At Shotley Bridge Nursery School, we recognise mark making as far more than preparation for learning to write.
For our youngest children through to our pre-schoolers, mark making is a language of communication, a way for children to explore theories, express ideas and make sense of the world around them.
Long before children can fully express their thoughts through words, their marks, movements and gestures can offer meaningful insight into their thinking. Every line, space, swirl and movement may represent an idea, a discovery, a feeling or a developing theory. Mark making provides children with opportunities to express themselves while strengthening important physical, cognitive and creative development.
We invite children to explore mark making in ways that are open-ended, joyful and free from the pressure of producing a particular finished product. This might include working across large spaces, painting on three-dimensional objects, exploring recycled and repurposed materials, making marks on textured surfaces or experimenting with simple palettes of colour.
These experiences encourage children to move, stretch, reach, press, twist and manipulate. They support the development of core strength, coordination, shoulder stability, hand strength and the fine motor control that will later contribute to writing. Just as importantly, they encourage curiosity, concentration, experimentation, problem-solving and the confidence to have a go.
Our focus is not simply on asking, “What is it?” or judging what a finished picture might represent. Instead, we wonder: what might the child be noticing? What theories could they be developing? What connections are they making? What happens when they change their movement, pressure or materials? And how can we respond without taking over their thinking?
A child repeatedly sweeping a brush across a surface may be exploring movement, rhythm and cause and effect. Another may be investigating how different materials leave different marks. A pre-school child might begin to use marks to represent ideas, communicate a message, create a plan or revisit an experience. Each stage is valuable, and each child’s journey will look different.
This is why mark making is woven throughout our provision, from our youngest children exploring sensory experiences and movement, through to our pre-school children developing more intentional representations and early writing behaviours. The materials may remain familiar, but the possibilities, conversations and learning develop with the child.
At Shotley Bridge Nursery School, we see mark making as a language of research, discovery and expression. It is a vehicle for children to explore the world, communicate their thinking and build the foundations for future learning.
Above all, we recognise and celebrate children’s creative freedom. We value the process rather than simply the product, trusting that when children are given time, space, encouragement and meaningful opportunities, their marks can become powerful expressions of who they are, what they notice and how they are beginning to understand the world.
Shotley Bridge Nursery School is in Blackhill, Consett, and has been open since 1991. Call 01207 581 700 or visit shotleybridge-nurseryschool.co.uk.
In association with Shotley Bridge Nursery School
