8 Exciting Preschool Writing Games that are Technology Free

I love writing, and I also love technology. I admit that sometimes it is easy to mix the two and find educational writing games for my son online, but I also see the incredible need for my child to get away from screens and interact with the natural world. That is why I also make sure to encourage exciting preschool writing games that are technology free.

It ‘s when my little munchkin steals my phone and starts navigating it better than I do, when I take a breath, hide the phone, and whip out some fun writing games that have nothing to do with a screen.

Here are 8 exciting preschool writing games that are technology free:

1. Jenga Spelling

Remember Jenga? That crazy, fun game with wooden blocks that you try to keep balanced? My son loves towers, and what better way to engage a preschooler’s writing needs than with a combination of towers and spelling?

All you need to do is label your dusty old Jenga set (let’s face it, you haven’t busted it out for years), and write letters on both ends of each block.

Then you pick the blocks while attempting to not make the tower fall. The only change is that you get extra points for spelling words out of the blocks that you pick.

Like most preschoolers, I’m a klutz, so this game also benefits my fine motor skills.

2. Word Pictionary

Who needs bright LED screens, when you can revert back to a nice old-fashioned game of Pictionary? Even in our technology-induced world, kids still love to draw.

I can give my kid a blue crayon and newspaper, and he will be entertained for hours, so Pictionary with writing would work wonders.

You and your little angel can sit down and write a list of sight words together. Then cut them out, pick them from a hat, and draw.

This game is so easy my cat could almost do it.

3. Sight Word Bowling

I used to be in a candlepin bowling league, so this next game might cause me to get a little competitive.  All you need are some fake bowling pins, a ball, words, and tape.

You and your child can label the pins together by writing down your favorite words. You can even pick a theme: Long e, short a, etc. You then tape a word to each pin.

Now let the competition begin! As you and your little nugget knock down pins, record each word on a pad of paper.

Who needs a phone or computer when you can knock down pins to learn? Strike! 

4. Word Relay Race

I don’t know about you, but I am often on a mission to tire my son out so he will be ready for a short nap. relay races are a great tactic for this.

Why not throw in some writing too?

All you need is a dry erase board and markers or some paper and a pencil.

Again, you and your kiddo need to write down a bunch of words, then a couple playmates turn with their backs towards you as you call out a word. The kids then turn around and run to the board; whoever circles the correct word first, wins.

Naptime will soon follow.

5. Play The Storytelling Game with Mad Libs

I am a teacher, and it always amuses me how my students love the simplest things. My students love playing The Storytelling Game.

Basically, it consists of a bunch of cards with random pictures in multiple categories with labels underneath. These cards are perfect to use with Mad Libs.

First, players organize the story cards into parts of speech categories: nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc.

Then players take turns reading the Mad Lib and when they come to an empty category, they pick a card from the right part of speech pile and write whatever that card says into the Mad Lib.

If your pockets are feeling a bit empty these days, due to cleaning supplies, apple juice, and Children’s Tylenol, you and your little writing rockstar can actually print out the story cards here.

 6. Forming Words With Cars

As I mentioned in my last post, my son is downright obsessed with toy cars. If we lose that damn blue one, for even a night, there will be tears. I am always finding ways to integrate this obsession with learning.

Forming words with cards is easy and only requires a piece of cardboard, markers, a piece of paper, and toy cars. If I were able, I would give you 20 of my Hotwheels.

First, you need a square piece of cardboard. On this board, you draw a road and a parking lot and divide them into squares.

Then you fill each square in with random letters.

Next, you each take turns wheeling a car to a letter. Each player writes down the letter they put their car on.

The point is to form words and/or sentences.

Now if only I could find that blue car. It’s lost again!

7. Block Tower Competition

Yes, there are some major themes that relate to my son. Towers are one of them. He adores them. He would stack soup cans all day if given the chance. We even love toilet paper towers, but many parents probably prefer blocks. Yes, we use these too.

The block tower competition definitely fits into the category of exciting preschool writing games that are technology free.

It is quite simple:

Find some blocks. Write some words or parts of sentences on a piece of paper.

Then cut them out and tape them to each block.

Next, start building! Well, it is more like calculated building. You try to form words or sentences from the bottom of the tower to the top.

When there are no blocks left, you write down your words or sentences. The player with the most, wins!

After each round, your child can even act like Godzilla.

8. Sight Word Tic-Tac-Toe

Let’s get back to basics. Remember when you were a kid and played tic-tac-toe with nothing but a pencil and paper? I don’t see kids playing simple games like this anymore. Or maybe they do, but it is on a computer.

There seems to be an online game for everything these days (except monitoring my sanity).

Sight word tic-tac-toe is very straightforward and no device is required.

You can even use this premade sheet.

Simply say the words out loud as you mark your X’s and O’s. For extra writing, make your own sheets and write your own words!