5 Ways to Teach Letters into the Preschool Writing Center
Learning the alphabet is such a step that is big preschoolers, as it is learning how to write letters. It does not come easily or naturally to all children, which explains why I’m sharing five fun how to teach letters at your preschool writing center.
I need to be honest buy essays online here. I believe that writing worksheets have a spot in preschool, but typically not in the center that is writing. I’ll leave out a set of letter formation worksheets, however they are used infrequently, that is ok. There are so many alternative methods to teach writing to preschoolers without traditional tracing!
The thing is that, a preschool writing center isn’t simply for learning letter formation. It’s also about using writing to communicate.
The goal of a center that is writing to:
- Communicate ideas in some recoverable format via drawings and letters
- Associate print with meaning
- Develop motor that is fine utilizing the various materials
- Practice left to progression that is right reading and writing
- Develop eye-hand coordination
- Figure out how to form letters
The thing is that a lot of the learning that takes place at a writing center is about emergent reading because reading and writing are incredibly interlaced.
5 Ways to Teach Letters in the Writing Center
Since reading and writing are so intertwined, it’s only natural to include a little bit of both in your writing center and your literacy center.
Include lots of letter options that are tracing
Many preschoolers are not interested in letters that are tracing. (Unless they already have a mature pencil grasp, but until then i enjoy use my fine motor journals to encourage the pincer grasp). But, preschoolers can be enticed with some fun tools that are tracing!
These are three of our favorites that are less-traditional
Include a lot of alphabet toys that encourage fine motor skills
During the center that is writing not everything has to be about holding a writing utensil. In reality, your preschooler will resist tracing until they have fairly developed fine motor skills. (They’re going to still be interested in scribbling and drawing, during this period, just not so much interest in tracing).
To combat an immature pencil grasp, make sure to include a lot of letter activities that will develop fine motor skills.
Here are a few of your go-to activities:
Include plenty of name writing options
Preschoolers are obsessed with their names that are own plus they enjoy writing their names more than simply letters. So, make sure to offer a good amount of ways in order for them to spell and write their names.
Listed below are my favorite ideas:
Include materials for story writing
Preschoolers love telling stories, but sometimes it’s difficult for them to publish stories. Setting up your preschool writing center so that they usually have plenty of inspiration is useful. Add thematic pictures to the center that is writing in addition to word cards, and lot of fun and new writing materials. (These Early Learning Language Learning Cards are a life saver!)
Sometimes I’ll offer only thematic colors of markers and crayons when you look at the center that is writing blue, purple, and gray for winter. I love to offer stickers and small items of paper for gluing and tearing. And my preschoolers get real books to write their stories in. Target usually has packs of eight booklets for $3 around back-to-school time, but if you’re not near a Target store you can try these Blank Booklets for Writing and Sketching .
Include a lot of letter formation activities
Not activities that are just tracing. But activities where children get to rehearse letter forms. Where they get to shape the letters (while focusing on motor that is fine, of course), and mold them.
Learning letters comes naturally as children work to form letters. That’s why we include sand trays and hole punching. Preschoolers can practice writing letters in the atmosphere, or have your child try writing with her feet. Use play dough to create letters. It’s exactly about forming letters.
Need Some Printables for Your Preschool Writing Center?
Add these to your preschool writing center. They’re not your traditional tracing sheets, but instead all the letter formation fun without the worksheet.
I will be Sarah, stay-at-home mama was turned by an educator of five! I am the dog owner and creator of be home more Educator, a site about intentional teaching and learning that is purposeful the first childhood years. I’ve taught range of levels, including preschool and college, and a little bit of almost everything in the middle. Right now, my focus is teaching my children and running a preschool from my home. Credentials include: Bachelors in Art, Masters in Curriculum and Instruction
