The Write Start (14 page)

Variations

For Scribblers:
The first strokes that pre-writers will master are simple vertical and horizontal ones. Mazes should be as basic as possible, say a simple straight path from a car to a garage, or from a bumblebee to a flower. The challenge here is for little fingers to guide a pencil to stay between the lines (which should be at least an inch apart) without veering off course.

For Spellers:
Emerging writers can be challenged with lines that are closer together (about one-half inch apart) and that switch directions (back and forth and up and down).

For Storytellers:
Children who have had some more pencil-holding experience are ready to tackle narrow lines, twists and turns, obstructions, and dead ends (which require them to retrace their lines in order to “turn around”).

For Scholars:
More complex mazes resemble mini paper-and-pencil obstacle courses and can even incorporate some written directions, such as: “Zigzag back and forth through the flags,” “Loop around each rock three times,” or “Travel down this path using a wavy line.” Game on!

6

Sand Writing

I
CAN’T THINK
of any better way for young writers to hone their letter formation skills than to write with their fingers in sand. The surface area of a fingertip contains an extremely large concentration of tactile receptors, each one sending a message to children’s brains as they write. Sand makes all of those tiny little receptors positively hum with rich information.

And while sand writing is an ideal activity to do in a sandbox or at the beach (with the waves as Mother Nature’s eraser), an excursion is not required. Sand writing is just as engaging when done at the kitchen table or in the playroom. When you set this up, be ready to stay put for a while, though. Running your fingers through the sand is rather habit forming, and children love to explore this reinforcing (and relaxing) activity for what may seem like an eternity.

 

M
ATERIALS

 

∗
shallow box or tray

∗
about one to two cups of sand (cornmeal works too)

∗
broom and dustpan (optional, but advised)

 

H
OW-TO

 

1.  Fill the box or tray with about one-fourth to one-half inch of clean sand.

2.  Show your children how to make shapes, trace letters, and write words in the sand.

3.  Demonstrate how to “erase” the writing by smoothing out the sand with a flat hand.

4.  Read and reinforce any writing your children want to share with you.

 

Variations

For Scribblers:
Start with vertical and horizontal strokes, simple shapes, or lines with repeating patterns (such as waves, loops, or zigzags).

For Spellers:
Practice one letter at a time over and over by playing “disappearing letter.” Act surprised when your child makes a letter vanish, saying, “Where on earth did that
E
go? It was just there! Can you find it?” Feign shock and amazement when they re-create it, as if by magic.

For Storytellers:
Your Storyteller may love having two trays, side by side, one to draw in and one in which to write a word that corresponds to their picture.

For Scholars:
More spelling words to practice for homework tonight? Ditch the drudgery, and pull out the sand tray instead.

7

Letters ‘R’ Us

N
OWADAYS,
kids are becoming savvy shoppers at a young age. They know all about swiping credit cards, signing receipts, and using coupons. And it intrigues them. So much so that, every time I introduce kids to this activity, they become quite the shopaholics. They love being the ones to mind the store (especially when there’s a cool cash register involved).

In this project, have your kids set up a letter store. Would you like to buy an
E
? How about all the letters to spell your name? With twenty-six letters in stock, the possibilities are unlimited. And with play money, kisses, and hugs for currency, the price is definitely right.

 

M
ATERIALS

 

∗
letter pieces (wood pieces for capital letters available from Handwriting Without Tears, or you can make your own using a template, also available from Handwriting Without Tears; see the
resources
section at the back of the book)

∗
puppet theater (or trifold presentation board, available at office supply stores)

∗
cutting knife (if using a presentation board)

∗
toy cash register

∗
play money

∗
small paper shopping bag

∗
scrap paper

∗
pencil

 

H
OW-TO

 

1.  Help your children set up their inventory of letter pieces behind a storefront. A puppet theater works great as a storefront, if you have one. If you don’t, you can create a super-simple shop by cutting a rectangular opening in the middle panel of a piece of trifold presentation board (grown-ups only for this cutting job, please). Children can decorate the facade or write the name of their store on it.

2.  Set up the cash register, play money, shopping bag, scrap paper, and pencil, so they are all accessible.

3.  Parents, have fun being your kids’ customers. Play the part to the hilt. I usually say something to the effect of, “Excuse me sir/ma’am. I’m looking for a letter. It’s a f-f-fabulous letter. It’s made up of a big straight line and two little straight lines. Do you have anything like that in stock?”

4.  Your little shopkeeper can then scurry around putting your order together, placing the pieces in your bag, ringing you up, taking your money, giving you back your change, and writing you a receipt.

5.  Check your order when you get your bag, and if it’s not exactly what you asked for, cheerily repeat your request and ask for an exchange.

6.  Model gracious thank-yous and have-a-nice-days at the end of your transaction. Kids eat it up. They’ll want to play over and over again. Who doesn’t want repeat customers?

 

Variations

For Scribblers:
Since they are just getting comfortable with lines and shapes, start there with your requests. Begin by ordering a big straight line, and, if they master that, order a big curve next, and so on.

For Spellers:
Spellers thrive on the transaction I quoted above; it’s right where they’re at, developmentally speaking. When they have mastered finding letter pieces and can identify all the letters, I might up the challenge by saying, “I am looking for the first letter of the word
fish
.”

For Storytellers:
Step it up another notch for Storytellers because they can definitely serve you up an entire word (for example, “Could you please sell me everything I need to make
fish
for dinner?”).

For Scholars:
Use the definition of a word in your order, such as “an aquatic animal with gills,” and your young Scholar will hardly be able to guess they are studying vocabulary
and
spelling as they play.

8

Eat Your Words

S
ERVING KIDS
an edible alphabet is a delicious way to whet their appetites for writing. When my son was just learning letters, I was known to dish up eggs that spelled J-A-C-K, pancakes that implored “Eat,” and pasta that asked “How are you?” Now, following my lead, he makes alphabet cookies and creates words out of pretzel dough. Hey, in our house it might not be okay to
play
with your food, but if you’re going to
write
with it, well, that’s another story.

 

M
ATERIALS

 

∗
food items, such as pancake batter, cookie dough, cheese slices, pretzel dough, alphabet pasta, or spaghetti

∗
cooking tools, such as alphabet cookie cutters

 

H
OW-TO

 

Experiment with food presentations that incorporate alphabet shapes. Some suggestions follow.