Teaching Preschool Alphabet Writing
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Preschool alphabet writing can be a very frustrating and challenging task for little kids. Here are some ideas to help change this experience into something fun and enjoyable.

Set up a Writing Center

Set up a writing center in one corner of your classroom. Stock it with a variety of writing materials. Early exposure to a variety of writing equipment will help children develop their writing skills. Introduce writing materials in an interesting and fun way so that children are not intimidated by writing when you introduce it. Allow children to scribble and draw on a variety of surfaces including notebooks, art books, drawing sheets, blackboards, whiteboards and large posters. All this, helps children learn to control their hand movements and build a positive attitude towards writing.

Dot to Dot Activities

Dot to dot activities are great fun for preschool children. They are also a great way to improve eye hand coordination and writing skills. Use a variety of dot to dot activities with children. You can also create your own on a blackboard or a whiteboard and use it for a group activity.

Paper Pencil Mazes and Other Puzzles

Paper and pencil mazes and puzzles are also a great way to improve eye hand coordination. These also help improve problem solving skills. If children struggle with using a pencil, allow them to use markers to start with.

Coloring Activities

Coloring activities are another great way to improve writing skills. Start with simple large pictures, and slowly teach children to color inside the lines. As a child’s skills improve, you can introduce more complex pictures. Another idea is to use coloring activities in relation to your theme.

Drawing

Drawing is a skill that will improve writing skills. Kids love to draw and love learning to draw. They may need some support and help initially to learn easy ways to draw simple pictures. When children draw, make sure you encourage their work no matter how it is. Accept their work, and do not tell them that it does not look like the object that they claim it is. Put up their work in the classroom and publicly appreciate their work.

Pre Writing Activities

Pre writing activities are essential to learn writing alphabets. Some important writing skills children should learn before the alphabet are: I, \, /, O, U, V, zig zag lines, triangles etc. Teach children to make these on a writing book before you introduce alphabets.

Early Writing Support

Preschool children require support and help to learn to write alphabets. Writing alphabets may be a very difficult and complicated task for them, and they need a lot of encouragement and support initially. Bold writing lines make it easier for children to write. Color coded lines are also a good way to teach children (make a line from the red line to the blue line etc.) Thick writing pencils may be easier for the children to handle. Most of all, encourage children to write the alphabet free style on a variety of surfaces, like blackboards, whiteboards and posters. An encouraging supportive teacher can make preschool alphabet writing fun and enjoyable for the child.