Preschool Language & Literacy Development - Writing
Preschool Goal:
- differentiates between writing and drawing
- reads own writing
- can write recognizable letters
- can write first name
Before learning to write, it is important that children practice tracing and drawing with a pencil to gain basic pencil-control skills. These activities lead to the ability to form letters and numbers. Provide your child with opportunities to trace and draw in a fun and motivating
format. Progress from straight vertical lines to more challenging lines, such as curved, zigzag, and diagonals.
Featured product: EarTwiggle's Prewriting Practice Workbook.
How to hold a pencil correctly
Holding a pencil properly can be difficult for a child who does not yet have enough strength in his or her hands and fingers. Help your child use relaxed rather than cramped movements as he or she writes. Demonstrate how to properly grip the pencil between the thumb and pointer finger, letting the pencil rest on the middle finger. Teach this skill gradually so that your child retains interest and does not become overly tired. To help your child relax, have him or her shake the hands, make drawings in the air, or roll a piece of clay inside the hands.
Keep the writing lesson short — five to fifteen minutes is plenty of time for practice. Stretch the amount of pencil time by incorporating drawing and coloring.
Give a lesson daily, or at least three times a week with our fun pre-writing skill worksheets.
The following prewriting worksheets assume that your child can draw simple lines with a pencil. A short, soft pencil is easier for small children to hold. If your child is not yet accustomed to using a pencil, a crayon is a good starting tool.
Tracing Activities:
Turkey tracing worksheet
Birds curves tracing worksheet
Shapes and Lines:
Kite straight lines pre-writing skill worksheet
Drawing Activities:
Draw witch face drawing activitiy (more preschool Halloween activities and worksheets)
Finish the haunted house drawing activity
Decorate your wreath drawing activity
Decorate your christmas ornament activity
Finish the snowman drawing activity
Other writing activities:
Halloween maze
Help Santa activity
Help Santa chimney writing activity (see more preschool Christmas activities and worksheets)
Fine Motor and Scissor Skills
Fine motor skills are our ability to use our hands, wrists, and fingers to reach, grasp, and manipulate small objects and tools.
More fun prewriting worksheets can be found on our KidsSoup member site.
See also our coloring pages and fine motor skill activities and worksheets.
