Activities and/or Apps to Help Your Child Learn to Write
There are lots of fun activities and apps available, to help your child learn to write. Here are a few suggestions to get you started.
Story Time
Reading (or listening to) stories is a great way for younger kids to start building their writing skills. Pick out a book read to your kids before bedtime. While you read, ask them questions about the story to help keep them interested. For example, you might ask them who their favorite character is or what the funniest part of the book has been thus far. Once they get used to opening up about their favorite books, ask them how they would rewrite the story themselves. When you get them used to making up their own stories, they’ll always have something to write about once they begin to learn how.
Journaling
Starting a routine of keeping a journal gives your kids a great reason to practice writing each and every day. You’ll need to do most of the writing yourself, to start. But, it’s worth it in the long run. Talk to your kids about the things they did that day and write it down for them. Ask them write something in the journal every day as well, such as putting the date at the top or signing their name at the bottom. After they practice this way for a while, pencil in some of the letters for them to trace.
Eventually, they’ll be able to journal on their own.
Apps and Games
Does your little learner love to play games on a tablet or mobile device? iWriteWords is an app on iTunes which teaches preschoolers about writing with colorful characters and a fun game. Kids can trace letters on the screen with their fingers or use a stylus to get practice with using something similar to a pencil.
Another great writing app available on iTunes is Touch and Write, which features a phonics database that plays the sound of each letter in a word, as well as a custom word option that lets you teach kids how to write things like their own name.
This is just a brief overview of activities and apps to help your child learn to write. It isn’t that difficult to do as long as you’re patient and make learning fun.
