Pre-writing activities for 3 year olds can help your child get ready to learn to write in a fun way that provides stimulation to their growing minds. This list of activities has been hand-selected to be perfect for three year olds. You may use this list as a whole, or use parts of it to create your own pre-writing activity book. Get started exploring some great pre-writing activities that will keep your child engaged while they learn and grow!
Pre-writing activities for 3 year olds
Here’s my quick list of 8 pre-writing activities for 3 year old children.
1) Coloring
Coloring is a very basic activity that will help your child learn the skills they need to draw. Use coloring books designed for preschoolers, or grab coloring pages online or in printable coloring books. They will color pictures and numbers and letters, which will help them get familiar with the shapes and forms of these shapes.
Additionally, coloring will help them learn about color, or the way that different colors fill the world around them. As they learn about creating shapes with their crayons, they will also be building their fine motor skills. Use crayons and other art supplies to get them started on this fun activity, and then let them use their imaginations to color pictures to their heart’s content.
2) Telling stories
Telling stories is a creative activity that allows you to get creative with your child, while they are still learning. One of the easiest ways to do this is by using a basic storybook. Point at each picture, and tell them the story that you see. If the story is about someone waiting for the bus, ask them what their favorite bus is.
As your child gets older, you can start putting together simple story books for them to put their own stories into. You can use basic shapes or stickers to help them create their own characters and story lines. The more your child practices, the better they will get.
3) Playing with puppets
Puppets can be a lot of fun for young children and provide them with a great way to learn and grow. You don’t need expensive puppets, and you can even make your own. The point of this pre-writing activity is to help your child get used to dialogue, and also help them build their fine motor skills.
One of the best ways to build fine motor skills is through play. Getting ready to write involves fine motor skills, and you can use puppets to help your child learn these skills. They reach and wave, and gesture and point, which will help them to build these skills.
4) Playing with sand and water
Playing with sand and water is a fun activity for children of all ages. Your three year old can use water to help them learn about how water is shaped and shaped by things it touches. For example, they can dump a pile of sand onto the water and see what happens. They can also use water to touch the sand and make things even wetter.
This help your child get ready to learn the basics of physics. Even though they are still three years old, it’s never too early to start to learn about how objects interact in the world around them.
5) Bubble Wrap Letters
Every child (and most adults) love popping plastic bubble-wrap. You can easily write a letter onto the bubble-wrap and have your child only pop the bubbles that are connected to the letters you draw. This will help them learn the basics of letter formation, and it will be loads of fun!
Getting 3 year olds accustomed to letters early is a good idea, and you can get started today. Bubble wrap is perfect for this activity because everyone loves to pop it, and you can easily throw away the mess after you’re done with the pre-writing activity.
6) Drawing with Chalk
Drawing with chalk is similar to coloring. It will help your child get used to the movements to write, and develop how to form letters with their fingers. It will also help build their fine motor skills, which are crucial to learning how to write.
You may not have a lot of space in your house, which is where sidewalk chalk comes in. It’s small, so you can easily carry it outside and have your child draw letters, shapes and pictures in the sidewalk. This is also a fun activity to do in the park, letting your child express their creativity without making a big mess at home.
7) Tracing patterns
It can be hard for young children to pay attention, but the tracing patterns pre-writing activity will help with that by keeping your child engaged. First, you should make a large, clear pattern. They can trace along the lines with a dry erase marker, or a crayon.
As they get older, you can provide them with a large, clear mirror. They will see the letters reflected in the mirror, and practice tracing the letters in the same way that they would see it in a mirror. This will help them to get used to the mirrored images that they will see in their own handwriting.
8) Drawing with a paint brush
Paint brushes are an amazing tool to help your child learn how to write. They are fun and easy to use, and they can help your child get ready to write by helping them to develop their fine motor skills. Your child can use a paint brush to paint letters, shapes and pictures with water.
They can also use a paint brush to get used to the way that it feels to move their fingers in a sweeping way across a flat surface. This is similar to the way that they will feel when they write with a pen.
9) Play-Doh Letters
Creating letters out of Play-doh is a great way to help your child learn how to form letters with their fingers. You can form letters and then have your child create their own letters based off of yours. This will help them to learn how to form letters.
This is also a great activity for fine motor skills. Your child will need to learn how to move their fingers with precision to build their letters. Doing this will pay off in more than one way and will help to get them ready to write. And if there’s any mistakes, you can roll it up and start again.
Pre-writing activities for 3 year olds: Final Thoughts
Feel free to use any of the pre-writing activities on this list and change them to make them your own. This list is merely an inspiration for getting you started. If you want to help your child learn how to write, you can start today. Try one of these fun pre-writing activities today, and you will see the difference in the way your child thinks and feels about writing. Be sure to check out our Facebook group for even more!
