At What Age Should A Child Start To Write?

They would teach writing in school. The child should have a proper pencil grip. That's the most important part. Next is posture. Back straight, heels of the floor, elbow stretched enough so the face isn't too close to the paper.

It is great if the child makes drawings and pictures and makes broad marks on paper. This is more important than actually writing the letters. From a stick figure person, the child can be encouraged to observe and add detail. Eyebrows, lashes, ear rings, fingers etc. this would help the child gain better fine motor control.

Also usually the names of the letters aren't taught as it slows the reading speed. Only he phonic sounds are taught initially in school. It's important to ensure the child can read simple text before encouraging them to write words.

The child needs to be taught to form the alphabet properly - its tempting to write b like 6! This can be done on sand, in the air such that the letter is huge enough to cross the torso etc. Only after this would I would encourage the child to write large leter - 1 - 4 per a4 sheet to begin with and then slowly reduce the size. The child can draw something and label it. Or write his name on it.

The kids learn and catch up eventually. Schools usually do their job well. A child younger than my child was taught to write very early. At 5, he doesn't seem to have much of an edge over the rest of the kids anyway. Theyve all caught up and are on the same level.

 

Check out online. There are youtube videos for pencil hold. I think it's called the tripod grip. Repeatedly encouraging the child to do that will help develop the right habits.

 

I am also in a state like @anika987 . My son is 3 and half now. Till now I didn't teach alphabets at home, but he does coloring (he likes it) and scribbling ( there would be circles and lines too) at home with his own choice.

In Montessori also he does coloring and tracing letters. We got a library book in which the title of the book is big and little high on the surface, so he himself started tracing on that. So I though may be time to get some tracing stuff at home and make him trace it. One teacher told me at "open house of a school" event that by 4 years they should know their alphabets and some numbers.

My son used to ask 2-3 chocolates (means more) showing fingers (not correct counting though) from 1 and half or close to two. But still he can't count, but says amma, this is 1, this is 2, this 4, etc (when I say 3, no amma this is 4) , . I some times doubt is he naming them with numbers. or he understands he is counting, I let him to learn on his own pace, as long as he is not behind the class , where he is not following the teacher. But I felt happy when he was tracing at home. As I stopped TV completely for him, he gets time to look into his books selected by him in the library. He makes one of them as his favorite.

 

There were kids in my child's class who would not write - make marks - on paper at nearly 4. The teacher used to leave lots of sheets of paper on the floor, place colour pens, colour pencils, crayons out; have paper ready on easels with bright paint by the side etc. She did it for a week or two until all kids had made some piece of "art"! The kids slowly picked up the knack - of making broad marks on paper. Then they needed to then tune the fine motor skills by doing activities like threading beads, using little pegs to clip on pictures etc.

Lots of these activities helped the child develop skills required for writing.

Another tip that might help is if you get some of those colouring books for grownups. Whenever I sat down with them, my child would want to colour too.

Teach phonics - when You say she recognises letters, does she use the letter names or phonics? I think starfall is a US website for phonics. That helps much more with reading and eventually writing.

And counting. That is more important, I would say. Not repeating numbers but actual counting. Like ask her to bring 2 spoons. Oops we are 3 people. How many more do we need? That sort of practical counting with adding and taking away from 1-5 first, increase to 10. Then count in reverse from any number, counting in twos (line up teddies and count the number of eyes, in twos) etc. Then increase that to 20.

Since you mention some kids conduct discourses on various subjects, there are learning opportunities you an introduce to increase general knowledge. At this age the kids would be interested in the world around them and can learn a lot on different topics. Last year when my child was 4, around autumn, we did lots of reading up (library books) on seasons, trees, weather, hibernating animals. (I must say i havent paid so much attention to the wonderful world around me until i started doing these activities with the child!) Then took walks to find stuff like acorns from oak trees, conkers from chesnut, trying to find the maple folowing its burnt sugar smell etc. Picked up leaves of different colours and pressed them between heavy books to take out later and stick on some cards. This general knowledge will help them with vocabulary, concepts, creativity, have discussions with friends etc.

I havent watched dora but I suppose it's educational. if she's seen something on dora, you could expand on that. For eg. there's this programme called octanauts about a bunch of creatures going in a submarine and helping out everyone in the sea with their problems. My child saw something about coral reefs in it. we picked up books from the library, saw images and videos online about it, about how they thrive, how they need to be conserved etc.

You are right; it doesn't make sense to compete with other kids. I strongly believe tha it would benefit our kids if we picked up tips from other parents. There are some tips which have worked really well for my child and some which didn't work.