6 Pre-Writing Activities for Kids

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Over the last 6 weeks, I have been sharing easy pre-writing activities for kids. These activities are designed for preschool age and today I wanted to share a list of all the activities for you so you can find them in one easy place. Children learn pre-writing lines in a developmental, age-appropriate sequence as well. I wanted to also share this with you so you can see which age your child should know each pre-writing line or stroke by.

 

6 pre-writing activities for preschoolers to promote good handwriting skills for kindergarten.

Also please remember these are suggested ages, every child develops at their own pace and so the ages may not be exact to your child's development. If you do think your child is behind please consult with your physician or a pediatric Occupational Therapist.

Developmental Sequence of Pre-writing Lines for Preschoolers

  • Vertical – (Age 2 imitates, age 3 copies/masters)
  • Horizontal  – (Age 2 imitates, age 3 copies/masters)
  • Circle – (Age 2, age 3 copies/masters)
  • Cross shape (+) – (Age 3 imitates, age 4 copies)
  • Right/Left Diagonal Line – (Age 4)
  • Square – (Age 4)
  • X shape – (Age 4)
  • Triangle (Age 5)

If you have any questions about age appropriate fine motor skills, you can check out my Age Appropriate Fine Motor Skills for Ages 0-6 Free Printable.

6 Pre-Writing Activities for Toddlers & Preschoolers

You can click each picture to take you to the post with that activity, or click the link directly below each picture.

Pre-writing Lines Sensory Bin - Prewriting Activities for Children Series | Golden Reflections Blog

Straight Lines Sensory Bin – For horizontal & vertical pre-writing lines

Pre-writing Activities for Kids - Pom Pom Task Tray

Pom Pom Task Tray – For circle shapes

Crossing Midline Parade – For cross (+) shapes

a fun DIY puzzle activity - My House is Made of Shapes Printable Packet : Pre-writing Activities for Kids Series | www.GoldenReflectionsBlog.com

My House is Made of Shapes Puzzle Printable – Squares and Rectangle Shape

A fun and easy DIY tac toe toe board for littles. Pre Writing Activities for Kids Series | www.GoldenReflectionsBlog.com

DIY Tic Tac Toe Board – Diagonal and “X” Shape

Diamond & Triangle Sensory Tracing Activity

Sensory Tracing – Diamond & Triangle Shape

All of these activities are part of my new ebook: Basic Shapes for Beginners – A Hands-on Approach to Pre-writing Activities for Preschoolers. There are 30+ activities included, designed into a 6-week “program” for your preschooler ages 2-5. Basic Shapes for Beginners

You can also find more pre-writing and handwriting activity ideas on my Pinterest board below.

 

Heather Greutman, COTA

Heather Greutman is a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant with experience in school-based OT services for preschool through high school. She uses her background to share child development tips, tools, and strategies for parents, educators, and therapists. She is the author of many ebooks including The Basics of Fine Motor Skills, and Basics of Pre-Writing Skills, and co-author of Sensory Processing Explained: A Handbook for Parents and Educators.

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8 Comments

  1. Great post. Always good to remember that making diagonal lines is something that is not expected before age 4. We have a precocious 4 year old who can write all of her letters, but of course struggles with “X”, “Y”, etc. Thanks for sharing. Great ideas for writing skills!

  2. Heather – these are some great suggestions for pre-writing activities! Thanks, again, for sharing via our FB wall today! Great fun!

  3. These are such great ideas, Heather. I really like how you listed the developmental sequence for pre-writing lines too. That is really very helpful!

  4. Great tips Heather – I’ll be trying these with my 4 year old. 🙂

  5. Hello!
    Great Post! loved it. My 4 yr son, David, he was an early reader (we speak Spanish), he reads since he was 3, now he reads even better, but his handwriting is not up to his reading development; not sure if is the “table effect”, or if is just normal for his age.

  6. Hi Ana,

    At age 4, most children are able to copy or duplicate most pre-writing lines and SOME may start copying their name. Developmentally, kids do not begin writing the alphabet until at least age 5. As always there are some early writers or later writers. Hope that helps you some.

CONTENT DISCLAIMER: Heather Greutman is a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant.
All information on the Website is for informational purposes only and is not a replacement for medical advice from a physician or your pediatrician. Please consult with a medical professional if you suspect any medical or developmental issues with your child. The information on the Websites does not replace the relationship between therapist and client in a one-on-one treatment session with an individualized treatment plan based on their professional evaluation. The information provided on the Website is provided “as is” without any representations or warranties, express or implied.

Do not rely on the information on the Website as an alternative to advice from your medical professional or healthcare provider. You should never delay seeking medical advice, disregard medical advice, or discontinue medical treatment as a result of any information provided on the Website. All medical information on the Website is for informational purposes only.

All activities outlined on the Website are designed for completion with adult supervision. Please use your own judgment with your child and do not provide objects that could pose a choking hazard to young children. Never leave a child unattended during these activities. Please be aware of and follow all age recommendations on all products used in these activities. Growing Hands-On Kids is not liable for any injury when replicating any of the activities found on this blog.

YOUR RESPONSIBILITY The Website was developed strictly for informational purposes. You understand and agree that you are fully responsible for your use of the information provided on the Website. Growing Hands-On Kids makes no representations, warranties, or guarantees. You understand that results may vary from person to person. Growing Hands-On Kids assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions that may appear on the Website.