There are many things you can do to refine your child’s pencil grip and hand-eye coordination BEFORE giving her a pencil and paper to begin writing. This fun activity is a favorite pre-writing exercise that helps build on those skills long before your child can read and write.
I wrote L’s name on some pieces of cardstock and put one on a tray with a small bowl of uncooked black-eyed peas. I told her that the letters spelled her name, and we traced them with our fingers. Then I put a line of glue on the first letter and showed L how to line up peas along the glue on the letter.
When the entire first letter had the peas glued on, I put glue on the second letter and we repeated the activity. We continued to do this one letter at a time until the whole name was finished.
This was the finished product the first time L did it. Each time since then, it has become more refined. The peas are small enough that the child must use the same grip she would use to hold a pencil correctly, and lining them up on the letters works on her hand-eye coordination. Older children can put the glue on by themselves, which would further develop those skills as well as building hand strength.
Thanks, I’m totally going to do this. Did you use glue stick or bottle? Just wondering bc I could see bottle glue getting messy even if I put it on but the glue stick not holding the peas on the paper very well.
I used a glue bottle. L wasn’t too happy about getting it on her fingers, so she added a washcloth to the tray so she can keep her hands clean.
Thanks!
I love you blog! I, unfortunately, don’t engage much with it…as far as “liking” and commenting…but I plan to start doing so because you provide so many awesome ways to teach at home!! Thank you and keep up the great work!
Great idea! Gonna try with my daughter! 🙂
this is so cool and helpful
thanks for this, this is helpful for my homeschooling session…this is great