Nontraditional Tips for Teaching Preschoolers to Write
Stock up on all kinds of creative supplies – not just writing instruments. While it might seem strange to use other supplies to help your preschooler write, it can actually be helpful for their motor skills. Activities like hole punching, using scissors, and playing with play dough can actually help kids build the same fine motor skills and strength needed to write. Some other suggestions and activities include: sculpting with clay, making jewelry or beading, cardboard box activities, painting, and using chalk.
Allow kids the opportunity to do things themselves. Growing children’s self-help skills
can be lead to great benefits from a writing perspective. Having children do some activities on their own such as spreading butter on bread, peeling clementines, opening and filling water bottles, and putting on socks can help kids strengthen their muscles and build up their dexterity. This can also aids them with their writing. Not only are the kids learning how do things on their own but they are helping to refine their motor skills.
Build with Legos, Lincoln Logs, and other building toys. Like the different activities mentioned above, playing with different building toys can also help children to improve their fine motor skills as they maneuver the different pieces into place. Playing or building with unstructured building toys can also foster creativity within kids. Later on they can tap into this when they begin drawing and writing on their own.
Unstructured outdoor play. There are benefits to having your kids play on playgrounds and participate in unstructured outdoor playtime. You might be thinking how does playing outside connect to writing skills? Well in order to have good fine motor skills, you need a strong sense of body awareness and overall strength. Being strong and aware of your body movements can support more fine motor work. This is a huge win if your children love to be outdoors and engage in free-form play. So next time you send your kids outside to play you are actually helping with their ability to write.
At Precious Memories Preschool of Sandy Hollow PreSchool of Sandy Hollow, we offer a special place for children to not only grow and develop along the way, but a place for them to CELEBRATE each and every step. If you are interested in enrolling your child in our program please fill out the form on this page or call us at 860.572.9958
