Activities to Help Children Prepare for Writing  CBS Therapy
                     ACTIVITIES TO HELP 
CHILDREN PREPARE FOR 
WRITING
Getting Ready to Write
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The expectation for kids to start writing is getting 
earlier and earlier all of the time. However, the 
youngest children don’t have the physical 
development needed to use the small muscles in 
their fingers and hands to hold and control a 
pencil. Writing is a foundational learning skill that 
helps requires visual-motor integration, bilateral 
coordination, midline crossing, etc. It is correct that 
it is an important skill to master.
Draw
Strengthen Big Write… But Not 
Muscles First On Paper
Letter Recognition Kid-Size Tools
Get vertical
Write… But Not On Paper
Strengthen Big Muscles First
For a person to write successfully, they need to be 
able to stabilize their upper arm. If the movement 
comes from their shoulder joint when they write, 
they will get tired out quickly. Use play to 
strengthen the upper body. Wheelbarrow walking, 
crawling, and animal walks all work well for this. 
For an extra fun activity, tape a big piece of paper 
to the bottom of a child-sized table. The child can 
lie underneath it and straighten their arm to paint.
Letter Recognition
Letter recognition is a part of learning to write. 
Point out letters in books, on signs, blocks, and 
in their name. Focus on capital letters, to 
begin with since those are the first letters they 
will most likely learn to write. Alphabet 
magnets are a popular exploration item. With 
adult support, kids can start learning the 
names of the letters and recognize them. 
Write… But Not On Paper
Practice creating letters in new and different 
ways! Try rolling out play-doh letters, making 
letters with sticks, lines and curves cut out of 
paper, Legos, and anything else you have 
handy. You can make a sensory tray with a box 
lid and fill it with rice or salt to trace letters. As 
a bonus, many children are kinesthetic 
learners, and this activity can help reinforce 
the other work you do. 
Kid-Size Tools
When the concepts and skills are 
coming together, and your child is 
ready to start writing letters, use 
child-sized writing utensils. This 
promotes the development of a 
mature grasp. Start with bits of chalk 
and broken crayons. For older kids, 
try golf pencils. 
Draw
Creating simple drawings is a great way to work on 
visual-motor integrations skills. Sometimes 
referred to as hand-eye coordination, visual-motor 
integration involves using coordinated movements 
to make marks with intention. Start with easy 
drawings and work your way up. An excellent 
progression could be drawing a smiley face, then a 
person, then a teddy bear. First, demonstrate how 
to make it so that your child can copy you. For 
ideas and inspiration, check YouTube or your local 
library for drawing guides.
Get vertical
Tape a piece of paper to a wall or find an easel 
with a chalkboard or blackboard. Let the child 
color to their heart’s content. Kids enjoy the 
novelty of this activity, and it allows for practice 
with grasp and getting the wrist into the correct 
position for writing. If this feels tricky, tape a 
sheet of paper to the wall and let them place 
stickers on it for a similar effect. 
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845 North Main Street, Providence, Rhode Island, 
USA, 02904