Teaching your child how to write is an important skill. Finding the time to practice is not always easy to incorporate in the everyday life.
The Holiday Season is one time parents write the most out of the year! There are so many things that we need to remember: lists, labels, thank you cards, wish lists, Santa letters, etc. It is the perfect time to incorporate teaching your young child how to write, that letters make sounds and that lots of letters spell words!
But how do you do this with young children who don't know how to read, may not know their alphabet and who can't yet trace a letter? Here are some ways that you can help young children learn how to write:
1) The adult can write the words and allow the child to trace the words. If a child is still learning how to hold a pencil, have them:
- dip a Q-tip into paint to trace letters
- use their finger to trace the letters
- copy the letters with a highlighter as they repeat the word that you say
2) If the child knows letters:
- The adult can spell out simple words, stating one letter at a time.
- Show a child a word written on a 3x5 index card and have the child copy that word onto a piece of paper.
- Say a word and ask the child to find the letters to spell that word in the sale paper. They can use child-safe scissors to cut out the words and use a glue stick to recreate the word on a piece of paper.
Young children need to be exposed to a variety of ways that writing is used. Reading and writing is a part of everyday life and adults do it more than we think! Here are 10 different ways you can allow your child to help you "write" during the Holiday Season:
- Shopping lists
- Meal/Seating name cards
- Christmas lists
- Labeling Holiday Decorations
- Labeling Storage Containers
- Labeling who presents are "to" and "from"
- Writing a letter to Santa
- Writing Thank you Cards
- Holiday Ornaments
- Holiday Game - have them write family names on turn taking cards
Can you think of any other times that you write during the Holiday season? Share your ideas below.
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