Yes, preschool writing is possible! Writing activities for kids can also be fun! I am not saying that preschoolers should be able to write all their letters and numbers but they can communicate and work on fine motor skills and hand strength. Dr. Montessori believed in allowing a child to discover reading and writing.
If we give space for this discovery then it’ll ignite a child’s desire and drive for learning, more specifically reading and writing.
I thought a lot about how to encourage writing in preschoolers. Adults can help children develop writing skills at home and in the classroom in reasonably accessible ways to us and our busy lives. So how do we step back and allow our children to guide their own development? First, we must accept that there is a range of development that is perfectly acceptable of a typically developing child. Then we must prepare the environment to support exploration, discovery and eventual development of language. Don’t simply have a writing center, make writing permeate throughout your home or classroom by making materials accessible to the child. Finally we must honor and support the child in a positive and encouraging manner.
Encourage Preschool Writing with these Tips & Writing Activities for Kids
Here are a few ways to encourage the development if writing without forcing it upon the child:
- Use your finger when reading to a child moving left to right under the words
- Salt, sand or corn meal writing tray for tracing
- Pin punching shapes from construction paper or card stock
- Metal Insets
(or stencil) tracing - Sandpaper Letters to begin the muscle memory required in writing
- Drawing with crayons or colored pencils
- Strengthening hands with playdough and clay
- Use a Chalkboard. I like this one because it is perfectly sized for a child. Give them a small bowl with a bit of water and a sponge. Trust me, the child will be happy. Montessori Services also has a great chalkboard writing set.
- Dry Erase Board
- Pouring activities, such as using beans, from left to right
- Tweezing objects works the 3 finger grip
- Cutting practice {Check out my Cutting Strips Bundle!}
- Painting with a variety of different sized brushes and mediums
- Knobbed puzzles
- Building words with letters helps a child by simultaneously learning to read and write with the hand and finger movement required to build the word. Use a Movable Alphabet or a product like Melissa & Doug’s See & Spell
- Building letters with yarn. Trace the letter first, then hand over a piece of yarn and glue!
I hope we inspired you today!
Marnie