Who says two year olds can’t write? Sure, most two year olds are not writing what we would recognize as letters, but their toddler doodling is developing the fine motor skills and symbolic thinking necessary to turn those scribbles into letters, words and eventually whole stories all their own! Writing also helps develop letter knowledge and print awareness - the understanding that the printed word carries special meaning and enables one to be understood. Here are some fun and easy ways to bring more writing into your child’s life.
- Have crayons and scrap paper available to write with during play time.
- Bring sidewalk chalk outside to write on the driveway or sidewalks around your home.
- Use a stick to write letters and shapes in the sand or dirt while at the beach or on a hike.
- Use shaving cream or pudding as finger paints and write letters and words into them.
- Add some magnetic alphabet letters to the front of the fridge to play with while you are cooking.
- When you finish a craft project take time to ask your child what they made and write their description on the piece along with their name.
- Have your child write their own name when sending out cards or letters to friends and family. Even if it’s illegible, they will feel proud to have done it.
- Bring crayons and notepads with you when making trips to places where the kids might have to sit and wait for a while.
- Give blank notepads as stocking stuffers or in birthday goodie bags to encourage your children’s scribbling.
- Use blank paper folded in half and stapled to make little books for your child to write their own story in.
