Preschool Pre-Writing Skills

Bonus Teaching Ideas

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Hands-on activities and fine motor skills help teach preschoolers letter formation. Did you know this is an excellent way to improve motor planning and visual-motor skills? Letter formation begins with knowing pre-writing strokes and lines. Here are several activities that will support your children’s pre-writing skills:

1. Tracing Activities

Provide papers with lines, shapes, letters, and numbers for the children to trace with their fingers or crayons.

Sign Language Component:

• ⭐️ Teach the sign for the letters and “trace.”
• ⭐️ Use the signs as children work on tracing.

2. Lacing Activities

Provide lacing cards or cardboard with large holes or lacing beads with large strings. Lacing helps children develop hand-eye coordination and control needed for writing.

Sign Language Component:

• ⭐️ Teach the sign for the letters “lace” and “thread.”
• ⭐️ Use the signs as children work with the lacing cards.

3. Finger Painting

Provide finger paint and large paper. Allow children to create designs of lines or shapes with their fingers. When finished, have children identify the colors, lines, and shapes they made.

Sign Language Component:

• ⭐️ Use the signs while discussing the finger paintings. Encourage children to sign the colors and shapes they created.

4. Dot-to-Dot Worksheets

Use dot-to-dot pages to help children practice drawing straight and curved lines.

Sign Language Component:

• ⭐️ Teach the signs for “dot” and “line.” Use the signs as children connect the dots.

Using these engaging activities and incorporating sign language, you can help preschoolers develop essential pre-writing skills in a fun, interactive way while enhancing their communication skills.