worksheet with zig zags, waves and other patterned lines for pre-writing practice — Photo Source: www.shirleys-preschool-activities.com

Pre-writing activities are encouraged during the preschool years because they help to build essential, foundational fine motor skills like movement in different directions, effective hand position, effective writing tool position, and hand strength, while also helping children differentiate between drawing and writing. Designed by Shirley Erwee, creator of Shirley's Preschool Activities, this series of eleven unique pattern writing worksheets is bound to get your future-writers off on the right foot!

Worksheet Applications

Print them for individual practice, create a reusable class set by placing the worksheets into plastic document protectors and inviting students to trace the lines with dry erase crayons, or, when all tracing is complete, double the fine motor practice by using them as scissor skill worksheets!

Other Considerations

When completing these and other pre-writing exercises, consider providing students with shorter writing utensils (e.g. finger crayons, shortened colored pencils, etc.). This will promote proper grasp of the writing tool, discouraging students from trying to "fist" the utensil.
During this pre-writing exercise, have students lie on their bellies with the worksheet on the floor or attach the worksheet to an easel or wall workstation. Both of these positions promote proper wrist position and grasp of the writing utensil.
As an supplement to the worksheet series, provide students with play-dough mats, play-dough and toothpicks. Invite them to flatten their dough onto the mat and use the toothpicks to copy the writing patterns from the worksheets onto the dough.

Be sure to visit Shirley's awesome preschool site for the download and other great activities!

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