How Doodles Travelled Through Time To Become A Creative Phenomenon

Doodling is often dismissed as mindless scribbling, but its roots stretch deep into human history. Far from being a modern-day classroom or boardroom habit, doodling has long been a quiet form of expression, reflection, and even protest. From ancient walls to the notebooks of presidents and inventors, doodles have played curious roles in both art and everyday life. These spontaneous sketches may seem random, but they reveal surprisingly rich stories across time. Here are ten intriguing facts about the unexpected and often overlooked history of doodles.

1. The Oldest Doodles Are Thousands of Years Old

Long before paper existed, humans were drawing casually on cave walls and rocks. Some of the earliest forms of doodling can be traced back over 40,000 years. These ancient sketches included symbols, spirals, animals, and stick-like figures. Though not 'doodles' in the modern sense, they reflected similar instincts—marking space, expressing thoughts, and passing time creatively.

2. Da Vinci Was a Legendary Doodler

Leonardo da Vinci’s notebooks are filled not just with inventions and ideas, but also with dozens of bizarre and fascinating doodles. Alongside his scientific notes, he casually sketched flying machines, human figures, and fantasy animals. His doodles weren’t merely artistic—they often helped him visualise mechanical concepts. Da Vinci’s habit of drawing while thinking was far ahead of its time.

3. The Word 'Doodle' Originally Meant Foolishness

The word 'doodle' first entered the English language in the 17th century, derived from the German dudeln, meaning to play aimlessly or to be foolish. It was used to describe someone being idle or silly. The meaning gradually evolved, and by the 18th century, it was used to refer to mindless drawings made while the person’s attention was elsewhere.

4. U.S. Presidents Have Left Doodles in the Margins

Several American presidents were known to doodle during meetings. Dwight D. Eisenhower sketched boxy shapes, while Ronald Reagan frequently drew cowboys and football players. Franklin D. Roosevelt was fond of geometric patterns. These doodles, preserved in archives, offer unexpected glimpses into their personalities and states of mind during critical moments.

5. Isaac Newton Doodled in the Margins of His Papers

Known for his precise scientific mind, Isaac Newton often left strange marks and sketches in the margins of his notebooks. Some of these were geometric patterns, while others were seemingly unrelated scribbles. Historians believe these doodles may have helped him mentally visualise complex theories of motion and gravity.

6. Doodles Were Used as Secret Codes in Wartime

During World War II, simple doodles served as a way to secretly communicate or signal information. Soldiers and prisoners would sometimes pass coded messages through disguised sketches. “Kilroy was here,” a popular graffiti-style doodle during the war, became an iconic symbol that soldiers left behind to mark their presence.

7. Doodles Are Found in Medieval Manuscripts

Medieval monks spent hours copying texts by hand—and sometimes they got bored. Manuscripts from the Middle Ages contain surprisingly humorous doodles, from fighting snails and rabbits riding horses to bizarre beasts. These marginalia, as they’re now called, offer a playful and very human side to otherwise sacred or scholarly texts.

8. Doodling Boosts Memory and Focus

While often considered a distraction, studies have shown that doodling may actually help improve memory and concentration. In history, many thinkers and creators used sketching as a cognitive tool. This supports the idea that ancient and modern doodles alike were more than idle scribbles—they were part of the thinking process.

9. Doodles Have Entered the World of High Art

In recent decades, doodling has been recognised as a legitimate art form. Contemporary artists and illustrators have embraced doodle styles in galleries and digital platforms. Even brands and product designers use doodle-inspired aesthetics to evoke creativity and playfulness. What was once an idle pastime is now celebrated as imaginative expression.

10. The Doodle Helped Launch a Tech Giant

One of the most famous modern doodles is the first “Google Doodle.” In 1998, Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin added a stick figure behind the company’s logo to indicate they were out of the office attending a festival. This casual visual joke became the foundation for the now-famous Google Doodles, which celebrate people, cultures, and events across the globe.

The Quiet Power of the Casual Sketch

What began as simple marks made in the margins of history has evolved into a recognised mode of expression. Doodling, far from being a meaningless act, has played silent roles in art, science, politics, and communication. These surprising facts reveal just how influential those absent-minded sketches have been through the centuries.

Whether carved into stone, jotted in a notebook, or created with a digital pen, doodles continue to be a reflection of our minds at work—even when we’re not entirely aware of it.