Provide preschoolers with a variety of writing tools to help them gain useful skills early on.
Promote early literacy in your classroom by offering a range of preschool writing tools. Stock your writing center with various utensils and paper supplies. Provide writing prompts that will invite children to write letters, words or stories. Encourage children to write in other areas of the classroom using magnetic letters, dry erase boards or chalkboards.
Writing Utensils
Expand your writing center to include more than the traditional writing utensils.
Preschool writing utensils need not be limited to a basic assortment of markers, crayons, pencils and pens. The Tennessee State Improvement Grant website recommends supplying children with chalk, paint, dry erase markers and stamps. Many writing utensils exist in different sizes and shapes. For example, crayons are available in wide, circular, creamy, twistable and erasable varieties. Markers may be fine point or thick point or may have tips made for stamping designs. Since the goal is to encourage children to write, offering a range of writing utensils increases the likelihood that a preschooler will be attracted to writing.
Writing Paper
Include a range of writing paper suitable for different forms of writing.
Supply the writing center with an assortment of paper in a variety of colors and sizes. The Interactive Technology Literacy Curriculum website suggests including lined and unlined paper, notebooks and notepads. Encourage children to write letters by offering envelopes, cards, stationery and postcards. Easels, chalk boards and dry erase boards can provide additional places for writing practice.
Writing Prompts
Use ordinary objects to inspire writing.
Display examples of different types of writing to inspire children to experiment with different writing styles. Help preschoolers make connections between writing and daily activities by sharing calendars, recipe cards, phone books, magazines, postcards and books made in class. Create an idea box filled with word or picture cards designed to prompt a story idea. Suggest writing topics based on objects that can be left in the writing center for observation, such as a pet hermit crab, a pair of ballet shoes, or a reflective prism.
Other Writing Tools
Encourage writing during activities that can be done without a pencil and paper.
Children may enjoy creating words on magnetic boards or flannel boards. Magic slates and magnetic drawing toys provide other writing opportunities. Allow preschoolers to experiment with writing using shaving cream or finger paint. Show children form letters from play dough, noodles or yarn.
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