Pre-writing skills are those that contribute to the foundations for handwriting. This fine motor, pre-writing and handwriting blog addresses these skills in some detail. As we increase our awareness and understanding of these skills we are able to incorporate them into the play opportunities we provide for our children.
The first foundation that the blog covers is that of fine motor skills. Our children cannot begin writing or manipulating a writing utensil unless they have developed the fine motor skills to do so. There is little doubt that our techno kids are lagging in this area. Our activities need to specifically target and develop these pre-writing skills.
While the blog does offer an overview of these skills, we divide them up so we can explore each area in depth. Each muscle group and movement pattern is given attention on the blog posts so that parents, teachers and occupational therapists have the information for pre-writing skills development at their fingertips.
Once our children have mastered the fine motor skill foundations, we need to move to development of the basic lines and strokes that make up the shapes that make up our letters. This blog takes an innovative approach to the development of these pre-writing lines. While many of the activities on the internet require little children to draw over lines and shapes, we use a playful approach with songs and fun.
Children need to be engaged in a playful way that makes sense to them. When we present activities in this manner they will develop and improve the foundational skills we are looking for. In developing pre-writing skills we should not be reproducing a formalised mini-school situation. Little children should be allowed to be just that. But, at the same time we need to find innovative playful ways for them to develop the foundational pre-writing skills they are going to need for school.
We know that motor planning, spatial perception, sensory modulation, figure-ground perception and bilateral integration, amongst many other modalities, underpin the learning process in the classroom. But how do all these modalities fit together if at all? Are they just a …
I love fine motor groups because they offer collective motivation. We know that to develop preschool fine motor skills, our children need repetition and practise. When we are confronted with children whose fine motor skills are way behind the curve, …
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Mark making and scribbling are our children’s first attempts at putting pen (or crayon) to paper as they begin their journey of pre-writing strokes development. From there, they need to transition to controlled replication of the basic lines, strokes and …
There is enough out there on pencil grasp development to know when a pencil grasp looks a bit – or more than a bit – dodgy. But the question that comes up repeatedly is when to change pencil grip for …
When considering the motor aspects of handwriting help for kids, looking at points of stability and movement can give us really good clues as to where to direct our intervention for improving handwriting mechanics. Controlled movement always needs a point …
We have moved on from the rigid view we had of the functional pencil grasp back in the 90s. We now know that pencil grip for handwriting is governed by principles and pencil grasp stages rather than one grasp alone. …
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It is no secret that one of my favourite working positions is the vertical surface. I have always said that if you wanted to take one thing out of my occupational therapy practice, you could have my tables. I just …
Our children’s first works of art are random scribbles on a page. Within a few short years these scribbles have been transformed into the beautifully crafted letters that make up handwriting. Handwriting is a critical scholastic milestone because it is …
More and more, I hear people asking if pencil grasp should be taught, or will our children automatically learn the correct pencil grip on their own? Is it inherently pre-programmed that we can confidently leave for nature to take care …
By the time our children enter Grade 1, they have usually learned to write their names and may be able to write letters and numbers. The more advanced amongst them will even be able to write words and sentences. But …
When looking for tips for improving your handwriting and the mechanics of good handwriting, there is one thing that WILL improve handwriting. Every time! And that is stabilising the page for handwriting. Find out more and get your page stabilisation …
From time to time we hear of children who are ambidextrous. This seems such an amazing thing! Imagine being able to write with both hands! Does it matter if a child hasn’t established a hand preference or hand dominance? Is …