Early Letter Making

For me the “early letter making” is what I’m using to refer to the time when my kids sort of on their own randomly just start making letters.

I just make the paper and pencils available and they’re scribbling and maybe doing some drawing, and then either they decide to just try on their own to make a letter or we show them how to write their name.

Writing their name

Usually the first thing I show my kids is how to write their name. This is in a very happy, encouraging kind of way, when they are interested. Usually for my kids they have been young toddlers when this happens.

Once they get the hang of that, they usually want to write the names of family. We like to teach them the names of their siblings and how to write mom and dad at that point.

Make it Fun

I also like to just create things for them to trace as the want me to. This can be shapes, letters, numbers, whatever they want.

This encourages them to write because they are creating what they want it to say or be. For example, my youngest child loves bears. So many times, I would create the shape of a bear with dashed lines and have him trace that to make a bear. It was far from perfect, and that was okay. He still loved them!

Create dashed lines for tracing

Once they get better at that, I just keep it going. Usually created lines myself just in a lined notebook by just dashing out (like writing with dashed lines) things for them to trace. This has worked really well for help off my young kids to be able to get plenty of practice with the fine motor skills needed for writing, in a way that they find fun.

You can also come up with the ideas for them of course, as long as they are into it. My children loved tracing ABCs, numbers, and shapes that I drew. I also drew random things for them to trace, like the bear I mentioned, as well as things like a flower or house. You can relate what you draw to what’s going on. Like drawing a pumpkin in the fall, etc. Have fun!

Listen to their ideas

Because I create things for my kids to trace on the spot, and they usually tell me what they want to write or trace or draw, they are interested in doing it. This gives them ownership over the process and it’s a fun thing for us to do together. The only supplies you need for this are a pencil and a piece of paper. You can use notebooks or other writing utensils if you want, too.

Keep it simple

It doesn’t have to be fancy or complicated. Learning can be very simple. The most important thing is having a good attitude and making it fun. With young children particularly, don’t force it. Let them have fun and learning will come naturally.

Recommended Activities

• Sand trays and write letters with finger
• Create letters out of objects such as play dough, popsicle sticks, construction paper, or even food like pretzel sticks, etc. (this activity doesn’t help so much for writing the letter, but for understanding its shape and making it fun and hands-on)
• sand paper letter cards

Recommended Books

• Large letter tracing for the very youngest toddlers who are showing interest in letters for the first time. This is a super simple workbook that I used with my youngest child and liked for it’s simplicity. I don’t necessarily agree with all of its arrows for letter formation- like on the capital “A” for example- it says to start at the top and I prefer to start at the bottom left and go up and then down in one motion then across the middle. But for the super young toddlers who are just beginning, I just hand it to them and don’t try to make them do it “correctly” yet. If they allow you to show them how that’s fine, but usually the youngest toddlers just want to be left alone to do it for the most part and resent instruction because of the classic, “I can do it myself phase.” 🤣❤️