How to make a Pre-K child learn to write his name?

Question

his teacher is having a hard time with him wanting to write his name, but when she gets on to him he will write it. but when we practice at home he gets mad and refuses to write his name

Answer 1

Write his name on a paper, and then get M&M's and tell him that if he puts M&M's on all the letters that then he'll get to eat a few.

Get magnetic letters for the fridge and spell his name out.

Put shaving cream on the bathroom counter and start spelling his name out in front of him.  Make sure to laugh and say how fun it is and see if he asks to join in.  Afterward you can always put some shaving cream on his face and tell him that since he's such a big boy that now he gets to shave.  :)

Spell out his name with dots and let him connect the dots.  

Get out chalk and have him draw a picture and then say that he should write his name next to it so everyone can know who made such a beautiful picture.

Open the paint program on your computer and start drawing his name with the spray paint.  If he seems interested in this then let him do it with you guiding his hand (unless he wants to do it by himself).

Put finger paint on his big toe and then guide his toe to spell his name.   Also you could put a crayon between his toes and guide his feet to spell his name.

Most importantly, if you act like you're having a blast spelling his name out (with whatever method you choose) then he'll think "oh if Mommy loves this so much, that it must be awesome."  

Answer 2

I would print out bubble letters from the internet. Then use colored pencils and have him write is name by tracing the inside of the letters. When finished he/she should have a rainbow name. This is actually similar to a Montessori Activity.

I would have him write his name on some sticker labels and have him label stuff like books. You can only put on the labels that are legible and neatly written.

Get a tray of soft sand in a cookie sheet and have him write his name in that.

Have him sign some notes to friends - real life applicability is always important.

Answer 3

* No pressure! (Don't make it a chore. Don't "get on to him.")

* Make it fun! (Rainbow writing; playdough name, tracing name with a highlighter; etc)

* Make it purposeful! (Worksheets and copying name over and over is not purposeful. Signing in each day on chart paper is purposeful. Autographing your art work is purposeful.)

Answer 4

He is feeling pressured and put on the spot and he does not want to preform.  Make it fun.  You could make it a game, say you want to make a card for his grandma, and have him sign it.  Get different writing utensils and he might want to do it, like gel pens and black paper.  Or say I need you to write your name one time today, and let him pick when he wants to do it.  Try and give him choices with it and it won't be so bad, but do not force him or it will make it worse, and writing could be aversive to him. How old is he exactly?  

Answer 5

Well this is how I taught my kids. I got a blank sheet of paper and I taught them how to write the first letter in their names.  I didn't care about it being neat, just as long as they could write it.  Once they got that down, I move to the next letter.  Practice with every letter.  Don't  start with line paper.  Blank paper will be easier and less confusing.  They learned how to write their name in days.  And teach them every letter as they go.  It's not that difficult.

For the person that gave me the thumbs down, I said that's how I taught my kids and they are doing very well in school so thumbs down to you.  

PS to poster my kids were writing their names perfectly by the time they started kindergarten.  I started teaching them how to write when they were three years old.

Answer 6

1 Your child is NOT developmentally ready to be 'forced' to write his name.  #2 Your child's teacher is doing your child a great disservice. #3 What boy wants to sit down ?????!!!!!   #4 You can 'sneak' writing exercises for your child and make the activity FUN !!!!  Start with babies, around age 4 months. Basically scribbles on a paper. As they progress into toddlerhood, straighter lines and circles. Older 3's should start with recognizable letter shapes for their name. 4's should be writing recognizable letters. Now, don't expect perfect letters. Just something that looks like the letter. I had my class of 3-5's "sign-in" each day on a scrap piece of paper. If needed, they could copy their name from a their name card. Now, if every kid in the class is doing this as a way to 'check-in', and it is made a fun routine, then you don't have the kids complain. I never expect perfection, that is for Kindergarten/1st grade. When the child would do an art project, I had THEM write their own name on the paper. I had kids label their name on their cubbie. In the writing area/ home area, I encouraged (sneaked) writing by having kids write invitations (sign your name!) Write mom a letter. Make a recipe for your cake. Anything to make writing fun. (and at the same time, teach the letters in the child's name!) Have your son write a note to do (who cares what the words look like, or have him draw dad a pix). remind him to sign his name so dad knows who did the great work. write a thank you note. a grocery list (that he can check off as you go through the store) . Make a nameplate for your door. Have him write his name in the sandbox.  lots you can do to get him used to using a pencil. I hated to walk down the halls of my school and see 4 yr olds stuck to a  desk as the teacher tried to get the child to write. And worse, the results. My kids by the end of the year, and glorious writing and was proud of their work. Their kids, still scribbling and had little connection to their work.  

Answer 7

He is four years old! why is she getting frustrated at him ??

Anyway, it sounds like he feels pressured to write his name and that is why he does it when the teacher "gets on him". You have to find out why he is getting mad? Does he actualyl know how to write his name? Is the teacher pressuring him to write it "better"? You could try making the dots for him to trace, having him trace other things, like dots, lines, etc., to help his fine motor skills, coloring, using playdough to make his name, or write his name on a card and laminate the card, thenhave him use a "special" marker (dry erase-low odor) to trace the name. Also, you can take his name and write it in an index card or strip and cut it up to mix the letters and have him match the letters to his name in the right order. good luck