There are many different specific motor skills which are necessary for a child to write successfully:
• Developing gross motor skills
• Bilateral integration (using both sides of the body in a coordinated way)
• Fine motor control
• Developing dexterity
• Holding and manipulating a writing tool
• Writing postureActivities to develop these skills will be a crucial part of the journey to becoming a writer.
Birth to 5 matters
Between the ages of 0-5, an incredibly important part of children’s development is the development of the skills that they will need for Early Writing. We, as educators, and you, as parents, provide many different opportunities for children to develop these skills. Some are obvious, like learning to draw circles and lines, and some are not so obvious. For example climbing and swinging, which strengthens the shoulder and core muscles which are vital in mastering the strength and control needed to hold and manipulate a pencil. Try writing without engaging your shoulder muscles at all; it is simply impossible!
So before a child even picks up a pencil, we must provide them with lots of activities to develop their gross and fine motor skills. Here are some examples of how children can do this every day, at home, with just a little bit of encouragement!
Gross motor
- Getting themselves in and out of the bath and on and off the toilet
- Dressing themselves
- Walking to school
- Climbing into the car themselves or on and off chairs (safely!)
- Riding a bike or scooter
- Helping to sweep or hoover the floor
- Wiping the table/cleaning kitchen cabinets (everyone’s a winner!)
- Playing catch and ball games to develop coordination
Fine motor
- Using a knife and fork or spoon to eat/feed themselves
- Doing up their own buttons, Velcro or fastenings
- Brushing their teeth
- Peeling an orange
- Opening crisp packets or other packets themselves (they can do it if you show them how, with a little perseverance!)
- Unscrewing bottle lids themselves
– Anna