Try magnetic prewriting! It’s terrific for early learners.
You don’t need a magnetic wall to get started with magnetic prewriting.
All you need is a set of magnets and a cookie sheet. – don’t worry, I’ll get to that in a bit. Stick with me, and we will have our preschoolers practicing prewriting as you’ve never seen before.
RELATED: Want to read more about the stages of writing? I added it all right here.
Writing is a powerful tool, and we need to show our preschoolers various ways to form letters.
Did you know that drawing and scribbling is the first stage of writing? That’s right! Letters and letter-like forms come next in stage two.
You can practice stage two now with this prewriting activity.
RELATED: Here are our favorite alphabet toys for early learners.
Prewriting with movement is my go-to for reluctant writers.
- Writing without a pencil is less intimidating.
- It involves movement that will strengthen small hand muscles. – Hello, 50+ fine motor activities!
- Tracing with magnets explores the straight and curved lines that are found in letters.
Let’s take a close look at each letter and ask whether it has a stick, tail, dot, slant, curve, tunnel, or cross?
RELATED: Curious which ideas we keep on rotate? Check out our activity cards.
Let’s set up magnetic prewriting
First, add masking tape to your magnetic board and make a letter. Other variations are a cookie sheet or verticle space on the refrigerator. Keep in mind; this magnetic prewriting activity is very versatile!
Next, pick a letter or line formation that you would like your preschooler to practice.
Here, I added a parking lot to the upper right-hand corner and drew lines on your tape to mimic a road. Notice the green dot marks the starting place, and the red is when the magnet can be picked up after tracing the letter.
No transportation magnets? We can play this magnetic tracing activity with animal magnets walking to the zoo or field, and fish magnets swim into the ocean, or fruit magnets into the fruit basket. Remember, it is the following lines that are most important here.
RELATED: Here is everything you need to know about letter recognition.
Supplies
Days with Grey is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read more about these links in my disclosure policy.
- Transportation magnets
- Cookie sheet
- Masking tape
Invite your preschooler to park the cars after driving the letter formation. My reluctant writer traced and wrote the Ww twelve times!
Gather the magnetic board; it is time for magnetic prewriting!
