TRACING? 10 Creative Ways to Teach...

Tracing is a beginning skill that kids need to and can learn around age 2 to help with early writing and fine-motor development.  Below are some helpful activity ideas to help you teach tracing skills to your toddler and preschooler.  The KEY when teaching tracing - to make it easy on their eyes and make it engaging so they WANT to do it!  All 10 of these activities below will help you do just that .... AND the best part, they are all AFFORDABLE and EASY to prepare!

1. USE A HIGHLIGHTER TO TEACH TRACING - Using a highlighter shows children "one continuous line" - therefore, makes it easier for them to follow along and less stimulating as those "dotted tracing letters workbooks".  When you ask them to "trace" - Say a simple phrase they would understand, such as, "can you follow along the yellow lines with your marker?"  Always show and model for them what it is you want them to do, before expecting a child to do it on their own (for the first time).

2. USE CLEAR TAPE TO TEACH TRACING - Have your child use their finger or a marker to follow along the clear tape on a colored sheet of paper (for easy viewing).

3. USE PLASTIC COOKIE CUTTERS TO TEACH TRACING - Have your child use their finger to follow the outline of the cookie cutter.  Then, have them put the cookie cutter down on white paper, and use a marker to trace its outline.

4. USE GLUE TO TEACH TRACING  - Help your child use liquid glue to trace the outlines of letters, lines, or shapes on a sheet of paper.

5. USE PAINT TO TEACH TRACING LINES - Have your child use a paint brush and paint to trace lines, or letters, you have drawn out on a sheet of white paper using a highlighter, as shown below.

6. USE PAPERCLIPS TO TEACH TRACING - Have your child use a pen and paperclips to trace their outlines.

7. USE YOUR CHILD'S HAND TO TEACH TRACING - Have your child trace the outline of their hands, feet, or your hands on a sheet of white paper or the sidewalk with chalk.

8. USE CHALK TO TEACH TRACING - Write your child's name with a piece of white sidewalk chalk outside, have them use colored chalk to trace over it!  You can also substitute by having them use a paintbrush with water to trace over the letters written in chalk, as a form of "erasing it!"  FUN!

9. USE HOMEMADE PATTERN SHEETS TO TEACH TRACING - Create some fun, different pattern sheets (have them laminated at the local Office Depot) and give your child a dry erase marker.  Have them "trace" or follow the patterns on the sheets, like shown in the picture below!

10. USE POPSICLE STICKS TO TRACE PLAY DOUGH LETTERS - Create letters in play dough, then have your child use Popsicle sticks to stick in the play dough following the letters outlines.  View in picture below!

Writing from Babies to Preschool

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