Sometimes we take, being able to write, for granted and forgetting what we had to develop to put us in a position to write.

We had to develop fine motor skills to put our muscles in such a position that we can hold a pencil. Then we had to train these muscles to move in a certain way. Today's post is about different activities we as teacher can do to firstly develop fine motor skills and then to do pre-writing skills.

How do we develop our fine motor skills.

1. We play with clay, we roll little balls, we role snakes etc.
   
2. Pick up small items like beads
   
3. Do stringing.
   
4. Shread paper into smaller pieces.
   
5. Pick up sticks.
   
6. Play with clothes pegs.
   
7. Paste dots
   

This list can go on and on and on, but the main thing is that children should use the finger- and hand muscles as much as possible to develop these muscles.

But now, after these muscles has been developed, what activities can then be done to train these muscles to do certain movements.

We focus here on Pre-writing skills.

1. Firstly make sure that children can draw this shapes according to their age. It is possible that some children can draw these shapes when they are much younger. Remember that this is just a guideline and not the norm.
   
2. Tracing practice: Here cards/sheets are given and children then trace the patterns.
   
3. A lot of tracing practices can be given. The medium can differ, sometimes use dots, pens, fibre pens, clothespeg with wool and paint, earbuds. It is all about teaching the hand muscles that they must move in a certain way.

Here is an interesting image I found, showing how much and what types of activities contributes to pre-writing skills, that begins in preschool

After the pre-writing skills are in place, then, and only then can the teaching of letter formation take place.

Remember to make learning fun. While having fun learning can still take place.