When it comes to kindergarten writing lessons, you might rightly say that there’s only one right way to write, right? WRONG! Writing takes many forms in kindergarten, from scribbling, to oddly shaped letters, to whole words. Maybe even complete sentences (unlike this one). What’s most important at that age is getting kids to understand that they can express ideas without actually talking. Now, that’s what I’m talkin’ about! And by writing, I don’t mean penmanship. Neatness and the ... Read More >>>
Pre-Writing Skills for Preschoolers to Encourage Your Little Author
I swear, if I want to teach my kid something I absolutely must make it into a game or sneak it in their day disguised as some other exciting activity. Trying to develop pre-writing skills for preschoolers is no different, and I have a few activities that I’ve used in the past that made me feel good about encouraging my kid to be a better writer, but didn’t bore him to tears in the process. Try some of these out and you just might have the next Shakespeare on your hands! 1. Get messy with ... Read More >>>
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 ... Read More >>>
8 Kindergarten Writing Games to Inspire Future Shakespeares
One of my sons detests writing. He can read and listen to lessons all day, but when it comes time to write, he enters battle mode. After all, he doesn’t need to learn how to write to play video games, send a message to his Mamo, or demand to know what’s for supper (maybe I should make written requests a thing, ha!). But we can show them that learning to write is about more than putting pencil to paper. It is about forming ideas and using words effectively for a variety of purposes. Kids ... Read More >>>
Irresistible Kindergarten Pre-Writing Activities for the Reluctant Writer
Why do some kids run away from a piece of paper and a pencil as if it will come to life and chase them? Later, you find this same kid creatively drawing tiny circles all over their favorite stuffed cat. “Look Mom. He’s a leopard now,” beams my little Picasso. You have to be proud of that; at least he’s creative. If your kid would rather eat spinach than draw a straight line, you may have yourself a reluctant writer. Reluctant writers just need a little enticement; something that they ... Read More >>>
10 Super Duper Easy Writing Activities for Preschoolers
Preschoolers are the most curious creatures I have ever met. They constantly push their boundaries (and my buttons in the process). Now, I know I’m not the only one who has had to take a few minutes to compose myself before screaming my head off at some masterpiece on the newly plastered wall. Yes - that bittersweet moment when you see that proud look of achievement on your child’s face and that big purple, pink and sparkly work of art which you know will take hours of useless scrubbing. ... Read More >>>
7 Irresistible Preschool Writing Activities to Inspire Early Writers
I like to give my kiddos the best head start in school. This usually involves me yelling information at them at any hint of an opportunity. That woman loudly chanting aisle names and numbers at the grocery store? That’s me. I’m teaching my kids about reading with a purpose. Or I’m acting crazy. But when it comes to preschool writing skills — well, let's just say I overlook it in my get-it-all-done-now flurry. When we finally make it home, the thought of monitoring sharp writing ... Read More >>>
5 Kindergarten Writing Activities to Excite Your Child to Write Today!
When the newly sharpened pencils make their debut, you swear you see your young writer avert his gaze and try to find the quickest exit. It’s not that writing itself has him down, it’s that at this stage, paper quickly follows pencil, which tends to signal stranded sit-down time. Use the following kindergarten kids' writing activities to turn an oft-dreaded task on its head. With these tips on how to help your child write, your little one will be clamoring to write. 1. Shaving cream ... Read More >>>
10 Ways to Encourage a Reluctant Writer
All of your friends’ kids are putting crayon to paper and writing their names. How do you know? Well, there’s pretty much a museum of A,B,C’s hanging out on everyone’s fridge. And, yours? Oh, it’s totally and completely bare (unless you want to count your grocery list or the calendar magnets that your insurance agent gave you in 2004). Or, maybe your child will actually form the letters — but, she can’t stand stringing them together into words, sentences or stories. OK, so you’ve got a ... Read More >>>
Top 10 Tired Mama Tips to Boost Your Child’s Writing Skills
We know that most of your days are filled with sparkling children and made-from-scratch meals (right?). But then there are those other days when the only reason you crawled out of bed is because chubby preschool fingers pried your eyelids open to announce the sun was almost awake. On good days you have time to grab the manipulatives and set out a buffet of writing activities, but today is not that day. The good news is that we have a whole secret closet full of helpful writing tips for ... Read More >>>
