On my website this month you’ll find lots of ideas for getting children ready to write. Although the focus will be on pre-writing activities, most of the ideas can be adapted for letters, numerals, shapes, words, and other skills. A key principle for early childhood is to go from simple to complex and from concrete to abstract. If you want children to develop writing skills, you have to offer them a wide variety of engaging experiences where they can learn as they play. The road to Common Core State Standards will be much more fun with these songs and multi-sensory materials.
How about a free song download called “Pencil Grip”?
Pencil Grip
(Tune: “Where Is Thumbkin?”)
Where is Pointer?
On the top.
Ready to write.
Start at the top.
Where is Thumbkin?
On the side.
Ready to help
Your pencil glide.
Where is Tallman?
On the bottom.
Keeps the letters
Where you want ‘em.
There are several basic strokes that children need to draw before expecting them to
write. In order of development they are a vertical line, a horizontal line, a circle, a cross, a square, a diagonal line, an X, and a triangle. These skills can be nurtured through
some of these multi-sensory activities.
Sensory Tub – Fill the bottom of a plastic tub with sand, rice, salt, grits, or another sensory material. Children can practice making strokes, shapes, and letters in the tub.
*Hint! Have children wash their hands before and after using these materials.
Copy Cat Cards – Make pre-writing strokes on squares of cardstock similar to the ones shown. Children can look at these cards and try to “copy” the strokes in the sensory tub.
That's my little "appetizer"? I think you'll just have to go to my website to learn more about gym time for fingers, pencil power, body writing, and left and right!
P.S. I found some great FREE pre-writing worksheets on TPT that you can download. The links are on my website.
