you understand these reasons, try some constructive ways to get your toddler to develop necessary skills and improve his coordination without marking the walls.

Prewriting Skills

Scribbling is a precursor to cursive writing, according to Usha Patel, Learning Difficulties Therapist. The gross motor skills a toddler practices when making loopy marks on the walls help him develop the ability to write in recognizable letters and words later on. He refines his fine motor skills to deliberately produce various shapes and letters as he views at eye level his writing on the wall.

Coordination Skills

Patel also explains that writing on a wall helps a toddler develop strength in his upper body, hand, and wrist, which helps him develop coordination for other skills such as cutting with scissors. Hand-and-eye coordination is also enhanced while a toddler is writing on the wall at eye level. Additionally, if a child needs to steady himself while he is marking the wall, he strengthens the simultaneous use of both hands.

Exploration and Expression

Toddlers are all about discovering the world around them. Andrea L. Mack, Ph.D., explains that sometimes when a toddler writes on the wall, he is simply his exploring his independence and the ability to express himself. Mack points out that many artists express emotions through their art and children are no different. A child may feel a sense of personal power and strength when he makes a mark on the wall or other surface.

Alternatives

There are ways you can save yourself the trouble of cleaning up marks on the wall while encouraging your toddler to express his independence and develop physical coordination and other valuable skills. Get an art easel designed for kids and keep washable art supplies where your toddler can reach them anytime he wants to create. Tape a big piece of paper to a low section of wall and let your toddler know he can write there. Alternatively, paint a wall with chalkboard or dry erase paint and provide suitable writing utensils for your toddler to draw whenever he would like.

References

• Families Online: Why You Shouldn't Stop Your Toddler From Writing on Your Walls!
• Eduguide.org: Why Toddlers' Activities Need to Include Scribbling