Learning to write is an exciting step for all young children, but it is also very developmental.  Different children learn to write letters at different ages and that is ok!

Letter Formation

How can you support your child’s writing at home? Here are a few activities and projects you can do to help your child learn to write letters.

  1. Give your child lots of opportunities to use pencils, crayons, markers, and paper.  Scribbling is the first stage of writing.  Encourage it!
  2. Build fine motor control by giving your child little tasks or challenges that require them to manipulate small objects:
    • Build with Legos
    • Use lacing toys
    • Build with pipe cleaners and beads
    • Play with Play-doh or modeling clay
  3. When they are ready to write letters, start with their name.  Your child’s name will be their first introduction to some very important letters.  After they know how to write their name, have them work with other family members’ names.
  4. Paper-Pencil is great, but it is also good to give your child practice with other sensory experiences:
    • Shaving Cream – trace the letters of their name (or letters they are practicing with shaving cream).  I squirt some on a plastic table for my kids to play with and it wipes right up!
    • Salt/Cornmeal – add some salt or cornmeal to a tray.  Have your child trace letters in the salt or cornmeal.  The rough texture gives them a great sensory experience.                                                                               
    • Painting with Q-tips – Write some letters (or have your child write some letters).  Then, use q-tips to paint them.                                
    • Painting with water – Go outside and give your child a paint brush (I like the inexpensive foam brushes at Home Depot) and some water and have them paint the sidewalk or the fence with their name!
  5. Art Projects
    • This activity provides fine motor practice with cutting and building your name.  Kindergarten Name Mosaic along with the book Too Much Glue!:
    • For the train or rocket lover, here are a few cute crafts.  For older kids, have them write the letters for their name.  Another idea is to make this as a present for a friend of family member using their name.                         Name Train Craft:   Name Rocket:
  6. Here is a great freebie on Teachers Pay Teachers that you can customize for your child.  It allows them to trace their name and also find their name.    Name Activities EDITABLE

You can read a little more about letter formation here.  Happy Writing!