Early writing skills can and should be taught as early as 6 months of age. Here I break down specific concepts you can begin teaching your child at each age range to help build early writing readiness skills. Writing involves fine-motor skills; therefore, teaching grasping, pinching, tearing, and holding are all key components to begin with early on.
6 months - 1 year
A child should and can learn:
* How to grab something
* How to hold an object
* How to switch an object between both hands
* How to recognize their name when heard
* How to pick an object up with a two-finger pincher-grasp
* How to hold a crayon and make small strokes on a sheet of white paper
* How to be aware for objects and pictures they see in a book to those they may see in their real-life environment (such as a chair, book, apple, cup, shirt, shoes)
* How to put objects in holes
* How to see an object in front of them and be able to grab at it
* Letter awareness
1 year - 2 years
A child should and can learn:
* How to hold a crayon or maker with a full-fisted grasp
* How to recognize their name when heard and responds to it
* How to begin recognizing the letters in their name (print awareness)
* How to recognize objects in a book to those they see in real-life and may be able to name them (such as a table, chair, shoes, socks, cup, book, or toy)
* How to hold a crayon and make strokes on a sheet of white paper
* How to push/pull, open/close, twist/turn, pinch, tear, and squeeze objects
* How to peel stickers up
* Letter awareness and awareness for letters in their name
2 years- 3 years
A child should and can learn:
* How to hold a crayon or pencil with a fisted-grasp or pincher-grasp
* How to scribble color on a sheet of paper
* How to recognize their name when written out
* How to say the letters in their name (spelling it out)
* How to recognize pictures in a story book and say what they see
* How to hold scissors properly
* How to bead, lace, tear, peel, poke, pinch, tape, glue, and sort objects
* Letter recognition for the letters in their name
* How to trace letters in their name written in yellow high lighter on a white sheet of paper
* How to trace lines
* Associate letters to matching letters they may see (Such as the letter "A" and "A" seen in a book)
* Print-awareness (This is a good idea to label areas in your house that are commonly used the child would recognize and understand: Such as the "door, window, TV, sink, bathtub, toilet, bed, and refrigerator) You can also label toy buckets in their closet so they can begin associating what is inside of them, to the name in print: Such as "Legos, Blocks, Cars, Dolls, or Puzzles")
Preschool
3 years and Up
A child should and can learn:
* How to hold a crayon or pencil with a two-finger pincher-grasp
* How to color inside of the lines
* How to write the letters in their own name
* How to recognize and say the letters in their own name
* How to recognize their name when seen in print
* How to read an easy storybook or repeat reading after parent
* How to cut with scissors
* How to use glue in moderation
* How to trace letters and words written in yellow high lighter on a white sheet of paper
* How to make letter associations and word associations. Such as saying, "Look, there is a "B" like the letter "B" in my name" while they are reading a story with you
* Recognition for the letters in the alphabet (A-Z)
* Letter-sound recognition
* How letters make up words and words make up sentences (concepts of print)
* That writing is connected with reading: Teach child how to write letters/words they may see in a book
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