Pre-Writing activities are an important part of preschool.
They strengthen little hands and help teach how to form lines and curves.
This article may contain affiliate links to products that may help you when homeschooling preschool.
What are Pre-Writing Activities?
Pre-writing activities help little learners strengthen the muscles in their hands.
But that’s not all.
Essential movements (curves, lines, etc) that are needed to form letters and numbers are also worked on.
This article may contain affiliate links to products that may help you when homeschooling preschool.
Why Pre-Writing Activities are Important for Preschoolers
When holding a pencil, many things need to happen in those tiny hands to get the pencil to stay and write.
These pre-writing activities get littles ready to make the different shapes and motions used in writing (like curves, lines, etc).
You can’t just jump into teaching handwriting without building up those hand muscles first!
Pre-writing activities help to strengthen the muscles in your little one’s hands in fun and engaging ways.
Littles won’t even realize they are getting stronger hand muscles and working their brains (and creativity) in new ways.
You really can’t move on to writing activities for kids until your preschooler is able to physically hold and maneuver a pencil.
Pre-Writing Activities to Try
Play Dough
There are many different ways to use play dough in early education.
From rolling balls (and smashing them, of course!) to making play dough shapes, letters, or numbers to free play, the possibilities (and fun) are endless!
Zig Zag Path
Draw a few large zig-zags on a sheet of paper.
Have your little one place items next to each other on the zig-zag path to trace the zig-zag.
Pom poms, buttons, cereal, chocolate chips, anything small will work!
Take it up a notch and create a zig-zag path on the floor with painter’s tape.
Drive cars on the zig-zag path instead of placing little items.
Animal Tracks
Gather plastic animals (or cars) and washable paint and paper.
Have your preschooler dip the animal or car in paint and move it across the paper.
This is a great pre-writing activity to do outside!
This activity can also be done using shaving or whipped cream with the animals/cars.
Stickers
What kid doesn’t love stickers?!
Bring them into your preschool homeschool pre-writing activities.
Let your little one stick the stickers on a sheet of paper freely, have her trace letters by putting stickers on the letters or anything else your little one can dream up.
Peeling the sticker off the sheet and placing it down requires hand strength — and concentration!
Clothes Pin Painting
Clip a cotton ball in a clothespin.
Bring out the paint and let your little one use a clothespin to paint instead of a paintbrush.
Are you looking for more instructions?
Check out this post that uses marshmallows instead of cotton balls.
Pipettes
Squeezing a pipette is fun for everyone.
It’s a great way to have preschoolers squeeze repeatedly to strengthen hand muscles in a new way.
Colored water is always a hit, but if you want to make these pre-writing activities a hit, try using baking soda and vinegar.
Sprinkle baking soda around the tray and give your preschooler a pipette and a cup of vinegar.
Goggles would be a good choice for this if you have them.
Writing Tray
Writing trays can be filled will all sorts of different things.
Salt, sand, sprinkles, and shaving cream all work.
Little ones should look at index cards with shapes, letters, lines, curves, etc., and try to draw these items in the writing tray.
Once the item is drawn, smooth over the salt (etc.) and draw something new.
Activities to do Before Little Can Write
Fun and easy pre-writing activities can help preschoolers when it comes to learning to write .
Exposure to letters, numbers, and shapes will help kids become familiar with the curves, lines, and shapes so they are ready to write when the time comes.