How to Help Your Child Learn to Write
Today we can take advantage of technology and different devices to help our children learn to write.
We can use our phones, tablets or computers, not only to download games and educational apps, but for other techniques as well.
As writing is an essential life skill, children should learn to write correctly so they don’t have problems in the future at school or in any other environment.
Parents are role models, teachers and guides to different learning processes for children, and therefore we must try to be creative and smart.
As parents we have to be good teachers and give our children simple tasks so they can enjoy each learning process to the fullest.
Aspects to consider
When the time comes for our children to learn to write, we must provide them with an enabling environment with the fewest distractions possible.
After all, young children haven’t fully learned how to focus their attention on a single issue for a long time.
It’s essential for us to teach them to maintain good posture, to properly hold a pencil, crayon or pen, and to guide the movements of their hand so they can discover what they can do with a pen and paper.
The time invested in learning to write is priceless. Without realizing it, we’re offering our children:
- A tool to develop and enhance their cognitive abilities
- A means of creative expression
- A way to communicate
- Entertainment
Why is it important to learn to write?
Through writing, a child can develop skills such as attention, concentration and memory.
They can also access information and knowledge to enhance their intellectual abilities.
It should be noted that we shouldn’t delegate this teaching to a nanny or school teacher.
As parents, we must be part of the process of learning to write. In addition, if the basics are taught at home, children will perform better at school.
From the age of 3, children are already able to make strokes with pencils and crayons.
In this way, they acquire skills with their hands and develop their fine motor skills.
How to help your child learn to write
1. Create a calm and comfortable environment
In order for a child to learn to write, it’s essential for parents to provide a quiet environment that invites concentration.
A good idea is to play soft music at a low volume so that it relaxes the child and encourages them to make both short and long strokes.
2. Provide the appropriate tools
Parents should give their child pencils and paper or a notebook, and teach him to hold the utensil correctly between his fingers.
Then they can guide him to start making horizontal, vertical or circular strokes. For this, you could draw dots in the notebook for the child to connect.
3. Create other activities that use the hands
You can also support your child’s writing ability with other activities, such as drawing, cutting, pasting, coloring or connecting dots.
Try using letter games and puzzles, as these help develop psychomotor skills.
4. Avoid pressuring your child
If you notice that your child doesn’t learn to write as quickly as you expected, you shouldn’t pressure or discipline him.
Each child learns at a different speed or pace. On the contrary, the idea is to stimulate the habit of writing and congratulate your child’s efforts so he doesn’t get discouraged.
5. Design an alphabet
For your child to become familiar with the letters, make an alphabet and place it in a visible place.
Repeat the sounds of each letter until your child remembers them without help.
6. Get used to reading to your child
A book of children’s stories or a magazine that appeals to your child can help you.
Show him the letters and encourage him to write them on his own sheet of paper. This way he’ll learn to see how written language works.
7. Encourage writing
One of the things that children love seeing written down is their name. You can use this to cheer him up and to encourage him to write, little by little, the name of his mom and dad, his siblings or his pets.
Games with vowels and numbers are also a good way to encourage your child to write.
The benefits of learning to write at an early age
- Nourishes self-esteem
- Encourages creativity
- Teaches children to communicate more clearly
- Stimulates memory and ability to concentrate
- Assimilates knowledge that would otherwise be forgotten quickly
- Contributes to the coordination of muscular movements and promotes skill
- Activates neurons in the brain and allows neuron connections to form
- Correct writing allows them to clarify thoughts and make decisions as they grow
The process of learning to write not only requires spelling rules, but a constant and sustained effort on the part of the parents.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
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