Are you homeschooling your preschooler this year due to the pandemic? First of all, GOD BLESS YOU. None of us knew what was headed our way back in January, but you are rising to the challenge, mama. One day at a time, right?! I find myself quoting the famous, “Baby steps,” line from What About Bob multiple times a day. 😉

Second, one of the most important things your preschooler needs to learn is how to write their letters. Writing letters is actually a really amazing, complex skill for preschoolers to learn. A lot must happen before little ones are ready for this task! They start by making marks on a piece of paper as a toddler, then grow to being able to make circles and lines. Eventually they can also make triangles and slanted lines. All of this is a part of a child’s developmental growth and should come naturally as they are exposed to activities such as drawing, painting, playing in sensory bins, threading, using scissors, and other fine motor experiences.

By the time children are 4 or 5 years old, they are ready to learn how to write their letters! This is an important and time-consuming effort. I have come to learn that if children do not learn how to write their letters the correct way when they are younger, then they will spend more time trying to form the letters rather than understand the content when they are older. So, it is our job to help them be successful as they learn this critical skill!

As a Preschool Director, these are 3 of my best tips for helping make sure your little students learn how to write their letters correctly AND have fun at the same time!

ZONDERKIDZ SENT ME A COPY TO CHECK OUT AND IS PARTNERING WITH ME FOR TODAY’S POST! SEE MY FULL DISCLOSURE HERE AND THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING MY SITE!

I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Read my full disclosure policy here.

Use Poems and Songs

The number ONE way to help a child learn ANYTHING is to put the skill to a rhythm or song. When teaching kids how to form their letters, first teach them to always start their letters at the top. This past spring, I got to teach a section of PK4 during our preschool’s distance learning. I created a fun video with Mr. B. featuring a song that we sing to help our preschoolers remember to start their letters at the top.

You can watch my video HERE.

Next, when teaching preschoolers the correct formation of the letters, use a fun little visual and poem like THESE from Simply Kinder. HERE is another list of letter formation poems that is free.

Interact with the Lines and Shapes

As I mentioned, preschoolers progress through a series of pre-writing stages where they learn to draw shapes and lines. These shapes and lines are what they will use to write their letters! Having your preschooler see letters as a series of shapes and lines put together will help them learn to write them.

We use the curriculum called Learning Without Tears in our preschool. This curriculum breaks letters down into big lines, little lines, small curves, and big curves. The kids are given wooden pieces that are big lines, little lines, etc. and can put the letters together like a puzzle. It is such a great hands-on activity!

I love THESE printable letter puzzles from Teach Beside Me that you can use to give your kids for a similar experience.

Have Some Fun

We all know that kids learn best when their learning experiences are attached to playfulness. When they associate good feelings with learning, then they develop a lifelong love for it!

Some fun ideas for practicing letter writing >>

Write letters in a sensory tray with salt, shaving cream, or colored sprinkles using THESE FREE Printables.
Go outside and make letters using collected sticks or other items from nature.
Grab a box of chalk and write letters on the sidewalk.
Write letters on a chalkboard and have your kids erase them with water and Q-tips.
Form letters using play dough.

Or use a bright and colorful interactive tool like The Beginner’s Bible Learn Your Letters: A Wipe Away Board Book! This special book is such a fun way to help your preschoolers practice their letter writing. Not only does it provide lots of opportunities for tracing and letter exposure, it is all done in a way that celebrates God’s Word! So when your children are practicing writing the letter A, they are being exposed to words from the Bible like Adam, ark, and angel. My favorite is the picture of the cross on the letter C page!

It is so important to me to make sure that our kids’ learning is saturated with what we believe. I love that The Beginner’s Bible Learn Your Letters: A Wipe Away Board Book helps me to teach my preschoolers their letters and the Bible at the same time.