4 year old learning to write his letters and numbers, how to make it more fun

Jennifer - posted on 02/06/2010

Moat of all don't push him. I twill happen when he is ready. However you do it make it fun. I have heard letting them write them in shaving cream works that is how my nephew learned I have never tryed it. We use a lot of tracing books both #'s and ab'c when she draws one correctly we take her picture with the letter that she has drawn and we place it in her special ABC album. then this will also later be a keepsake foe her and you. it has worked for us because she gets so excited and proud of herself. good luck and hope this helps.

Stephani - posted on 02/06/2010

Thanks everyone for the advice I'm def going to try some of ur ideas:-)!!!!

Heather - posted on 02/05/2010

Leap Frog makes a great toy for kids to learn it is called a "Scribble & Write". I bought one for my four year old and he learnt the whole alphabet in a few days by only playing with it for an hour here and there! He is ahead of the other kids in school because of it. Here is the link:



http://www.leapfrog.com/en/preschool_toy...



Good luck!



=)



Heather

Jeanette - posted on 02/05/2010

Crayola dry-erase activity center. I paid $13. CND for it at Wal-mart. The Crayola website has printable activity and game sheets to use with it. I just print them out with or without use of the activity center. Hope this helps.



Good luck!

Sherrie - posted on 02/05/2010

Try making write his letters a game. For example, if you are working on the letter "A" tell him I bet I can write the letter "A" faster then you. Once you you show him make every efford to show him that are having a hard time so that he can work on the letter and profect this letter. The trick is to make learning a game. I do it every day with my 4 year old daughter. I must tell you that it will work because I get her to take her medicine, clean up, do writing, getting dress for school, etc. Just try it and see.

Jeannine - posted on 02/03/2010

I teach little ones, these tricks are ones that help to strengthen their little muscles (they are not strong yet-so don't feel discouraged). Use playdough a lot, roll into snakes and form the letters, build with legos, yes :) small toys are great for building muscles too, use salad tongs to move toys and build towers, put some play sand in a pie plate and write the letters in it like the shaving cream suggestion-the nice thing with this too is it can be kept in there and come back to it another day, also bath time crayons, my kids all love those and they are smooth so there is little resistance. I let mine write a letter (word for the olders) and get to use a toy or bubble machine. Also, dry erase markers and painting letters are great because of the same reason, it's easier on them to make the letters. Good luck, I am sure he will do great!

Beck - posted on 02/02/2010

I made stencils for my son to trace letters, the way I was taught in school. I started with capital letters for my son as they are easier in form. Also start using BIG writing even if its a whole exercise page used per letter. To make it more fun, choose his favourite cartoon and write words that he will recognise. Cards are also something I had my son writing on, like birthday cards, christmas cards. Never sound disapointed when he does it wrong, always say omg, that is great, every time and always tell him how great it is no matter how obscure it looks. This encourages him more. If your son gets to a point where he can not handle presure, stop and wait till next day. The very first reason my son had to write his own letters, was when he wanted to go to the ABC website, and for him to do it, he had to be able to write it down so he wouldnt forget. My son is left handed and although a slower start, he really took off once he got the hang of it.

Patti - posted on 02/02/2010

Try not to push ( I know, it's hard). Let him write in colored shaving cream,or wet sand. My kids loved using their magna-doodles. But watch out, when school start they use d'nealian letters. The lower case "k" looks like the cursive "k". Other letters are different also. I wish I had known..... good luck :)

Jennifer - posted on 02/02/2010

someone once told me to have them write letters on a cookie tray with shaving cream and that gets them to think its fun....and or with my son we make games out of learning etc... most of all dont push it just have fun my son loves to write with pencil but hates a crayon so each and every kid is diffrent just make it a hands on experiment