Every Child Ready to Read: Writing

Every Child Ready to Read is a research based early literacy program that encourages caregivers to support their child's pre-reading skills by utilizing the 5 actions of Reading, Talking, Singing, Playing and Writing with their children. 

Today, we are going to talk about writing. Caregivers may be shocked to learn that the foundation of writing actually begins as the development of gross and fine motor skills. From the moment your child is born, they are capable of building and improving upon their motor skills, which they will later rely on to support their writing and in turn, reading success! As your child ages beyond the newborn and toddler years, there are other ways you can continue to support writing at home and help your child learn that the printed letters they see all around them actually represent words they are hearing out loud. Doing so gives the writing they are viewing context and meaning. Pretty neat, huh? 

 Here are some examples of activities you can do at home to encourage or introduce writing:

• As soon as your infant is able, encourage them to grasp and hold objects to build those fine motor skills
• Give your young children ample opportunities to move their bodies and improve their gross motor movement
• Point out letters and words around the house
• Draw your child's attention to the written logos of favorite foods, toys, books etc
• Use your finger to follow text on a page as you read with your child
• Provide opportunities for your child to color, draw, scribble or write 
• Grab some chalk, head outside and create
• Encourage older children to write or illustrate their own stories

Preparing your children to become proficient readers may seem like a daunting task, but intentionally Reading, Talking, Singing, Playing and Writing with the children in your life truly helps to support this important skill. Parents are a child's first teacher, so don't be afraid to step outside your comfort zone and try something new that will encourage your child to get ready to read, no matter what age they are!