How can we help young children prepare their hands for writing?
Providing children with opportunities for purposeful movement allows them to develop the hand strength and hand-eye coordination needed write. Before they ever pick up a pencil to write, they can prepare their hands for this momentous task through the activities of daily life.
Cutting, mixing, folding, pouring, scrubbing, zipping, washing, and buttoning are all activities that provide opportunities for developing hand strength and hand-eye coordination. And, unlike adults, children take great delight in undertaking these activities!
Allow time for your child to do things on their own, and beware of “over-helping.” Let your child do as much as they want to on their own, and expect they will do what you know they are already capable of. This might require allowing extra time for the child to complete a task that you could do in seconds, like putting on shoes!
Strong hands make writing easier and more enjoyable. Through lots of practice and a variety of movements and activities, children can develop the hand strength needed to hold and write with a pencil.
