Last fall, This Reading Mama and I teamed up to share a series of simple first and second grade writing lessons. We’re back – and this time we’re sharing ten preschool and kindergarten writing lessons. No, I’m not talking about handwriting practice – I’m talking about teaching children to put their ideas onto paper. And it’s going to be fabulous!
If your preschooler is only scribbling, you might think this series doesn’t apply to you. I’m excited to share that this series is for any preschooler or kindergartner who can make a mark on paper.
These lessons aren’t going to look like those you’ll see with older kids. We’re not teaching report writing, paragraph structure, how to use quotation marks, or the proper use of a thesaurus.
Preschool and kindergarten writing lessons
Click on each lesson title to bring you to the post!
1. We model what good writing looks like.
How exactly do we get our kids’ attention long enough to do this? We write to and for them. For years, teachers have been sharing morning messages in classrooms. This Reading Mama shares a variety of ways to model writing right at home.
2. We celebrate all forms of writing.
Some preschoolers are scribbling. Eventually their scribbling resembles letters. After real letters start to form, so do words. How can you support your child in her developmental stage while encouraging her to move into the next one? We’ll cover that in Lesson Two.
3. We help children understand the purpose of writing: to communicate.
For children who are scribbling or using forms that only resemble letters, it can be hard to communicate through writing. We’ll show you how your child can dictate while you’re the scribe.
4. We help children find topics for writing.
That age old question “What do I write about?” is something we covered in our primary writing series. In Lesson Four, we’ll give you some tips and tricks to help our youngest writers find topics that are meaningful to them.
5. We support our children as they write.
Young writers can be easily frustrated by what they’re unable to do. That’s why it’s sometimes helpful to “share the pen.”
6. We teach them that we write for many different purposes.
No, we won’t be writing stories or reports. We’ll talk about notes, labels, journals, and more.
7. We find ways to inspire our reluctant writers.
If I asked you if you knew a reluctant writer, I’ll bet every one of my readers would say “yes.” It might even be you! Let’s get our children excited about writing from the very beginning.
8. We help them understand what to do about spelling.
Some children need to be encouraged to write a word with a single letter. Others can streeetch out a word and share its sounds. What about the children who refuse to write a word unless they know it’s spelled perfectly? We’ll cover that too.
9. We teach them how to write a sentence.
Some children will be ready to move toward story writing. Before that happens, they need to understand how to write a simple sentence. “Magic lines” are perfect for that. Curious? Stay tuned!
10. We help them gain confidence as writers.
By giving children regular writing time and giving them opportunity to share with others, they’ll become confident writers.
For more information about writing with young children, visit this post:
WATCH THE MEMBER WORKSHOP
In this 25-minute training, members will learn:
- How to teach preschoolers to make their own books
- How to determine each learner’s level of spelling development
- What skills to teach
- Exactly what to say when supporting preschool writers
Not a member yet? Learn more here.
Free Spelling Games
Get this fun variety of sample spelling games from the membership site! The download includes resources for spelling CVCE words, long vowel teams, and multi-syllable words.
