Children use their body to communicate actions from Day One. A precursor to writing is how children use their hands.

When given a large paper and a large crayon, toddlers scribble with the action coming from the shoulder. The end result will be wide circles and lines spread over the whole paper. The fine muscles of the fingers are not strong enough to help children control the crayon. Soon later, children hold the crayon in their fist and the writing is coming from the wrist. With maturity and practice, children hold the crayon with their fingers bringing the position of the crayon similar to the adult grip.

To help children with the writing process, parents and teachers can:

Provide papers and non-toxic large crayons for children to practise as they might bite into them. Do not shame children when they attempt writing on the wall or books. Instead, provide materials and let children know that there is material and space for them to experiment.

Show interest in what the child is doing and provide short and positive feedback. Do not push children to explain themselves if they don’t wish to.

Keep a sample of children’s work with dates in order to track the progress of the child.

Share with children stories with illustrations and give them enough time to explore both letters and illustrations.

Watch for the moment when children start conveying meaning to the drawing. This is the beginning of meaningful writing. For example, although the adult cannot see a rabbit among the lines, accept the child’s interpretation of the drawing as a rabbit running around.

One last benchmark is when the child realises that the letters hold a meaning. It is then when they start paying attention to the letters around them and the journey of alphabet learning begins.

The process of writing development needs to be smooth as children progress at their own pace. Forcing the child to write prematurely or shaming the child will have negative consequences both academically and emotionally. They could hate school before they even start.

HOME