Teaching Children to Write

by Lisa Gardiner MA

Learning to write is a process that can begin when your child is a toddler. To teach your child to write, help him to build his fine motor skills and recognize letters and words. Being a good role model and showing encouragement and appreciation are important parts of the process.

1. Step 1
Show your child that writing is fun and important. Write lists and notes in front of your child. Write notes to him and read them aloud. Encourage him to mimic you by writing his own notes and lists.
2. Step 2
Give children activities that help improve their manipulation skills. Play with clay. String beads. Help them use eye droppers and tweezers. Use safety scissors to cut shapes from paper and pictures from old books and magazines.
3. Step 3
Teach your child to recognize the letters of the alphabet by reading alphabet books. Write her name on a big piece of paper that she can look at often. Encourage her to pick out the letters of his name in books, signs and other printed materials.


4. Step 4
Keep paper and washable crayons and markers around the house. Encourage your child to scribble and draw. Ask him to write stories about what he sees and things he did that day. Have him read the stories back to you. Be positive and resist the urge to make corrections.
5. Step 5
Help your child draw shapes, lines and stick figures. Draw dots that form lines, shapes, and letters. Have the child trace the dots.
6. Step 6
Ask the child to write cards and notes. Use holidays and events as opportunities to write. Make thank you and holiday cards, letters to relatives and Santa, and notes to each other.