Need help with 3 yr old learning to write?

Question

She started head start and her homework is to practice writing her name. she knows her letters somewhat so we are trying worksheets with traceable letters but i need more help??

Answer 1

have her teach u, what she knows, u learn more that way

Answer 2

I'd teach her the letters in her name first.   Let her experiment with different writing instruments.  Her are some ideas:

1.Use chalk on dark construction paper.

2.Allow her to write her letters in pudding or shaving cream.

3.Put a small amount of sand or dry rice in a pan and let them

   use their finger to form letters.

4.Cut a SMALL piece of a sponge off and wet it.  Use this to

    draw letters on a chalkboard.  Then you could allow them

    to use their finger to trace over the letter and then give them

    a piece of chalk to write it.

5.Cut out fish shapes and write letters on them.  Put a paper

   clip on them and then use a small dowel with a string

   attached to it with a magnet on the end as a fishing pole.  

   Let them "fish" for letters.

After you've worked on the letters in their name you should go with letters with straight lines in them like... T, H, E, F,L etc.

These letters are easier for them to form.  I really hope this helps.   :o)

Answer 3

The worksheets with traceable letters is a great start.  She will get it in her own time.  Practice does make perfect after all.  Make sure she is understanding exactly how to write each letter and if she does not show her how.  Sometimes holding her hand while she is holding the pencil works too.  I hope this helps some!

Answer 4

start with her name first. that is the most important. and it takes alot of time and practice

Answer 5

well, first remember that at 3, they just want her to practice and she isn't behind if she cant write her name. It is not expected of a 3 year old.

Yes, start with the letters of her name and do some fun things like making letters with play doh. get some cool markers, paint and things like that to catch her attention. let her color with crayons, markers and play with play doh as much as she wants to help the muscles in her hands and develop the coordination.  the magna doodles, aqua doodles or small chalkboards may get her attention better than pencil and paper

The BEST thing I have gotten for my kids to help with this is the handheld leap pad games (by leap frog) the games numbers on the run and letters on the loose are so awesome! Its fun for the kids but teaches them so much. the game has a "pencil" and they practice tracing letters and numbers.  but your not forcing them to sit and practice. if you push it too much, they will push back, ya know?  The game is recommended for ages 4 and up but my 3 year old daughter got it for her 3rd b-day and took to it right away.  they just think its a fun game and don't even realize how much they are learning. they also learn the sounds of the letters and many other things from these games!

good luck

Answer 6

let the three year old draw on your face to make it fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...

Answer 7

Try drawing dotted letters and get her to say them and trace them. Draw the whole alphabet in dotted letters and say them with her then get her to trace them. her name, words like dog, cat, dad, mum so on and practice how to say the words and the letters and their sounds. Hope i help.

Answer 8

First of all, threes should not be expected to begin writing. Their eye hand coordination isn't there yet. They should have access to crayons, markers and pencils to draw and scribble with. Why force children to struggle with things they will do so much easier in another year? Secondly, homework is also not appropriate in preschool. I'd find another program. This one could be doing more harm than good.

Answer 9

Start with the letters in her name, they will have a greater reward for her when she can write her name.

Tracable worksheets are good - but also coloring, painting, and even playdough help with the fine motor skills.

You can fill a zip lock baggie with colored hair gel and they can "write" their letters in it.  It's squishy and fun.  Shaving cream on the table is a fun medium as well.

Check out: http://first-school.ws/theme/alphabetp1....

http://www.superteacherworksheets.com/pr...

Answer 10

At three she may or may not have the capacity to write her name, she needs to work on fine motor skills before she will be able to hold a pencil and draw them correctly.  To a three year old a letter is a picture, most don't have the concept that a letter is a sound and letters make words.  

First thing is to make can sure she knows her name, recognizes it when it is written for her and can pick out the letters that are in her name when they are in with other letters.  

I would not stress the writing, coloring, and child writing (scribbling and pretending it's a word) and reading to her is more important at this point then making a child learn to write his or her name.  In fact it's surprising that any program would start with this for children this age, it's inappropriate and does not really teach anything because the children are not ready to learn it.

I would check to see if the teacher is ECE educated or if they are following an educational plan that is done by someone who is.  

It's one thing to give the kids the worksheets to draw on, but to expect them to do it correctly or to even understand the concept is surprising.

Answer 11

Try using a highlighter instead of the dotted letters and use unlined paper at first. Use the letters in her name first then other familar names and words she knows- Barbie, McDonalds etc.

Answer 12

They are expecting alot from a three year old. Most kids going into kindergarten dont spell their whole name. Kids at this age generally lack the ability to write.

Tracing is a great way to start. Playing with playdough will also strengthen her little fingers and help with motor control.

Good luck

Answer 13

All children develop these skills at different times.  My oldest daughter could write her full name at age 3, my youngest daughter could not.  My youngest daughter is an honor student now and my oldest daughter was not, although she did well in school.  I would suggest using the dotted letters to her name first.  Then I would teach her the ABC's.  That isn't the order my oldest daughter learned in.  But she took interest in learning the ABC's because of a maternity shirt that I had with the ABC's on it so she learned them first.  If she shows more interest in learning her ABC's first then I'd go with teaching her them first.  Make it fun and praise her no matter how bad the letters look at first when she's writing.  Be consistent and practice with her daily.  Don't make her do it like it's a chore.  Let her do it like it's a reward.  Women are notoriously hard on themselves and I think we learn that from our mothers.  We look in the mirror and the first thing we notice are our flaws.  Men on the other hand do the exact opposite.  That's learned at a very early age from the same gender parent.  I hope this helps.

Answer 14

She could start with tracing...I wouldn`t EXPECT her to print...OMG, too much too soon, have her trace first..

Answer 15

familiarized her with letters...hope it could help...