When to start teaching our little ones to write?

[Krisha]

Hi, all
we all talk abt making our little one Read But What is the right time to give them a pen and help them writting or scribbling... I did this for my daughter when she was just 1yrs 9 mths old...At first she use to just scribble ...but now she can write A, C, E, 1, 0 and also draws picture of apple, strawberry and Banana...
 

[KL]

I think that you can start letting them try drawing (eg., on a doodle board) as soon as possible.  The key is to develop the fine motor skills or the fingers and hand, so drawing is a good (not to mention fun!) way to start.  I think they can be scribbling and doodling soon after 12 months, if not sooner.

Next would be to get them to draw in constrained ways, eg., join dots, draw along (faint) lines in differing patterns, etc.

So as for writing, I think you can start whenever you feel your child can control their drawing movements sufficiently.  You would then get them to 'draw' out the letters of the alphabet in the same way as you would get them to follow drawing patterns.

Felicity has been writing for quite a few months now - wrote me her first Father's Day last Father's day! (with Mommy's supervision, of course! ).

[kmum]

Kay's occupational therapist has had her trying to use crayons and a magna doodle since she was 6 months old.  It not only helps with early writing skills, but helps her fine motor skills as well.
 
I probably took her 6 months to really get the hang of it.

[laidalays]

I started giving my baby a pencil when he was 12 months old. Of course he can't write yet, he is now 19 months old, but he tries his best to imitate what I write to him and when he has done it he tells me the word he is trying to write. I suppose this is a good beginnning 

[TABS]

Hi there, we have been working on just getting our son used to controled movement.  So painting and colouring was introduced quite early.  He has done writing - tracing letters for about 6 months now and can write his name.  Still battles with dot to dot - gets the numbers mixed up! 

TABS

[Tanikit]

I gave my daughter crayons when she turned one, but she just wanted to eat them. I have tried about twice since then (once a week usually) and it has got to the point where she is not eating them (except for occassionally trying to put them in her mouth) and she does know how to scribble with them, but only if the crayon is put flat on the paper. I guess I'll just keep showing her how it is done.

As for writing, I'll wait til she has better control and probably when she can draw a straight line and circle at the least. I suspect this will be when she is about two and a half at the earliest... but that is just a guess.

[chispa]

Hi!

The OT PT people in our school suggest giving chalk and a little chalkboard over markers and whiteboards because it gives more resistance and the child can "feel" the writing better. 

[winth]

My first boy started holding a pen when he's about 18 months old, encouraged to draw lines. He was taught to write when he's 24 months old.

Writing alphabets started by the time he reached 2.5 years and writing chinese characters during the same time too.

[joan]

Here's a website that allows you to create your own writing worksheet:

http://www.writingwizard.longcountdown.com/handwriting_practice_worksheet_maker.html

[nohayo]

I thought chalk wasn't good to inhale?

Hi!

The OT PT people in our school suggest giving chalk and a little chalkboard over markers and whiteboards because it gives more resistance and the child can "feel" the writing better. 

[kmum]

Joan - love that website - thanks.  I just printed out some stuff for my 5yo.

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