| The process of learning to write begins with | | | | To develop fine motor skills needed to control a |
| simple circles and lines. By the time your child | | | | pencil, try involving your child in art activities that |
| reaches his first birthday, you should encourage | | | | involve tearing paper. Give him a variety of |
| him to color with crayons. Scribbling with crayons | | | | colored paper, tissue paper, or construction paper |
| not only helps to develop the fine motor skills | | | | to tear in small pieces. Tearing strengthens small |
| used in writing, simple scribbles will soon turn to a | | | | finger muscles and usually delights small children. |
| series of the lines and circles used to form letters. | | | | Using a glue stick, let your toddler paste his paper |
| Provide your toddler with coloring books as well | | | | scraps to make a picture. Green tissue paper can |
| as plain paper and avoid sharp pens and pencils | | | | be scrunched into small pieces and glued around |
| until your child is older. | | | | the outside ring of a paper plate for a beautiful |
| Painting, especially with finger paint, can also help | | | | holiday wreath. Your child can even add scraps of |
| develop your toddler's writing skills. The Galt | | | | red tissue for berries. |
| kid-friendly easel will give your child an opportunity | | | | Always supervise your toddler's art or coloring |
| to paint like the pros and it, along with a plastic | | | | activities. At this age most children have a |
| art apron, will minimize messes. Painting with a | | | | tendency to put things in their mouths so choose |
| brush or with fingers strengthens small muscles | | | | non-toxic paints and glues. Also set firm rules |
| and allows children to express themselves | | | | regarding coloring, gluing, and painting only on |
| creatively. As your child advances, encourage him | | | | paper. Little ones are often tempted to spread |
| to paint lines, circles, and arcs. Another fun | | | | their masterpiece to the floor or the wall. |
| activity is to write his name in really large letters | | | | Washable crayons and paints will minimize stains |
| across the paper and let him trace the letters | | | | and smocks or aprons will protect clothing. |
| with finger paints. | | | | If your child seems interested, begin tracing large |
| Books are another important activity that | | | | uppercase letters with crayons or paint. Never |
| enhances all areas of language skills and | | | | force a toddler or preschooler to practice writing. |
| development. Read to your child each day and | | | | Your child will appreciate learning more if he |
| follow the words with your finger. Talk to your | | | | enjoys it and wants to learn. You may try more |
| child on a regular basis as well. Constant exposure | | | | enjoyable activities to introduce the letters. Print |
| to language in a variety of different forms | | | | an uppercase letter on a piece of cardstock or |
| enhances the development of writing, speaking, | | | | construction paper and let your toddler glue |
| and reading skills. Reading and conversation both | | | | objects onto the outline of the letter. You can |
| give children a general understanding of grammar | | | | even us this activity to help to develop phonics |
| and sentence structure, skills needed later in | | | | skills by using objects that begin with that letter, |
| writing. | | | | like dry beans for the letter B or cereal for C. |