Writing is an essential skill for children to learn in school. It helps them communicate and express themselves better. It helps them develop imagination and creative skills. To become a better writer, the basic pre-writing skills must incorporated from the beginning. You can help your child develop these skills by helping them develop fine motor skills.

• Start with holding a spoon while eating, by this the child will be able to make a grip with his/her hand. It might also develop their dominant hand.
• Then slowly move towards making them hold a pencil. Let them scribble. Scribbling will help them engage in the beginning of writing.

• Once the child develops how to hold a pencil properly. You can move towards tracing activities. Create worksheets where the child traces the shapes or lines. Beginning with lines is essential as once they develop how to trace basic standing line, sleeping line and slant lines, it would be easier to teach alphabets and numerals in further grades.

• You can also use rainbow rice, flour or semolina in a tray or flat area, where your child can easily draw the alphabets you taught them.

Srishti Dodeja
(Early childhood educator)

M.A education (early childhood care and education)