Doodle vs. Scribble — What's the Difference?

Doodles often emerge from someone's subconscious mind while they are distracted or thinking about something else. These drawings can range from abstract patterns to recognizable shapes and figures, sometimes revealing insights into the doodler's thoughts or feelings. In contrast, scribbles are usually made without any deliberate focus or intention, often by young children as they learn to control a writing instrument. Scribbles do not aim to represent anything specific and are characterized by their lack of form and structure.

Doodles can be reflective of a person's mood, interests, or state of mind at the time of doodling. People often doodle when they are bored, anxious, or thinking deeply, using repetitive patterns or familiar shapes. Scribbles, however, are more about the act of movement and the sensory experience of making marks, without any concern for the outcome or appearance of these marks.

The context in which doodles and scribbles are made also differs. Doodles are often found in the margins of notebooks, on scraps of paper, or during meetings and phone calls—anywhere a person's mind might wander. Scribbles might be found in similar settings but are more commonly associated with the early stages of a child's motor skill development, appearing on any surface they can draw on, including walls, furniture, and books.

Doodling has been studied for its potential cognitive benefits, including aiding concentration, memory retention, and processing emotions. It can also be a form of artistic expression, with some doodles evolving into more elaborate sketches or artworks. Scribbling, while not typically regarded as art, is crucial in the development of fine motor skills and visual literacy in children, laying the groundwork for more purposeful drawing and writing.