Scribble and Giggle: Develop Pre-Writing Skills

Often you hear about the five early literacy skills: sing, play, read, write and talk. We often incorporate the skills into our daily routines. It can be easy to think that your little one does not engage in writing until school. However, all of us have to learn how to write and pre-writing begins as early as 13 months!

Writing is a vital skill that all children will use as they grow. As your child grows, they will go through different stages of pre-writing. Pre-writing is the precursor to writing and will not look exactly like writing at the beginning. 

1. Your child will begin to develop the coordination that they will need to hold a writing utensil.
2. They will begin to scribble all over paper. These scribbles may look completely random, and they are! These scribbles help your little one as they begin to learn coordination of how their hands interact with the paper.
3. Your little one may begin to draw shapes that may or may not look exactly like the shape you have in your mind. They will also begin to create their own interpretation of the alphabet. 

Check out below for some ideas on activities you can do at home to help your little one develop their writing skills. 

• Model writing for your child.
  • Write out a to do list for the day or a grocery list when you go to the store. This shows that writing is meaningful and important. 
• If your little one draws or writes on paper, encourage them to write their name on their work.
  • Their name might not look how you would expect it and that's okay! Try not to "correct" their writing. 
• Encourage your little one to engage in activities that help them develop strength in their hands, such as:
  • Playing with play-doh
  • Peeling stickers off of a sheet and placing them on a piece of paper
  • Coloring

This fall a new program called Scribble and Giggle will provide an opportunity for you to engage in activities that help your little on develop their pre-writing skills. The program will be at the following locations:

Check out the events for children ages 0-5 for more information.