Many items for general play, already found in homes and preschool classrooms, help to build finger dexterity needed for writing. Stacking blocks, putting puzzles together, stringing beads and shaping clay all work the finger muscles. Manipulating snaps, buttons and zippers on clothing and cutting paper with safety scissors develops fine motor skills as well. Kitchen "play" such as shaping pie dough, kneading bread, squeezing bottles, turning jar lids and tearing lettuce strengthens hands and produces confident learners.
Children can prepare for writing by tracing straight or zig-zag lines or circles, as well as drawing lines through mazes. Hand-eye coordination is developed as preschoolers practice moving their hands in prescribed patterns. Worksheets are simple to make or can be downloaded for free from many educational websites. A simple and fun variation is to allow children to draw lines and shapes with their fingers in a pan of colored gelatin powder or dry rice.
As preschoolers learn the alphabet, they can begin to write each letter. Provide an example letter for tracing and plenty of space for individual practice. A starting dot, placed where the letter should begin on the line, and directional arrows will help children to form each stroke correctly. Create your own worksheets or download a wide variety for free.
One of the first things a preschooler learns to write is his name. Make the process fun by creating a name puzzle. On two separate strips of paper, write each child's name in large letters. Take one strip and cut the letters apart. Children can learn how to spell their names by learning the required letter sequence. Following the sequence provided on the first strip, letters should be placed in the correct order to "write" the name using the individual letter pieces. Finally, let the children practice printing their names on a third strip of paper.
Preschoolers love stories, whether listening to them or creating them. Give children plenty of time to express themselves and expand their creativity with story-telling activities. Allow them to draw sequenced pictures that illustrate a story they can narrate, or provide simple pictures, either hand-drawn or cut from magazines, that can be arranged to unique tales. Sequencing gives children an opportunity to practice organizing their thoughts, which prepares them for more complex writing in the future.