Writing goes along with reading. Writing includes drawing, scribbling, and telling stories about pictures.
Drawing and writing help children:
- Understand how letters are formed and see patterns in writing
- Understand that letters and words carry meaning about the world around them
Tips for Adults
- Encourage children to “read” their scribbles to you.
- Encourage children to sign their names on drawings or write the names of objects in their art.
- Have children make letters with whatever is on hand, such as noodles, play dough or in the sand.
- Paint or draw; as children draw or paint, they practice eye-hand coordination and exercise the muscles in their fingers and hands.
- Give your child a pad of paper and pencil and let them take your pretend order for dinner as your server.
Books That Encourage Writing Skills
Books to foster curiosity about writing in young children:
- Picture books inspired by scribbles and scribble art
- Picture books about writing
- CLEL Bell Winners and honor books to celebrate early literacy skills
Recommended Resources
Recommended resources for early learning brain development:
- Zero to Three: Learning to Write and Draw
- Reading Rockets: Early Writing
Early Literacy Tips
Talking, singing, reading, writing and playing nurture a child’s desire to read and prepare them for the adventures of reading.
- Practicing scribbling with crayons and pencils helps develop hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills children need to write.
- Talk about writing when you are making a shopping list and then refer to it when you are at the store to reinforce that letters have meaning. Your child can even help cross things off the list!
- Doing fingerplays in storytime and at home strengthens fingers to prepare them for writing.
Get ready to read with your library!
- Sing and play at Storytimes and Stay and Plays.
- Check out books to read together.
- Draw, write and create at a library program.
- Get your child’s first library card!
- Snuggle up with Storytime Snippets anytime on our YouTube channel.
- Discover Read-alongs.
