Tamar Andrews
Tamar Andrews
2 min read
Last updated
If you’re looking for some fun and engaging ways to help your child develop their pre-writing skills, you’ve come to the right place!
These preschool pre-writing activities for 3-5 year olds will help your child improve their dexterity and fine motor skills, while also helping them learn about the process of writing.
7 Emergent Writing Activities for Preschoolers
Letter Scavenger Hunt
This pre-writing activity encourages your preschooler to practice emergent writing skills in a fun and interactive way.
You can hide letters around the house or outside and have your child search for them. Once they find one, ask them to trace it in the air and then on paper a few times.
Magna Doodle
Having a magnetic drawing board is an excellent way to practice emergent writing skills. Ask your child to draw a letter or number and then help them trace the same shape onto paper.
Alphabet Coloring Pages
Print out some alphabet coloring pages for your preschooler to practice their emergent or pre-writing skills.
Ask them to trace over the letters and then color them in after they are done.
Trace & Write
Print out a few tracing sheets that have different letters and shapes. Ask your child to trace them with a crayon or marker and then ask them to write the letter they traced next to it.
Word Building
Ask your child to select a few letter cards, and then help them build different words using the letters they chose. Ask them to trace each letter as they form the words.
Word Puzzles
Cut out a few three-letter word puzzles and have your child trace the letters of each word. Ask them to spell out the words they form and then encourage them to use those same words in a sentence.
7 Preschool Pre-Writing and Early Writing Activities for Preschoolers
These preschool pre-writing activities for 3-5-year-olds are a great way to help your child develop their emergent writing skills and get more comfortable with forming letters.
With a little bit of practice, your preschooler will be able to write their own words and sentences and develop their pre writing skills in no time!
If you’re looking for some fun and engaging ways to help your child develop their pre-writing skills, you’ve come to the right place!
These preschool pre-writing activities for 3-5 year olds will help your child improve their dexterity and fine motor skills, while also helping them learn about the process of writing.
7 Emergent Writing Activities for Preschoolers
Letter Scavenger Hunt
This pre-writing activity encourages your preschooler to practice emergent writing skills in a fun and interactive way.
You can hide letters around the house or outside and have your child search for them. Once they find one, ask them to trace it in the air and then on paper a few times.
Magna Doodle
Having a magnetic drawing board is an excellent way to practice emergent writing skills. Ask your child to draw a letter or number and then help them trace the same shape onto paper.
Alphabet Coloring Pages
Print out some alphabet coloring pages for your preschooler to practice their emergent or pre-writing skills.
Ask them to trace over the letters and then color them in after they are done.
Trace & Write
Print out a few tracing sheets that have different letters and shapes. Ask your child to trace them with a crayon or marker and then ask them to write the letter they traced next to it.
Word Building
Ask your child to select a few letter cards, and then help them build different words using the letters they chose. Ask them to trace each letter as they form the words.
Word Puzzles
Cut out a few three-letter word puzzles and have your child trace the letters of each word. Ask them to spell out the words they form and then encourage them to use those same words in a sentence.
7 Preschool Pre-Writing and Early Writing Activities for Preschoolers
These preschool pre-writing activities for 3-5-year-olds are a great way to help your child develop their emergent writing skills and get more comfortable with forming letters.
With a little bit of practice, your preschooler will be able to write their own words and sentences and develop their pre writing skills in no time!
Tamar Andrews
Director of ECE @ American Jewish University
Tamar Andrews, EdD, is an Associate Professor at UCLA's Graduate School of Education and Information Studies and Director of the Early Childhood Education Department at American Jewish University. With 30+ years in early childhood as a teacher and director, she led Temple Isaiah Preschool from 2003 to 2023, where she earned NAEYC accreditation and built an award-winning STEM program. Her work inspired her son Daniel to build Playground. She also teaches at UCLA Extension and Santa Monica College and speaks internationally on early childhood education.
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"Across all locations, we're saving 30 hours a month just on tasks parents can now do themselves. That's time we get back for what really matters."
"Across all locations, we're saving 30 hours a month just on tasks parents can now do themselves. That's time we get back for what really matters."
Nick Caughell
The Weston School
95%
95%
of directors say Playground saves them hours every week
Based on data from 5,000+ centers.
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