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The preschool classroom is a bustling place of activity, play, learning, and development. All of these areas are happening at once, driven by the focus and intention of the preschool teacher. I've had readers ask how to incorporate more developmental areas into group activities for the preschool aged child and how to incorporate development of pre-writing skills into a small group setting. The activities below are ones that can be used in preschool centers or in small groups of children who are working on development of fine motor, visual perceptual motor skills needed for pre-writing and other tasks needed in a classroom setting. Considering all of the pre-writing skills that are developed during the preschool years, these centers can harness the excitement and play of creative play to promote development of skills needed throughout the child's life.

Use these preschool center ideas to help kids develop pre-writing skills and other developmental skills like visual motor and fine motor skills.

Preschool Centers and Development

Centers in the classroom are a common thing. A center is a small group of children that work together on one area for a short period of time. While in this small group, the children can work on a single area before moving on to a different center within the classroom. You may see centers geared toward a single learning concept or area or you may see a center that combines motor involvement with learning.

In the preschool setting, centers include tactile play, play dough, water tables, blocks, imagination play, art creation, finger paints, sensory play, name writing, manipulatives, etc.

The Occupational Therapist can contribute information related to development and specific needs of the classroom when collaborating with the preschool teacher, focusing on fostering skill development through play and use of various media and materials within the centers.

Try setting up center activities on the floor to develop skills like crossing midline, core stability and strength, proprioceptive input, motor planning, arch development of the hands, shoulder stability, and more.

Skills to address in preschool centers:

Fine motor development
Gross motor development
Pincer grasp
Bilateral coordination
Crossing midline
Pre-writing skills
Eye-hand coordination
Manual coordination
Hand strength
Body coordination
Object manipulation
Grasp development

Fine Motor Preschool Center

Fill a sensory table with different lengths of crepe paper for cutting
Squeeze water from small pieces of sponges into a water table
Spread out various lengths of cardstock and thin cardboard (open cereal boxes cut into strips)
Stringing beads
Set up Quiet Bins
Folding paper
Manipulating tape and envelopes
Thread recycled spools
Pinch clothespins onto paper stips
Poke pipe cleaners into a large cardboard box
Color match paper clips
Manipulate and build with rubber bands and blocks
Bead feathers

Writing Preschool Center

Copying shapes
Pre-writing lines with leaves
Copying letters
Stamping letters in play dough
Tracing shapes
Writing in wet clay
Drawing on carpet squares
Painting water on a chalkboard
Pencil control sheets

Visual Perception Preschool Center

Copying block shapes
Puzzles
Pegboard designs
I Spy activities
Geoboard designs
Memory games
Copy shapes with colored sticks
Color match craft sticks

Use these preschool center ideas to help kids develop pre-writing skills and other developmental skills like visual motor and fine motor skills.

Many times kids who struggle with handwriting just need some accommodations in order to complete written work in a legible and efficient manner. The strategies listed below are handwriting accommodations that can be used in a variety of classroom settings or in homeschool. The compilation of instructional ideas and accommodations below are able to be used by therapist and teachers with kids who struggle with handwriting. Handwriting accommodations can be used across throughout the school day or in individual situations. You may have seen a previous post here on The OT Toolbox on Handwriting Accommodations for the Classroom. As you know, sometimes a strategy will work for a child's particular needs and other times that idea will work for a short time. Sometimes you need to keep trying. Below, you will find MORE handwriting accommodation ideas for kids.

Looking for more info on handwriting? Start here, at our handwriting help page.

Handwriting Accommodation Ideas

1. Fill-in-the-blank worksheets can be used in place of written responses.

2. Use adapted handwriting paper such as stop go paper. Here are free adapted paper sources from around the internet.

3. Practice handwriting by using color changeable markers to address letter formation and motor planning needed for letters.

4. Use manipulatives such as magnets to write answers to problems and written responses.

5. Use a dry erase marker and whiteboard for written responses.

6. Students can write using large graph paper with boxes for individual letters.

7. Try using a sensory or writing tray for students to respond to multiple choice problems by forming letter responses in the sensory tray.

8. Use a sheet of sandpaper under written work for feedback in letter formation in line awareness.

9. Use the computer for spelling tests and vocabulary tests.

10. Stamp answers to spelling tests or multiple choice tests using letter stamps.

11. Provide adapted spelling test and vocabulary test using multiple choice problems where students can correct the can choose the correct answer by circling a letter.

12. Use a highlighter for tests and worksheets where students can highlight the correct answer.

13. Use a apps which can adapt worksheets into tablet form. Answers or responses can then be typed onto the tablet.

14. Explore several different pencil grips and pencil types to reduce the amount of pressure a student requires when writing.

15. Add a red or green dot to margins to help students identify starting and stopping points for writing.
16. Allow extra time for written responses.

17. use a handheld recorder to copy notes in older grades.

18. Trial use of a gel pen.

What are some handwriting accommodations that you have seen in place to meet specific handwriting needs? Let us know in the Sweet Ideas for Handwriting Help Facebook group.

Here are some creative ways to work on handwriting needs. Click on the link or the image to find out more:

Line awareness and spatial awareness without handwriting

Mechanical Pencil for Writing Too Dark or Too Light

Spatial Awareness & Line Awareness Activity Without Handwriting

Easy DIY Slant Board and WHY Use a Slant Board?

Spatial Awareness in Handwriting

Handwriting self-assessment quick check list

Omitting letters and words when copying written work

Handwriting Quick Check Self-Assessment List

Coban Wrap Pencil Grip

Distal Finger Control Exercises

Omitting Letters and Words when Copying

Handwriting accomodations for addressing handwriting needs

Handwriting can be a stressful situation for many students. Encouraging written communication in a stress-free environment can help kids write more fluently and legibly.

For the student who is who struggles with handwriting, practicing written work can be very overwhelming. He or she may scribble down whatever is on their mind as quickly as they can just to get the task done. Encouraging an environment where students feel respected and less handwriting-related stress can help with handwriting legibility. Use the ideas below to encourage a climate of acceptance and respect where students can write in their own manner.

Stress free handwriting practice ideas

Encourage an environment of acceptance students can then right as they like without worrying about how letters are formed how they're spaced or how hard they're pressing with their pencil.

Encourage the freedom to write as they like. Let the students know it's OK to write as they normally do and to be spontaneous and written work. This simple freedom can enable students to write more fluently and efficiently.

Take away the stress by limiting criticism, comparison, judgment, and competition regarding handwriting legibility. In this way students can know that what they are writing down on paper is more important than the way it looks.

Make writing fun! Take away the seriousness of handwriting practice by balancing freedom to experiment with ideas putting ideas on paper and producing clear written work. Encourage a fun writing assignment but make sure the student knows that it does take work to make written material legible.

Share excitement and encouragement about handwriting. Kids that see that handwriting practice can't be fun will be more eager to practice. Use big motions, music, songs, rhymes, and any creative ideas like fun ways to work on letter formation to help kids spark enjoyment of handwriting practice.

Remove the obstacles of handwriting. Take away comparison, Over-analysis, judgment, and over-reactions to mistakes to help kids feel more at ease with handwriting.

Allow time. Give kids lots of time to put their ideas on paper. A graphic organizer can be one way to help kids get ideas down on paper in a visual way. They can then use the graphic organizer as a sloppy copy to help hand writing occur in a timely but efficient manner where they are given enough time to put their words on paper. Many times kids can work practice letter formation in legibility of him ready when they don't have to think about what they are writing.

Let kids write without asking them to stop and correct mistakes. Students can write down their ideas and get answers on the paper without worrying about legibility mistakes or letter formation mistakes. Use a short period of time at the end of the assignment to quickly go over and check any legibility errors.

Collaborative writing. When kids right with others they can see the momentum that goes into hand writing. For the reluctant and writer sharing good ideas in writing in a group setting can help them to see that others are writing just as they are. Kids can also see good writing skills happening. Create a small group writing area where students can sit at a desk or table of 3 to 4 other students and each writes about one particular item that is sitting in the middle of the table such as a bowl of pipe cleaners. Use that physical picture as a writing prompt for students.

Balance the seriousness of handwriting with the freedom to experiment in written work. Kids should know that writing does take hard work but it can be fun to put your words on paper so that others can read them. Set up a writing pen-pal relationship where students correspond with students in another school. Here are a few sites to find a pen pal for students.

What are your favorite ways to encourage stress-free handwriting?