Blogging A to Z: Writing
Have you ever seen a child’s artwork with just a row of lines one after the other? Or a row of circles? That’s great! Practicing lines and shapes are the first steps to writing letters! I mean, all letters consist of lines and shapes put together to create each unique letter. The letter “A” it’s basically a triangle with two extended legs. The letter “P” a circle with a line down one side.
Fun Ways to Encourage Writing Practice
Workbooks and flashcards might work well for some kids, but you know what’s a lot more fun? Putting down a layer of shaving cream on a cutting board or other easily wipeable surface and letting your toddler/preschooler draw with their fingers!
Or you can try finding items at home to create letters – breakfast cereal is perfect for this or crackers! Use these fun tools to create letters. If you want, print out a large letter on an 8.5×11″ sheet of paper as a template. Sand is another great tool and don’t forget all sorts of drawing tools as well!
Did you know they make chunky crayons for little hands? Because small hands have perfected all the fine motor control yet, bigger, fatter crayons are easily to hold and manipulate. But, don’t stop at just crayons, allow your child to explore, chalk and pencils, markers and pens. The more fun kids are having the more exciting learning can be!
If your child likes to make up stories, allow them to tell you the story and you can write it down. Maybe leave a little extra room for some illustrations! Or, when they finish drawing a picture, make sure they see you writing their name on the bottom of the picture and hanging in proudly on the fridge! There are so many simple ways to encourage writing practice at home!
Check out these great books about making art both writing and drawing!
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
Book List #23 – Writing
- Beautiful Oops! by Barney Saltzberg
Sometimes a mistake is the most beautiful opportunity to create something new! - Can I Be Your Dog? by Troy Cummings
A story of pet adoption told through letters. - The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt, illustrated by Oliver Jeffers
The crayons are tired of drawing the same old thing, so they quit! - The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds
A young artist is intimidated by a blank sheet of paper and is encouraged to create just a dot. - Draw! by Raúl Colón
A wordless picture book that celebrates art and imagination! - Idea Jar by Adam Lehrhaupt, illustrated by Deb Pilutti
Pull an idea out of a jar and see what kind of story you can create! - It’s Okay by Shiow-Miin Tsai
A little boy and his mother are drawing, until mommy makes a mistake. What happens next? - Lines by Suzy Lee
A wordless picture book about skating on ice. - Perfect by Max Amato
A pencil and eraser battle it out on the page in this funny story! - Randy, the Badly Drawn Horse by T. L. McBeth
Randy thinks he’s absolutely beautiful, but he’s never actually seen what he looks like! - A Squiggly Story by Andrew Larsen, illustrated by Mike Lowery
A young boy wants to write stories like his older sister, but he doesn’t know how to write many words. - When I Draw a Panda by Amy June Bates
A girl draws and draws until she gets her panda just they way she wants!
If you’re interested in purchasing any of the titles on this list, please use my affiliate link for Bookshop.org. When you purchase from this link, I will earn a commission as an affiliate.
For the month of April, I’ll be sharing early literacy tips and book lists as part of the Blogging A to Z Challenge. Learn about the importance of early literacy and ways to incorporate tips and tricks into your family’s daily routine. Developing language skills before kids head to school helps them to be ready to learn when they reach school-age. In addition to great content, you’ll also get a new book list for each letter, resulting in over 300 board book and picture book suggestions for your family to enjoy!
