Pre Writing
The State of Kansas will provide the standards for Pre-writing in the development of Fine Motor Skills.
Physical Health and development Standard 1: Develops Gross (Large Muscle) Motor Skills
When looking for ways to develop the hand muscle so that your child’s hand is better equipped to handle all the writing that they will be doing in the class room, it is important to realize that simple play dough, matchbox cars, or snapping a dolls dress are all activities that can help to prepare your child for Pre-Writing.
Physical Health and development Standard 1: Develops Gross (Large Muscle) Motor Skills
When looking for ways to develop the hand muscle so that your child’s hand is better equipped to handle all the writing that they will be doing in the class room, it is important to realize that simple play dough, matchbox cars, or snapping a dolls dress are all activities that can help to prepare your child for Pre-Writing.
JULY PRE-WRITING ACTIVITIES
0-1 years oldTo promote fine motor development the first year of life, you can use the following items: rattles, bean bags, stacking rings, nesting cups, clutch balls, busy boxes, interlocking blocks, shape sorting boxes, containers to fill and dump, cardboard boxes like lids, large wooden beads and shoelaces, wooden and rubber puzzles (3-8 pieces).
1-2 years oldHere is a game you can play with your child. Say to your child, “Watch what I do, and do it after me.” Then have them repeat the following actions after you: wiggle your nose, blink your eyes, open and shut your fingers, bend your foot up and down, rotate your head round and round, scratch like a monkey, or open and close your mouth. If you would like some movements to do around the yard, you could try the following: jump up and down, run in place, tiptoe in a circle, fly around in a small area, crawl, walk like a duck, bend up and down.
2-3 years oldWhen your child gets to a classroom in a few years, it is important to develop not only the small muscle coordination to hold the pencil; large muscle development is needed, as well. To encourage the development of large muscle building the following things can be done: riding toys, climber and slide, wagons, tractor tires, large cardboard boxes, push and pull toys, tumbling mats, cars and trucks, balls of all sizes, low steps covered with carpet, and foam furniture covered with vinyl.
3-4 years oldDig a hole a few inches deep in the sand box. Place some plastic toys in the hole and cover back up with the sand. Take a large piece of string and place a ring around the spot the little toys are buried. Provide a small shovel or large kitchen spoon, and explain to your child that the two of you are going to dig for buried treasure. Show them the circle and explain that it is buried in this spot. Have fun digging together with hands or spoons to recover the buried treasure...
4-5 years oldCreate a large easel somewhere in the yard. This might be as nice as a Little Tykes large plastic easel or it could be a piece of poster board taped to the side of the garage at your child’s eye level. Talk together about what all is going on in the yard around you. Point out the mother bird and the nest of babies in the tree; the neighbor’s dog barking along the fence; baby sister playing in the little pool and the cat sunning himself in the cool morning. Then provide some washable markers for your child to draw a picture of what all is going on in the yard during the summer months. Perhaps each season, come back to this same spot and discuss the changes that are taking place in the yard during the different seasons. Hang their picture inside the house for all to enjoy. Be sure to date it and have your child sign their work.
5-6 years oldAs a follow up project that could go along with the 4-5 year old picture they have drawn, have your child tell a story about what is happening in their picture of the back yard. As they tell the story, write out what they say. Now create a simple book from what they have told. Take several sheets of typing paper and staple along the edge. Have them illustrate each of the pages, and write the story along the bottom. They can “pretend” to read it back to you. Basically, they will have the story memorized, but that is OK, it gives them the beginning feelings of what it is like to turn the pages and actually read a book.
THE TOOLS FOR MOTHERHOOD GRADUATES have shared some of the activities they have tried with their child in the area of Pre-Writing. Here are a few of the ideas...
Shamrock craft
So, I have been trying to do more crafts and such with the girls and I love having a month with a holiday. So, we’ve finished Valentines day and now we are doing St. Patrick’s Day crafts. There are soo many great ones out there and soo easy too.
In the pictures I’ve included Lexi is doing a shamrock craft. I drew a shamrock on a piece of paper. I let her tear up pieces of green paper and then I spread glue all over the picture and let her put the green pieces of torn paper on it. It was fun and she did a great job tearing paper and had such fun doing it too. So cute. I had Zoe do the same thing only on a smaller scale and she made St. Patty’s day cards for family.
I’ve also recently done a shamrock wreath with Zoe…. Shamrocks she cut out and glued on a paper plate to make a wreath. Again, soo cute! What great things to keep from year to year.
1 & 4 Years Old Play-Doh
The girls love, love, love play-doh and I only wish I loved it more--- what a mess it makes... But they love it so I tolerate it. It does keep them busy and they play pretty well together with the play-doh. So they have cookie cutters, scissors, plates, and bowls... All the necessities for great play-doh fun. They pretent to "eat" the different things they make. It's fun to see them play together nicely and it gives me time to do other things but in the mean time boy do I get "full." : )
Recommendations: Sure- great hand muscle development.
3 Years Old Trace Letters with Glitter Pens
I wrote Kaihtlyn's initials on cardstock and had her trace the letter "K" with her glitter pen. This was a difficult activity for her. She does not have control in her hands to trace and squeeze at the same time. So I helped guide her hand while she squeezed the glue pen; other wise the glitter was ending up in piles. : )
Changes: Possibly use elmers glue trace the letter then have her sprinkle loose glitter on it or let her use the glitter pens freely and let her paint the glitter around.
Recommendations: I would recommend it for older children who may have that hand control better if you want the letter really traced.
1 1/2 Years Old This is one of my favorite activities that Lexi does which is coloring. Of course this is because she does it sooo well by herself. So I simply let her work her little hand muscles by giving her crayons, markers (pip squeaks), colored pencils or pens and I can't forget the paper or coloring books. Though now I am an expert at getting any kind of marks off walls, furniture, applicance and floors. She just scribbles now, but she really enjoys seeing the pictures of people and especially animals in the coloring books. This is my favorite activity to do with her as we are getting dinner ready. I even keep crayons and paper in my purse. She loves to color/draw!--Heather
3 Years Old I sprayed shaving cream all over her highchair tray and hid the letter K in it. Her job was to find it. She found it almost immedicately. Then she just used her hands to fub around and pat the shaving cream. I would take her finger and help her write the letter "K" (for her name) in the shaving cream. She was always eager to mess it up. This was a very fun activity that honetly could be played with for as much time as you want and takes little supervision while the child is in the highchair.--Kahle
4 years Old So as the mail came, I noticed we got the new Toys R Us catalog and I thought it would be a great magazine to cut pictures out of and glue on Zoe's name. So I got a piece of cardstalk and wrote Zoe's name in large outlined letters. I got out the glue and scissors and surprised her with the catalog. I let her cut out pictures of things she liked and then she had to fit them in her name without covering up the shape of the letter. So not only was their hand strengthening going on with the scissors and glue, but some problem solving to see what pictures fit where so she didnt cover up the outline of her name. She did a great job and it will make another great keepsake -- another page for the scrapbook.. It was great fun!--Heather
0-1 years oldTo promote fine motor development the first year of life, you can use the following items: rattles, bean bags, stacking rings, nesting cups, clutch balls, busy boxes, interlocking blocks, shape sorting boxes, containers to fill and dump, cardboard boxes like lids, large wooden beads and shoelaces, wooden and rubber puzzles (3-8 pieces).
1-2 years oldHere is a game you can play with your child. Say to your child, “Watch what I do, and do it after me.” Then have them repeat the following actions after you: wiggle your nose, blink your eyes, open and shut your fingers, bend your foot up and down, rotate your head round and round, scratch like a monkey, or open and close your mouth. If you would like some movements to do around the yard, you could try the following: jump up and down, run in place, tiptoe in a circle, fly around in a small area, crawl, walk like a duck, bend up and down.
2-3 years oldWhen your child gets to a classroom in a few years, it is important to develop not only the small muscle coordination to hold the pencil; large muscle development is needed, as well. To encourage the development of large muscle building the following things can be done: riding toys, climber and slide, wagons, tractor tires, large cardboard boxes, push and pull toys, tumbling mats, cars and trucks, balls of all sizes, low steps covered with carpet, and foam furniture covered with vinyl.
3-4 years oldDig a hole a few inches deep in the sand box. Place some plastic toys in the hole and cover back up with the sand. Take a large piece of string and place a ring around the spot the little toys are buried. Provide a small shovel or large kitchen spoon, and explain to your child that the two of you are going to dig for buried treasure. Show them the circle and explain that it is buried in this spot. Have fun digging together with hands or spoons to recover the buried treasure...
4-5 years oldCreate a large easel somewhere in the yard. This might be as nice as a Little Tykes large plastic easel or it could be a piece of poster board taped to the side of the garage at your child’s eye level. Talk together about what all is going on in the yard around you. Point out the mother bird and the nest of babies in the tree; the neighbor’s dog barking along the fence; baby sister playing in the little pool and the cat sunning himself in the cool morning. Then provide some washable markers for your child to draw a picture of what all is going on in the yard during the summer months. Perhaps each season, come back to this same spot and discuss the changes that are taking place in the yard during the different seasons. Hang their picture inside the house for all to enjoy. Be sure to date it and have your child sign their work.
5-6 years oldAs a follow up project that could go along with the 4-5 year old picture they have drawn, have your child tell a story about what is happening in their picture of the back yard. As they tell the story, write out what they say. Now create a simple book from what they have told. Take several sheets of typing paper and staple along the edge. Have them illustrate each of the pages, and write the story along the bottom. They can “pretend” to read it back to you. Basically, they will have the story memorized, but that is OK, it gives them the beginning feelings of what it is like to turn the pages and actually read a book.
THE TOOLS FOR MOTHERHOOD GRADUATES have shared some of the activities they have tried with their child in the area of Pre-Writing. Here are a few of the ideas...
Shamrock craft
So, I have been trying to do more crafts and such with the girls and I love having a month with a holiday. So, we’ve finished Valentines day and now we are doing St. Patrick’s Day crafts. There are soo many great ones out there and soo easy too.
In the pictures I’ve included Lexi is doing a shamrock craft. I drew a shamrock on a piece of paper. I let her tear up pieces of green paper and then I spread glue all over the picture and let her put the green pieces of torn paper on it. It was fun and she did a great job tearing paper and had such fun doing it too. So cute. I had Zoe do the same thing only on a smaller scale and she made St. Patty’s day cards for family.
I’ve also recently done a shamrock wreath with Zoe…. Shamrocks she cut out and glued on a paper plate to make a wreath. Again, soo cute! What great things to keep from year to year.
1 & 4 Years Old Play-Doh
The girls love, love, love play-doh and I only wish I loved it more--- what a mess it makes... But they love it so I tolerate it. It does keep them busy and they play pretty well together with the play-doh. So they have cookie cutters, scissors, plates, and bowls... All the necessities for great play-doh fun. They pretent to "eat" the different things they make. It's fun to see them play together nicely and it gives me time to do other things but in the mean time boy do I get "full." : )
Recommendations: Sure- great hand muscle development.
3 Years Old Trace Letters with Glitter Pens
I wrote Kaihtlyn's initials on cardstock and had her trace the letter "K" with her glitter pen. This was a difficult activity for her. She does not have control in her hands to trace and squeeze at the same time. So I helped guide her hand while she squeezed the glue pen; other wise the glitter was ending up in piles. : )
Changes: Possibly use elmers glue trace the letter then have her sprinkle loose glitter on it or let her use the glitter pens freely and let her paint the glitter around.
Recommendations: I would recommend it for older children who may have that hand control better if you want the letter really traced.
1 1/2 Years Old This is one of my favorite activities that Lexi does which is coloring. Of course this is because she does it sooo well by herself. So I simply let her work her little hand muscles by giving her crayons, markers (pip squeaks), colored pencils or pens and I can't forget the paper or coloring books. Though now I am an expert at getting any kind of marks off walls, furniture, applicance and floors. She just scribbles now, but she really enjoys seeing the pictures of people and especially animals in the coloring books. This is my favorite activity to do with her as we are getting dinner ready. I even keep crayons and paper in my purse. She loves to color/draw!--Heather
3 Years Old I sprayed shaving cream all over her highchair tray and hid the letter K in it. Her job was to find it. She found it almost immedicately. Then she just used her hands to fub around and pat the shaving cream. I would take her finger and help her write the letter "K" (for her name) in the shaving cream. She was always eager to mess it up. This was a very fun activity that honetly could be played with for as much time as you want and takes little supervision while the child is in the highchair.--Kahle
4 years Old So as the mail came, I noticed we got the new Toys R Us catalog and I thought it would be a great magazine to cut pictures out of and glue on Zoe's name. So I got a piece of cardstalk and wrote Zoe's name in large outlined letters. I got out the glue and scissors and surprised her with the catalog. I let her cut out pictures of things she liked and then she had to fit them in her name without covering up the shape of the letter. So not only was their hand strengthening going on with the scissors and glue, but some problem solving to see what pictures fit where so she didnt cover up the outline of her name. She did a great job and it will make another great keepsake -- another page for the scrapbook.. It was great fun!--Heather