<\/a>Ages 3-6<\/h3>\nOur occupational therapist taught us that using large muscle groups is really important before you move to the smaller muscle groups. The stronger your child’s core (the muscles in the torso), the more control your child will have when they begin to write.<\/p>\n
\n- These wooden letter pieces<\/a> worked well for teaching our child how to form the capital letters. If you’re resourceful, you can make your own set<\/a> out of cardboard. Just make some lines and some big and little curves. Much cheaper! (Or this is another lower-cost option<\/a> that we used… and it doubles as a magnadoodle they can use later.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/homeschool.vandagriff.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/wooden-letters-150x150.jpg\")
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<\/p>\n
\n- Once your child understands the shapes involved in making the capital letters, you can have them draw the letters in the air, using whole arm motions.<\/li>\n
- Then you can move on to drawing the letters in dirt, salt, pudding\u2014whatever messy medium your mamma-heart can handle.<\/li>\n
- Coloring with large crayons (or cute rock-shaped ones) is also helpful, though at this point, don’t require them to write letters with these crayons.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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<\/p>\n<\/a>Ages 4-6<\/h3>\nThe only thing I’d add to the recommendations from above is the “wet, dry, try”<\/a> method from Handwriting Without Tears. For this, you need:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Once your child understands the shapes involved in making the capital letters, you can have them draw the letters in the air, using whole arm motions.<\/li>\n
- Then you can move on to drawing the letters in dirt, salt, pudding\u2014whatever messy medium your mamma-heart can handle.<\/li>\n
- Coloring with large crayons (or cute rock-shaped ones) is also helpful, though at this point, don’t require them to write letters with these crayons.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
<\/a>Ages 4-6<\/h3>\n
The only thing I’d add to the recommendations from above is the “wet, dry, try”<\/a> method from Handwriting Without Tears. For this, you need:<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"\/\/ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com\/widgets\/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B07HPCKVKW&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=vandamusic-20&language=en_US\")
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A small chalkboard<\/li>\n