Latest Teachers Article

Every month throughout the school year our teachers provide an informative and useful article for parents. Here you will find the latest published article.

Teachers Article March 2010

Developing Pre-Writing Skills in your Preschool Child

It is important that you not push your child. You can gauge the appropriateness of the activities for your child based on his or her own ability to stay interested in the activities. This is a very developmental process and every child is different.

The following preschool activities support young children's fine motor development and will help to build the strength and dexterity (quick and precise movements and coordination of the hands and fingers) necessary to hold a pencil appropriately. Many, if not all, of these activities are offered at Annandale Co-op in the various age-appropriate classrooms. When co-oping encourage some of these activities while playing with the children. Remember, not all activities are developmentally appropriate for all ages. Follow your child's teacher's guidance by observing what activities are offered in your child's classroom. If you are unsure about an activity you plan to do at home, check with your child's teacher.

Activities to build hand and finger strength for pre-writing development :

Rolling play dough into tiny balls using the palms of the hands facing each other and using only the finger tips.

Cut out shapes from cardboard (circle, square, etc.) and let your child trace them.
Using toothpicks to make designs in play dough.

Give your preschooler pair of tweezers. Provide two bowls with small items. Challenge them to get all the items from one bowl to another using only the tweezers.
Tearing newspaper into strips and then crumpling them into balls.
Lacing and sewing activities such as stringing beads.
Using eye droppers to "pick up" water.
Play with Legos, miniature cars, small blocks, action figures, and other small toys. (beware of choking hazards with the 2 and young 3 year olds)
Working puzzles
Rolling small balls out of tissue paper , then gluing the balls onto construction paper or a paper plate to form pictures or designs.
Scissor activities: cutting scraps of paper, magazines, or newspaper or, for the older child, cutting shapes drawn on the paper.
Gross motor activities: Wheelbarrow walking, crab walking.
Clapping games: patty cake, Miss Mary Mack, I Had a Little Puppy
Connect the dots activities (older preschoolers)
Trace around stencils (older preschoolers)
Draw on a chalkboard
Paint at an easel
Make crafts using scissors and gluing
Finger painting
Tying bows or tying shoes (older preschoolers and early elementary)

For older preschoolers: 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.

Remember, every child will acquire the fine-motor skills needed for handwriting in a different time table. The more your preschool child uses his/her fingers in activities that help to strengthen their hand coordination, the sooner they will master these skills.