The right writing utensils will help set the right foundation for learning to write. That’s not to say that instruction can’t continue even after pencils are provided, but the learning must be the first step to put them on solid ground. When parents do nothing more than give their child a pencil, you run the risk of their hand-eye coordination being sidelined by letter formation. It can take years before children truly learn how to write through conventional instruction methods, so it’s important to start early with something as simple as drawing shapes on paper.
Here are the best writing tools for preschoolers.
Stabilo EASYorignal
The Stabilo Easystart hand writing pen is a great beginner rollerball pen that is available for both left or right-handed writers. The pen itself has a moulded grip with indentations for accurate placements of finger pads and its tapered end ensures that it sits snugly in to the curve of the hand. It comes in a range of colours that will undoubtedly make it an exciting addition to any pencil case.
PenAgain Pens (and Pencils) / Rockyt Writers
At first glance the PenAgain pen is somewhat misleading. Its 2-dimensional rocket shape does not seem naturally useful to learning to perfect the tripod grip. Yet when you see how it is actually meant to be used, it begins to make sense. With the forefinger guided through the ‘rocket’s’ ends, the tripod grip comes naturally. There are optional grip or no-grip versions of the same style and of course a range of different colours.
Berol Handwriting Pens
Unlike the other two examples, the Berol handwriting pen does not have a special shape or helpful grips. Instead it has a slightly thicker barrel compared to regular pens which help with learning to grip the pen in the correct way. The light weight of the pen allows for a longer hold without getting tired easily and the hard-wearing plastic tip ensures that letters can be formed easily.
Firesara Pencil Grips
Firesara offer a range of exciting, attractive pencil grips that can be fitted to any regular pen or pencil to help children learn to grip the instrument correctly. From butterflies to elephants and dolphins in a range of different shapes and colours and universally designed with grips and indentations to help achieve the perfect tripod grip. Each grip is made of silicone and is non-toxic and odourless.
Universal Ergonomic Writing Grips
The ergonomic writing grip is generally familiar to everyone who grew up in the 80s and 90s. The main difference being that where they used to be foam based, these days they are made of high grade silicone. The general premise remains the same, to increase the girth of the pen or pencil to help with writing grip.
Kwik Stix tempera paint sticks
Kwik Stix are awesome for toddlers and come with our most enthusiastic recommendation. Tempera paint sticks are encased in a plastic case. They glide on smoothly with little pressure and the color is SO vibrant. These work great on paper and cardboard and are a wonderful easy painting option.
Playdough
We love homemade playdough! This no cook playdough recipe is fast and easy to make AND totally customizable for color and smell. Or try our cooked playdough recipe which lasts practically forever.https://3ebb428758f3a37d04a9918263ed2c1f.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html
And if you’re looking for playdough to buy, we recommend Colorations playdough. We also highly recommend this playdough tool set!
Colorations Simply Washable Tempera Paints
If you’re only going to buy one kind of paint, this is what to get. Use it for every day paint on paper, cardboard and poster board.
Colorations Liquid Watercolors
Because they are just gorgeous and vibrant. The traditional watercolor cakes are not ideal for toddlers; liquid watercolors are easier for them to use. These are long lasting and useful for a variety of art and science activities.
Squeeze glue
Yes, toddlers will squeeze and squeeze until there is a puddle of glue on their cardboard or paper. BUT they will have so much fun doing it, and the glue is so cheap, that it’s 100% worth it.
And remember, this is also a good hand-strengthening exercise that helps build fine motor skills. If the normal size squeeze bottle is difficult for your child to squeeze, try a mini bottle.
Faber Castell Gel Crayons
These are somewhere between a regular crayon and an oil pastel in hardness and come in a hard plastic case making them easy to grip. Just twist up the pastel as you need more. The neon version is especially bright and colorful!
Washable markers
Washable markers like the little Crayola Pip-Squeaks, although my kids both loved the regular-sized markers as well when they were toddlers. We keep our markers in a marker holder as a toddler-friendly way to keep track of lids and markers.
A note about crayons…
Crayons aren’t at the top of our list for toddlers due to the hand strength and pressure needed to achieve vibrant marks.
But there are a few brands that we highly recommend for kids. We love the Brilliant Bee crayons. And Faber-Castell Beeswax crayons in a carry case are excellent.
Honeysticks Beeswax Crayons are made from 100% pure beeswax and are safe for toddlers. They are non-toxic, have a chubby shape that is easy for young children to grip, and are virtually unbreakable.
When introducing young kids to writing, rhymes will make them more enthusiastic than you assume. This tool offers a selection of words and a blank space where the user can arrange them to create poetry. It’s a fun experience not only for children but also for their parents and teachers. If the user gets stuck, then he can ask for new words to be added in the list. The final piece of poetry can be shared via email
This website offers many printable materials that enable young students to organize the writing process. The Student Interactives section offers several tools that improve children’s literacy. These are some of the most effective tools you can use (each of them comes for a designated age group): Organizing and Summarizing; Writing and Publishing Prose; Writing Poetry; and Learning about Language.
In order to show your children how fun essays can be, you should show them great samples. At this website, you’ll find narrative, persuasive, expository, and descriptive essays appropriate for different ages. The samples are rather short, but they will give your kid an idea of how a paper is supposed to look. You’ll also find reading and writing activities and worksheets at the website.
If you aren’t diligent and competent enough to teach your children how to write, then you can easily solve that problem by asking for a piece of advice from a professional writer from this writing assistance agency. Essay Mama gives you access to writers and tutors who are always ready to offer their advice on planning, developing, and editing different projects. This website’s blog is an irreplaceable resource for all parents and tutors who teach writing. It offers great articles and sample essays that show how important (and fun) writing can be.
This service offers high-quality teaching resources for K-12. You don’t have to be a teacher to start using this website; parents can also benefit from the free monthly lessons and workshops. The writing prompts will help you inspire your kid to write, so you can use them in the daily practice. These categories are suitable for K-12 students: Kids’ Word Game Writing Prompts, Writer’s Notebook Lesson Ideas, RAFT Writing Prompts, and Digital Photo Prompts.
Before your kid can start writing essays and other complex written structures, you should try to make writing as fun as possible for him. There is only one way to do that: stories! First, you should read a lot of stories together and discuss the favorite ones. Then, allow your kid to tell you a story and watch how his imagination develops. When you’re ready for it, you can use StoryJumper – a tool that enables children to create online storybooks. Your kids can use clip art and photographs to add a visual element to the story. You can share the results, so think of a way to celebrate the moment of becoming a published author.
When you are teaching a child to write, don’t limit his creativity in a rigid paper form. Presentations can add a dose of visual fun to the process. Kids can easily work with Prezi, but you can also create a presentation according to their instructions. You can also use it as a brainstorming tool – tell your child to create a brief, fun presentation and then write a paper based on it.
Time4Writing – Free Writing Resources
This website offers resources that help you teach children how to write sentences, paragraphs, and complete essays. This step-by-step approach will enable the young student to comprehend essay writing not as an overwhelming assignment but as a process that results successfully when all stages are covered. In addition, you’ll find tips on developing writing skills and understanding the mechanics of writing.
This online community has one goal: to encourage students to write and share their work with other users. As a result, they are motivated to write even more creatively. The community is not only about sharing, feedback, and contests; it also offers valuable tips on reading and writing, as well as recommendations for great books and authors appropriate for their age.
JumpStart Essay Writing Activities
When you’re ready to explain the basics of essay writing to your kid, you can rely on the guidelines at this website. First, you’ll find a simple explanation of a 5-paragraph essay, which shows the student what each section is supposed to contain. The printable Writing Worksheets are really useful; they impose specific questions that children can easily answer. Print out a few of these worksheets and use them daily; you’ll soon notice the progress in your child’s skills of expression.
Others
- Growing Reader
Storybird Create beautiful books to share online and in print.— Age: 6— URL: http://www.storybird.com
iDiary for KidsExcellent journal-writing tool for creative kids.— Age: 7— Devices: iPad
StoryBuilderVery cool app asks questions, creates stories from answers.— Age: 7— Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad
- Tween
- Scholastic News Kids Press CorpsKid reporters (and readers) get schooled in journalism.— Age: 10— URL: www.scholastic.com/kidspress
New Moon Girls OnlineDynamo site for girls has priorities right.— Age: 10— URL: http://www.newmoon.com/
- Teen
FigmentTeen writers express themselves on supportive social site.— Age: 13— URL: http://www.figment.com
Power PoetryOnline community empowers teen poets; use privacy settings.— Age: 13— URL: http://www.powerpoetry.org
SMITHTeensSite challenges teens to summarize their lives in six words.— Age: 13— URL: http://smithteens.com
Teen InkCreative, supportive forum for teens to share their work.— Age: 13— URL: http://www.teenink.com
Conclusion
Often overshadowed by the beauty of its more unique siblings, your pencil can also be more than just an implement that keeps your writer confined to the lines. It can be a learning tool for your little one, getting them use to different shapes, textures, and potentially even digitial pen/ink on its own. Practicing in pencil is a great way for kids to get used to the feel of writing stems.