Prep: 5 Minutes / Activity Time: 5-10 Minutes

Get your child up and moving as you use music and movement to help your child practice writing letters.

  • index cards
  • markers
  • highlighter
  • music with a lively beat (easy to turn on and off)

Preparation

Step 1: With a marker, print the uppercase letters on index cards, one letter per card. You might start with the letters in your child’s first name. Then move on to letters in family member names.    

Activity

Step 1: Place six index cards in a circle on the floor. Give your child a highlighter. Tell him that you are going to play some music and that you want him to walk around the circle while the music is playing. When the music stops, you want him to freeze.

Step 2: Start the music and guide your child around the circle. Stop the music and tell your child, “Freeze!”

Step 3: Ask your child to pick up the index card that is in front of him. Ask him to name the letter. Name it for him if he is unsure. See if he can trace the letter using the highlighter. Assist as necessary.

Step 4: Continue with the remaining letters as long as it is not frustrating for your child. If your child is not ready to tackle letter writing, give him more time to experiment with simple drawings.

For more information on ways to help with writing, go to the article, Beginning Writing

Instead of letters, provide pictures of simple shapes. For example, you might provide pictures of circles, squares and triangles. Play the music and when the music stops, ask your child to freeze, pick up the shape and name it. See if he can trace the shape with the highlighter.

As your child becomes more proficient in writing letters, increase the number of letters you use for the game.