Is your child ready to learn how to write?
There are a lot of opinions on when parents should teach their children to write. But many parents and teachers observe that kids can develop writing skills as early as three years old. At this stage, children can understand that letters and words are made up of repeated patterns of lines, circles and curves.
As your child gains an understanding of how to write letters and draw shapes, it’s vital for you to take advantage of this. Your child might show you drawings with shapes and doodles. This is a good sign! You can use these as a first step to teach them how to write letters and words.
Provide big writing tools
This is not only for safety. You want your child to write with ease. Opt for larger pens and crayons. This provides stability since they are still trying to develop their fine motor skills. As they progress, they can learn the proper way to hold a pencil. Provide them with big sheets of paper, so they’ll have a lot of space to work on.
Lead, then demonstrate
Children love imitating what they see – from the cartoons they watch to their pet dog. Follow this tip from the Illinois Association of Teachers of English. Jordan Catapano says by giving your kid simple cues such as “Follow me,” “Listen to me,” and “Let’s go there,” they can learn to follow instructions.
Give them freedom
Let your kids explore writing and storytelling. Let them use drawings, songs and toys to tell a story, while you sit back and listen to them. Make your child’s learning a two-way process. Let them explain what they have just written. Give your children ample encouragement and positive reinforcement. You may be curious to see how your kids will approach writing if they will gravitate towards it or not.
Enroll them in classes
Parents will be their children’s first teachers, but it’s good to expose them in a classroom setup. Not only they will be taught to write, but children can improve their interpersonal skills and focus. Parents can supplement lessons with free writing activities for kindergarten. You can use these at home, or during summer break or weekends to reinforce what they have learned.
Make it light and easy
“Play is essential for young children’s social and cognitive development,” says Temple University psychologist Kathy Hirsh-Pasek in an American Psychological Association article. Children naturally learn through play. Show them a picture of their favorite animal and ask them to write its name. Ask your child to write the name of their favorite cartoon character and let them talk about it.
The best way for children to learn how to write is to make the process fun and positive. It’s exciting to see what children can learn at a young age. By giving them the freedom to explore and express themselves and making their lessons fun, your child can learn valuable skills.
