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Stages of writing development: Teach your child to write

When will my child start writing? What can I expect as she starts to develop these skills? How can I encourage my child as a writer? Find the answers in this article, where you'll learn about the four stages of writing development, plus how you can support your child as she goes from scribbling to sentences.

BabyCenter has partnered with HOMER, the essential early-learning program, to share expert advice to help children develop skills for school and life. BabyCenter may earn a commission from shopping links.

young girl readying a book

How writing develops

Preliterate stage: scribbling is good (0 to 2 years), emergent stage: letters appear in writing (2 to 4 years), transitional stage: letters start to become words (4 to 7 years), fluent stage: spelling starts to have meaning (5 to 6 years).

There are four stages that kids go through when learning to write: preliterate, emergent, transitional, and fluent. Knowing which stage your child is in – whether he's scribbling in the preliterate stage or using "dictionary-level" spelling in the fluent stage – can help you support his writing development. Your child's ability to write is dependent on his ability to master a wide variety of literacy skills including recognizing letters, interpreting sounds, and print awareness, such as the spacing of words.

Children love expressing their thoughts and ideas verbally. Putting those thoughts on paper (writing) happens in stages that kids work through at their own pace. Any ages mentioned below are "typical ranges" and should be used as general indicators. And remember: No two kids are the same. Some will develop writing skills quickly; for others, it will take longer. If you're concerned about your child's progress when it comes to writing, speak to his pediatrician or teacher.

In the first stage of writing development, any scribbling or drawing a child does is writing. As they watch you and other grown-ups write, young kids are encouraged to pick up crayons and start scribbling. This kind of pretend play shows that your child is thinking, "I'm a writer, too!"

It's a milestone moment when a child realizes her ideas can exist as writing. You'll know this is happening when you see her scribbling or drawing while saying words or telling a story. During this stage, applaud any and all attempts to write.

Tips for the preliterate stage

A great way to encourage your child as a writer – even in this early stage – is to say, "Tell me what you wrote." Kids love sharing their stories, and you'll delight in hearing the often-elaborate and fantastical thoughts that are behind those simple scribbles.

Keep paper and crayons or markers easily accessible so your child can start writing when inspiration strikes. Pens and pencils are fine too, but young children often have an easier time holding thicker writing tools.

You can also encourage your child by writing notes to her. A simple one that reads, "I love you!" waiting at the breakfast table can inspire a note in return.

Is your child scrawling lots of random letters on a page? That's excellent! This means he is in the second stage of writing development, which usually happens between the ages of 2 and 4. Kids in this stage are taking the big step from scribble writing to appreciating that the "scribbles" grown-ups use for writing are symbols called letters. They're not quite matching letters to sounds – at least not consistently – but they are beginning to understand that letters play a special role in writing. At the start of this stage, children might still use other symbols like drawings or squiggles. As they progress, kids start to use only letters and will firmly declare that they are writing.

Tips for the emergent stage

Teaching your child to write his name helps him understand that letters are used to make words. It also encourages the move from scribble writing to using letters as symbols. Once that's mastered, you can move on to teaching him to write words like "Mom," "Dad," and the names of other family members. Another fun idea: Make signs together for role-playing games, for example a STOP sign for when you're playing cars.

Reading is also important at this stage. A great way to encourage reading is to find time to read to your child everyday. In addition to encouraging him to love reading, reading aloud inspires his inner storyteller. He'll start to come up with his own imaginative tales. Reading aloud also reinforces the idea that words are made up of letters, and that words have specific meanings. When you read the same story over and over together, your child might begin to recognize some words. For many kids, this repetition isn't just a step toward reading but also toward writing. For example, once a child has seen the word "bug" in a story several times, he will start to recognize it. Once he recognizes it, he can move on to writing those three letters to tell his own story about bugs.

When kids start to realize that words are made up of sounds, and that letters represent these sounds, they stop using random letters in their writing. Instead, they start trying to match the sounds they hear in a word to letters they know. This cognitive leap often happens between the ages of 4 and 7.

A child might spell "My cat is happy" as "mi kat z hpe." This type of spelling is called "invented spelling." Evidence shows that this effort to match individual sounds in words demonstrates that a child's writing and reading skills are getting stronger.

During this stage, kids often reverse letters or mix them up. It might be tempting to fix your child's mistakes, but instead focus on the fun. Mistakes like this are common at this age and are part of the learning process. Encourage your child's writing and communication, and save the spelling lessons for when she's older.

Tips for the transitional stage

Encourage your transitional writer by making writing part of pretend play. Help her write a menu for a tea party with her toys, or a prescription for you when you're playing doctor. Hold on to these little gems. You'll both enjoy trying to decipher the invented spelling in years to come.

In this stage (which usually happens between ages 5 and 6), children begin to use "dictionary" spelling rather than "invented" spelling. The spelling may not be accurate, but children are now aware that different spellings can have different meanings. They'll even begin to memorize some words, especially tricky but common words (like "was," "and," "the"), so that they can spell them correctly.

Trying to push kids to this stage too quickly can sometimes inhibit them, as they feel the demand for perfect spelling. If you feel your child is struggling with the pressure to spell perfectly, a great way to alleviate the stress is to introduce the idea of drafts. You can emphasize that a first draft is just to get ideas out, and the second draft is to check spelling.

It is also helpful for kids to begin memorizing common sight words like "was," "the," and "of." These words occur often, and the sounds do not follow the basic rules of spelling. Memorizing them makes spelling a lot easier.

Tips for the fluent stage

Encourage your child to use writing to connect with people. Try writing short letters to each other or family and friends. Another fun way to make writing a social activity is to write shared stories: You start by writing the first two or three lines of the story. Then, your child writes the next few. After that, someone else takes a turn, and so on.

If your child isn't in the fluent stage and wants to play, he can dictate and you can write. Kids think of story ideas much faster than they can write them down, and this can cause frustration. When you write for your child, he gets to experience the delight of having his original stories documented. In time, his writing ability will match the speed of his thoughts. But until that happens, alleviate the frustration by offering assistance.

What writing stage is your child in? How are you supporting his writing future? Remember, each child goes through the stages of writing development at his own pace. He will move from one stage to the next as he develops a greater understanding of writing and his desire to write grows. Allowing your child to take his time going through the stages helps him stay excited about writing. Observe, enjoy, and encourage your child's growth within each stage.

Is your child ready to learn to read? HOMER creates a fun, personalized learn-to-read plan based on your child's skill level and interests. It’s research-backed and kid-tested to give your child the best start to the learning journey. BabyCenter parents get the first month free (and if you choose an annual membership, up to 4 months free). Opens a new window

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Writing worksheets will supplement any child's education and help them build some of the fundamental skills to help them become good writers. Our collection of free writing worksheets starts with helping build the fine motor skills necessary to become an early writing. They then focus on making sure kids learn to write the letters of the alphabet and numbers. As ages progress, our writing worksheets get into spelling, grammar and some more advanced skills. Our set of "Think, Draw and Write" worksheets are a fun exercise for early writers. All of our writing worksheets are designed to print easily and are free to use over and over again!

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Teaching My 4-Year-Old to Write

Writing is an essential skill that all children should learn. Not only does it help them develop their vocabulary, but it also helps them to connect ideas and thoughts together.

In this blog post, we’ll provide tips on how to start teaching your child to write and help them develop the writing skills they need to be successful.

We’ll discuss the importance of writing with your child, how to start young, and some common developmental milestones your child will go through as they learn to write.

So whether you’re new to the idea of teaching your child to write or have been doing it for years, this blog post is for you.

Can Children Write at Age 4?

Most children begin writing between the ages of 4 and 7. Some children may start writing earlier or later, but this is typically the range in which most kids acquire the basic skills needed to write.

Most four-year-olds are not able to write because they have not yet developed the fine motor skills necessary for writing.

However, there are some four-year-olds who are able to write simple words and sentences. If your child is able to write, it is probably nothing to worry about. If your child is not able to write, you may want to talk to his or her doctor or a developmental specialist.

There are a few key things that children need to be able to do before they can start writing. Firstly , they need to be able to hold a pencil correctly. This may seem like a small thing, but it’s actually quite important! If a child doesn’t have a good grip on the pencil, it will be difficult for them to form letters correctly. Secondly , children need to be able to understand how letters are formed. This includes knowing which way to make strokes when forming letters (e.g., downwards for an “L” and upwards for an “F”). Once again, this may seem like a small thing, but it’s necessary for being able to write neatly and legibly.

Thirdly , the thing to look for is whether the child shows an interest in drawing and scribbling. Children who enjoy these activities are often more likely to be interested in learning how to write letters and words. If you’re unsure, it’s always best to consult with your child’s pediatrician or kindergarten teacher before starting any formal writing instruction. Lastly , kids need some general knowledge about what they’re writing about. For instance, if they’re asked to write a story about their weekend, they’ll need to know what happened during their weekend in order to tell their story effectively.

If your child is displaying all of these skills, then there’s no reason why they can’t start writing at age 4! Just provide them with some paper and pencils and let them loose!

How Much Should a 4-Year-Old Be Writing?

Assuming you mean how much should a 4-year-old be able to write: There is no one answer to this question as every child develops differently and will be able to write more or less depending on their individual abilities.

However, by four years old most children will be able to scribble using a crayon or pencil and may even be beginning to form some basic letters. Some children may also be able to spell out simple words such as ‘cat’ or ‘dog’.

Can Children Write at Age 4?

4-5-Year-Old Writing Skills

Most 4-5-year-olds are able to:

  • Hold a pencil or crayon with the proper grip
  • Draw basic shapes like circles, squares, and triangles
  • Write some letters of the alphabet, usually those that appear in their name first
  • Begin to spell simple words on their own, such as “cat” or “dog”
  • Copy words from a book or from someone else

Here Are a Few Tips to Get You Started

  • Start with the basics. Show your child how to hold a pencil and make basic strokes. Then, have them practice tracing lines, circles, and other shapes.
  • Encourage them to write their name. This will give them a sense of pride and accomplishment as they see their name in print for the first time.
  • Help them sound out words. As they learn to read, they’ll also start to understand how written language works. This will come in handy when they start writing sentences on their own.
  • Read aloud together. Reading stories is a great way to expose your child to different types of writing styles and genres. It’s also a bonding experience that you can both enjoy!

There are some other ways that you can go about teaching my 4-year-old to write.

One option is to enroll them in a pre-kindergarten or kindergarten program that includes writing instruction.

Another option is to purchase a workbook or other materials specifically designed for teaching young children how to write. Or, you can simply take some time each day to sit down with your child and help them practice writing letters, numbers, and simple words.

How to Teach a Child to Write Numbers

One of the most basic things that children need to learn is how to write numbers . This is a skill that they will use for the rest of their lives, so it’s important to get them started off on the right foot. There are a few different ways that you can teach your child to write numbers. 1. Have them trace numbers with their finger. This can be done on paper or even in sand or dirt. Tracing helps kids to see the shape of the number and understand how it is supposed to look. 2. Another way to teach kids how to write numbers is by using dot-to-dot worksheets. These worksheets have dots that need to be connected in order to form a number. As kids connect the dots, they will start to see the number take shape. 3. Once your child has a good understanding of how numbers are formed, you can start having them write numbers on their own. Start with simple numbers like 1, 2, and 3 and then move up from there. Make sure they take their time and form each number correctly before moving on to the next one.

Writing numbers may seem like a simple task, but it’s one that kids need plenty of practice with before they master it. Use these tips to help your child learn how to write numbers correctly and confidently!

How to Teach a Child to Write Sentences

One of the most important things you can do to help your child excel in school is to teach them how to write sentences. By teaching your child how to properly construct a sentence, you will not only be helping them with their writing assignments but also preparing them for future success in other areas such as reading and math.

There are a few simple tips you can follow to help your child learn how to write sentences: 1. Start with the basics. Teach your child the difference between a subject and a predicate. A subject is a noun or pronoun that is doing the verb, while the predicate is the verb or action being done. For example, in the sentence “The boy throws the ball,” “the boy” is the subject, “throws” is the verb, and “the ball” is the object.

2. Make sure each sentence has a subject and a predicate. Every sentence needs both a subject and a predicate in order to be complete. For example, “I am happy” is a complete sentence because it has both an “I” (the subject) and “am happy” (the predicate). However, “Happy” by itself is not a complete sentence because it lacks a subject.

3. Help your child choose interesting subjects and verbs for their sentences. Sentences about mundane topics such as what they had for breakfast or what they did at recess can quickly become boring for both you and your child! Instead, encourage them to come up with more creative ideas for their sentences such as describing their favorite animal or made-up creature.

The basics for teaching a preschooler to write

Writing is an essential skill that every person needs to be able to use. However, many children learn to write at a much slower pace than adults, which can have negative consequences down the road. In this blog post, we discussed some tips on how to teach your 4-year-old to write effectively and efficiently. By following these tips, you can help your child develop strong writing skills from an early age and ensure that they have a foundation on which to build future skills. If you found this blog post helpful, please share it on your social media platform to help others who are also interested in teaching their child to write.

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Dwight Hughes Sr

I am Dwight Hughes Sr., your specialist in Special Education and Preschooler topics at EduEdify.com. Holding a PhD in Early Childhood Education, I bring a depth of knowledge and experience to guide parents and educators in nurturing the younger minds. My mission is to share evidence-based insights, cultivated from years of academic and field research, to help every child flourish during their formative years.

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learning to write for 4 year olds

  • February 24, 2017

Learning to Write and Draw

A child coloring a red and blue circle with crayon

Key Takeaways

  • How Your Child’s Writing and Art Changes Over Time

Stage 1: Random Scribbling (15 months to 2½ years)

Stage 2: controlled scribbling (2 years to 3 years).

  • Stage 3: Lines and Patterns (2½ years to 3½ years) 

Stage 4: Pictures of Objects or People (3 years to 5 years)

  • Stage 5: Letter and Word Practice (3 to 5 years) 
  • What Can You Do to Encourage Art and Writing Skills

How A Child’s Writing and Art Changes Over Time

Creativity is a bridge to learning. When a child is creative and curious, she can come up with answers to the problems she encounters—like how to keep the block tower from falling. Creativity helps a child become a thoughtful, inquisitive, and confident learner later on, when she starts school.

One of the most important ways that a toddler is tuning into her creativity is by experimenting with art materials. As she grabs that chunky crayon and gets to work, you will see her art and writing change and become more controlled and complex as she grows.

For very young children, art and early writing skills are one and the same. At first, it’s all about just figuring out what these cool things called crayons can do. Then the child discovers the link between her hand holding the crayon and the line she made on the page: Presto! She experiences the power of cause-and-effect. Imagine how exciting this must be for her! She can now make a real “mark” on the world. This leap in thinking skills is helped along by her new ability to hold things in her hands and fingers. The growing control a child has over the muscles in her hands lets her move a marker or paintbrush with purpose and with a goal in mind.

For very young children, there are four stages of drawing and writing that you may see as a child grows from 15 months old to 3 years old. Note that the timetables listed below are approximate; the child may master these skills faster or slower and still be developing just fine. Growth doesn’t happen at the same speed for every child, but by offering repeated fun experiences with a variety of art and writing materials, you will see forward progress over time.

toddler sitting at table with art supplies

This is the period when young children are just figuring out that their movements result in the lines and scribbles they see on the page. These scribbles are usually the result of large movements from the shoulder, with the crayon or marker held in the child’s fist. There is joy in creating art at all ages, but at this stage especially, many children relish the feedback they are getting from their senses: the way the crayon feels, the smell of the paint, the squishy-ness of the clay.

For other children, this sensory information may be too much and they may not enjoy some art activities at this stage (like finger-painting). As they grow to tolerate more sensory input, you can incrementally re-introduce art activities into their routine.

Toddler painting a picture with paint brush

As children develop better control over the muscles in their hands and fingers, their scribbles begin to change and become more controlled. Toddlers may make repeated marks on the page—open circles, diagonal, curved, horizontal, or vertical lines. Over time, children make the transition to holding the crayon or marker between their thumb and pointer finger.

Stage 3: Lines and Patterns (2½ years to 3½ years)

Children now understand that writing is made up of lines, curves, and repeated patterns. They try to imitate this in their own writing. So while they may not write actual letters, you may see components of letters in their drawing. These might include lines, dots, and curves. This is an exciting time as a toddler realizes that his drawing conveys meaning! For example, he may write something down and then tell you what word it says. This is an important step toward reading and writing.

Many adults think of “pictures” as a picture of something. This ability to hold an image in your mind and then represent it on the page is a thinking skill that takes some time to develop. At first, children name their unplanned creations. This means that they finish the picture and then label their masterpiece with the names of people, animals, or objects they are familiar with. This changes over time.

Soon you will see the child clearly planning prior to drawing what he will create. You will also see more detail in the pictures, more control in the way the child handles the crayon or marker, and the use of more colors. What else to be on the lookout for? Children’s first pictures often build off circles. So, you may see a sun—an irregular circle, with lots of stick “rays” shooting out—or a person (usually a circle with roughly recognizable human features).

Once a child has begun to purposefully draw images, she has mastered symbolic thinking. This important milestone in thinking skills means that a child understands that lines on paper can be a symbol of something else, like a house, a cat, or a person. At this stage, the child also begins to understand the difference between pictures and writing. So you may see him draw a picture and then scribble some “words” underneath to describe what he has drawn or to tell a story. When a child is able to share his story with you, he will be motivated to “author” more and more work as he grows.

Stage 5: Letter and Word Practice (3 to 5 years)

Children have had experience with letters and print for several years now and are beginning to use letters in their own writing. Usually children start by experimenting with the letters in their own names, as these are most familiar to them. They also make “pretend letters” by copying familiar letter shapes, and will often assume that their created letter must be real because it looks like other letters they have seen (Robertson, 2007).

During this time, children also begin to understand that some words are made of symbols that are shorter and some words are made of symbols that are longer. As a result, their scribbles change. Rather than one long string of letters or letter-like shapes, a child’s writing now has short and long patterns that look like words or sentences. While these letters and words are probably not technically correct, it does not matter. This exciting milestone means that the child is beginning to understand that text and print have meaning.

How to Encourage Art and Writing Skills

Toddler sitting on the floor dipping paintbrush in paint and making a picture

No need for instructions.

Let children experiment and explore. Creativity means having the power to express yourself in your own way (Lagoni et al., 1989). This independence is just what a growing toddler is looking for to feel confident, competent, and clever. By sitting nearby, observing, and taking pleasure in your child’s creation, you are providing all the guidance he needs.

Notice the process, not just the product.

As parents, we often tend to compliment children on their successes:  What’s that a picture of? A house? That’s great!  And sometimes we get hung up on the fact that trees should be green, not purple. Sometimes we quiz:  What’s the name of that color? But children learn more when we don’t focus so much on what they are drawing, but on what they are thinking about their drawing. Take a few moments to observe a child’s work: Look at the lines you are making—there are so many of them!  Or,  That picture is really interesting. Those colors make me feel happy.  Or,  I see you are working really hard on your drawing.  Or just:  Tell me about your picture. Then see if the child is interested in sharing more.

Experiment with a variety of art materials as your child nears 3.

Let children paint with cotton balls, q-tips, sponges, string—you name it. Give a child crayons and rub over a textured surface (like a coin or a screen). Draw with chalk outside on a sidewalk; see how water changes the color of the chalk. Add powdered paint or glitter to a child’s sand play. Or add a new dimension to water play by adding drops of washable food coloring to the water. What happens when you mix two different colors of water together?

Use art to help a child express strong feelings.

Is the child having a tantrum? Offer some play-dough or set out the markers and paper and suggest she make a very, very angry picture. Creative activities can sometimes help children express and make sense of feelings that are too intense for them to share in words.

Encourage a child’s attempts to write.

If the child scribbles something and then tells you what he “wrote,” take it seriously. Let him take his “shopping list” to the supermarket or mail his (scribbled) letter to Grandma. This is how children learn that words are powerful and have meaning.

Display your child’s art and writing.

This is how a child knows her work is valued and important.

Creative activities help children to learn how to solve problems, come up with their own answers, discover the cause-and-effect of their actions, and feel confident about the choices they make. Art experiences help children develop independence within limits, and gives them the opportunity to represent their ideas on paper or in other formats. Most important, creative expression lets children tap into the magic of their own imaginations—which is what being a child is all about.

Resources and References

Farrell-Kirk, R. (2007 February).  Tips on understanding and encouraging your child’s artistic development.  Downloaded on June 10, 2008.

Gable, S. (2000).  Creativity in young children.  University of Missouri Extension. Downloaded on June 10, 2008.

Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service. (n.d.).  My child is an artist! The stages of artistic development.  Downloaded on June 10, 2008.

Lagoni, L. S., Martin, D. H., Maslin-Cole, C., Cook, A., MacIsaac, K., Parrill, G., Bigner, J., Coker, E., & Sheie, S. (1989). Good times being creative. In  Good times with child care  (pp. 239–253). Fort Collins, CO: Colorado State University Cooperative Extension. Downloaded on June 10, 2008.

Levinger, L, & Mott, A. (n.d.).  Developmental phases in art.  Downloaded on June 10, 2008.

Robertson, R. (2007, July/August). The meaning of marks: Understanding and nurturing young children’s writing development.  Child Care Exchange, 176 , 40–44.

Browse our full suite of resources on early childhood development.

Activity: Story mountain

Complete the story mountain to plan your story with a beginning, middle, and end.

Perform a poem activity

Activity: Perform a poem

Read a poem, talk about what it means, and perform it to an audience.

5. Find story inspiration

You can find fun story ideas anywhere! Why not raid your kitchen cupboards or hunt through the attic to find lost treasures? Anything from an old hat to a telescope will do the trick. What could the object be used for? Who might be looking for it? What secrets could it hold? Suggest different genres such as mystery or science fiction and discuss how the item might be used in this kind of story.

Real-world facts can also be a great source of inspiration. For example, did you know a jumping flea can accelerate faster than a space rocket taking off into orbit? What crazy story can your child make out of this fact? Newspapers and news websites can be great for finding these sorts of ideas.

For more storytelling ideas, download our free Story idea generator  or our Character profile activity sheet .

Activity: Story idea generator

learning to write for 4 year olds

Activity: Character profile

learning to write for 4 year olds

6. Draw your ideas first

If your child isn’t sure where to start with a story or even a piece of non-fiction, it can sometimes be helpful to sketch out their ideas first. For instance, can they draw a picture of a dastardly villain or a brave hero? How about a scary woodland or an enchanted castle?

Your child might also find it useful to draw maps or diagrams. What are all the different areas of their fantasy landscape called? How is the baddie’s base organised?

Some children might enjoy taking this idea a step further and drawing their own comics. This is great practice – it stretches your child’s creativity, gets them thinking about plot, character, and dialogue, and is a big confidence boost once they’ve finished and have an amazing story to look back on.

What your child will learn

In Year 4 (age 8–9), your child will be aiming to build upon the goals and expectations they were first set in Year 3. They will be expected to:

  • Discussing writing similar to that which they are planning to write in order to understand and learn from its structure, vocabulary and grammar
  • Discussing and recording their ideas.
  • Composing and rehearsing sentences orally (including dialogue), progressively building a varied and rich vocabulary and an increasing range of sentence structures
  • Organising paragraphs around a theme
  • In narratives, creating settings, characters and plot
  • In non-narrative material, using simple organisational devices (for example, headings and sub-headings).
  • Assessing the effectiveness of their own and others’ writing and suggesting improvements
  • Proposing changes to grammar and vocabulary to improve consistency, including the accurate use of pronouns in sentences .
  • Proof-read for spelling and punctuation errors.

Handwriting, spelling, grammar, and punctuation are all important aspects of writing too. You can find out more about them on our dedicated pages:

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Handwriting in Year 4 (age 8-9)

Find out more about handwriting in Year 4 at Primary School.

Find out more

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Spelling in Year 4 (age 8-9)

Find out more about spelling in Year 4 at Primary School.

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Grammar and punctuation in Year 4 (age 8-9)

Find out more about grammar and punctuation in Year 4 at Primary School.

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Language & literacy in three- and four-year-olds

Preschoolers develop their ability to comprehend and tell stories, become more skilled conversationalists, and begin to understand the mechanics of written language.

These skills are best nurtured when embedded in activities and play that reflect children's interests, initiative, and curiosity. Preschoolers are eager to learn early reading and writing skills when they are clearly connected to a task that's important to them.

Building oral language skills

What children are doing.

Preschoolers refine their communication skills during play. When they describe and explain, they use more and more complex vocabulary and sentence structure. These verbal skills provide a foundation of grammar, vocabulary, and story comprehension that will help later as they learn to read.

What caregivers can provide

  • Wordless books: books with illustrations that depict stories children can narrate.
  • Photo sequences depicting a class event to encourage children to narrate it from memory.

What caregivers can say and do

  • After reading a familiar story, ask children to imagine a different ending and encourage them to tell their version.
  • Ask children to describe things they've created or how they solved a problem. Encourage children to elaborate.

Understanding symbols

Preschoolers begin to recognize that a word that is said out loud can be represented by symbols on a page. Young preschoolers first grasp this type of symbolic thinking by recognizing familiar brand logos and signs that include print.

  • Materials with brand logos and labels that are familiar to children for dramatic play.
  • Labels (picture and word) on storage containers for toys and materials.
  • Point out relevant written labels/ symbols that children encounter during the day, such as the exit sign in the room.

Learning about words and letters

Preschoolers learn that individual letters stand for the individual sounds that make up words (called the alphabetic principle) late in the preschool years. Many experiences can help children make connections between language sounds and printed words and letters. Start with their names and words that are the most relevant to children.

  • Lots of opportunities for children to see their own written name.
  • Books with predictable or repeating text to make connecting oral and written words easier.
  • Incorporate children's written names into activities and routines.
  • Ask children to describe pictures they've drawn and record their words below the picture.

Recognizing the uses of writing

Threes and fours are becoming more aware of the ways that writing can be used to communicate. As children see more uses of writing, they are more motivated to learn how to write for themselves. Initially they use scribbles that resemble writing, but gradually incorporate actual letters, then words.

  • Writing materials accessible to children throughout the day and throughout the room.
  • For older preschoolers, print relevant word on cards and tape on a "word wall."
  • Model everyday writing and talk about what is being written and why.
  • Encourage children to write their names on their work, even if it's only the first letter.
  • Create a writing center. Keep it organized and well-stocked.

Recognizing the uses of reading

Preschoolers become aware of many different reasons for reading. When children are surrounded by different kinds of text embedded in the activities they care about, they will naturally develop a desire to read for themselves.

  • Different types of books that serve different purposes.
  • Print-based props for pretend play, block play, and outdoor play.
  • Printed step-by-step instructions for activities that combine pictures and words so children can independently "read" them.

What caregivers can say and do:

  • The most important things are to model reading in many situations and intentionally talk about what is being read and why.
  • When children ask fact-based questions, find the answers together rather than giving the answer.

Keep in mind…

The process of learning to read and write is quite complex, involving many different but related skills. Children will not learn most of these skills during the preschool years, but it is helpful to understand the whole continuum to provide materials and experiences that support the emergence of skills.

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learning to write for 4 year olds

Best Writing Games For Kids To Practice At Home And School

Writing is an important skill that we use in our daily lives. Children need to practice writing every day to improve their skills. One of the best ways to entice children to practice writing is to involve them in some fun writing games for kids.

List of Writing Games For Kids

We’ve compiled a list of simple writing games for kids that are sure to get even the most reluctant of them to write.

Pictionary writing games for kids

Things you need for Pictionary writing games for kids: Pencils and sheets of paper Instructions

  • This is one of the most fun and creative writing games for kids and is best when you have a bunch of kids. Ask the kids to sit in a circle.
  • Hand the first player a sheet of paper and ask them to write a random sentence at the top of the sheet. Pass the sheet to the next player.
  • The second player should read the phrase and draw a picture related to the sentence on the paper. Then, they fold the paper to cover the sentence and hand it to the next player.
  • The third player should observe the drawing and write a sentence describing the drawing. Ask the child to fold the paper to conceal the drawing and pass it to the next player.
  • The next player draws an image based on what they understand from the drawing and passes it to the next player.
  • This continues until the last player gets their turn to play or there’s no space on the sheet of paper. Finally, unfold the paper sheet to compare the original sentence with the drawings and sentences and have a laugh!

Rapid-fire writing games for kids

Things you need for rapid-fire writing games for kids : White sheets and pens

Instructions

  • Rapid-fire writing games for kids are more exciting when you play with friends! As the name suggests, the players are supposed to play the game at a quick pace.
  • Divide the kids into two teams with an equal number of participants in each team. Nominate one child in each team just to assign the words.
  • The nominated child should call out any random word like trees, lakes, mountains, dogs, etc. The other kids from both the teams should write any phrase related to the word within ten to twenty seconds.
  • The team with the most meaningful sentences related to the topic is the winner. Continue the game until each child gets a chance to win.

Creative story writing game for kids

Things you need for story writing games for kids : A long sheet, writing pad and pen

  • Kids have a very active imagination and are natural-born storytellers. In this game, channel their storytelling abilities towards writing. These kinds of creative writing games for kids improve their creative thinking, visualization, handwriting and vocabulary skills.
  • This writing game can be played in school or at home with the family.
  • Hand the child a sheet of paper and write the first sentence of a story. The children will have to use their imagination and complete the rest of the story. And it’s ok if it’s just 1 or 2 lines too.
  • Some children might struggle initially, but slowly they’ll get the hang of it.

Creative writing using different consequences for kids

Things you need for play consequence-based writing games for kids : White sheets and pens

  • First, explain to the child that most stories have two main characters, the ‘protagonist’ and the ‘antagonist.’
  • The conversations between the protagonist and the antagonist in the story leads to certain consequences.
  • Write the name of the protagonist and antagonist on the board and a particular consequence. For example, Jack and Jill fell down the hill.
  • Then ask the children to think creatively and write a sentence on where and how the two characters met.
  • Then, encourage them to think of and write about the conversations that take place between the two characters that led to that particular consequence.
  • In the end, ask the kids to read out their stories to see their take on the conversation.

Letter-writing activities for kids to improve their writing skills

Things you need for letter-writing activity for kids : A long sheet of paper and a pen

  • Letter writing is an important part of learning English, learning how to write letters is one of the best writing games for kids.
  • First, teach your kids about the different types of letters and their formats. Then ask them to write letters or messages to their friends and family.
  • There are two types of letters: formal and informal letters. Formal letters are used for formal communication like letters addressed to your teacher or employer.
  • Informal letters are letters, which are written to friends or loved ones. These letters have a casual tone with a personal touch.
  • There are specific formats for both formal and informal letters. Formal letters have from address, to address and date. They begin with a salutation (respected sir/ma’am) and end with thank you or sincerely and regards. The matter in the letter should be short and to the point.
  • Informal letters have a date and place, written on the right side. They begin with a salutation (dear) and end with a complimentary closing (with love).

Writing A Journal

Things you need for writing a journal: A new journal, colorful pens, stickers etc.

  • Hand your child the new journal, the colorful pens, stickers etc.
  • Explain to them the importance of maintaining a journal. Then ask them to write their thoughts or anything they wish in their journal.
  • It can be a safe space to talk about their feelings or talk about their dreams. They can even write a story or a poem.

Comic Strip Dialogue

Things you need for comic strip dialogue writing: Printed comic strips with your child’s favorite character with blank speech bubbles and pens

  • This is one of the best writing games for kids who love comics and storytelling.
  • Hand your child the printed comic strips with blank speech bubbles and some colorful pens.
  • Then ask them to use their imagination to fill in the speech bubbles and create a story.

Ask The Oracle

Things you need to play this writing game for kids: Sheets of paper and pens

  • This is one of the most entertaining writing games for kids that also tests their creativity.
  • Have the kids sit in a circle and hand each of them a sheet of paper and a pen.
  • Ask each child to write a question that they want the Oracle to answer at the top of the page.
  • Then ask them to hand the paper to the child on the left.
  • Now ask the children to read the question and write a suitable answer according to their perception. Now, ask the child to fold the paper to conceal the first answer and hand it to the child on the left.
  • The next child writes another answer based on their understanding of the question above.
  • Continue the game until there’s no space left on the paper. Finally, ask each child to read the crazy answers written to the original question.

These 8 writing games for kids are sure to get your little ones more eager to practice their writing skills. Check our kids learning section for more such games and learning activities.

Frequently Asked Questions on Best Writing Games For Kids To Practice At Home And School

What are the best writing games for kids to practice at home and school.

The Best Writing Games For Kids To Practice At Home And School are Creative writing activities for kids, letter writing, story writing competitions, instant writing games for kids, etc.

What are the benefits of Best Writing Games For Kids To Practice At Home And School?

The benefits of Best Writing Games For Kids To Practice At Home And School are that they are helpful in teaching kids the importance of writing and improving their spelling skills for better learning outcomes.

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Writing practice

Do you like writing in English? In this section you can practise writing different types of texts with an example to help you. Read, write, play games, print activities and post comments!

learning to write for 4 year olds

Level 1 writing

Read, write, play games, print activities and post comments! For learners at level 1.

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Hands On As We Grow®

Hands on kids activities for hands on moms. Focusing on kids activities perfect for toddlers and preschoolers.

Name Writing Practice with 12 Hands-On Activities

Fine Motor Literacy & ABCs Preschoolers Name Resources Writing Activities 29 Comments

Give your preschooler a little boost in school with easy and fun activities to practice name writing!

They’ll be ready to go for the first day of school!

One of the first things your preschooler will learn is how to spell and recognize their own name.

Your little learner will be discovering how to spell it.

And that means writing it down.

Instead of using a name writing practice sheet or worksheet, add a little bit of fun to learning with a writing activity!

Hands-on writing is much more exciting for preschoolers than putting pen to paper and writing the same thing over and over again.

Enhance your preschooler's literacy skills with 12 engaging & effective name writing practice activities.

Plus, preschoolers might not be ready to grip the pencil and be able to write in this way yet.

And that’s okay.

Okay, quick disclaimer, I know that just sounded like I know what I’m talking about, and kind of sounds like it’s from a teacher’s perspective, but it’s not.

I’m a parent, not a teacher. I never have been a teacher.

This is just information that I’ve gathered through experience and through researching for many years on my own.

Get the FREE Learn Your Name Download

Name Writing Practive Can be Fun with Hands On Activities

Making name writing practice a hands-on experience can be so much more meaningful.

Over the years, I’ve done many of these in some shape or form.

I hope you enjoy these 12 fun ways that kids can practice name writing.

Best of all, you can use these ideas at home or school.

It will make learning fun for them without adding pressure!

12 name writing practice activities for preschoolers

Download the Fine Motor Week of Activities

Activities for Preschoolers to Practice Name Writing:

  • Highlighters are awesome for tracing anything! Add in glue and yarn and it’s a hands-on experience, or triple the name tracing fun !
  • Buggy and Buddy loves to  rainbow write their names ! Writing their name over and over again in different colors to make a rainbow. Make it big and fun!
  • Another twist on rainbow writing is rainbow name painting from NurtureStore! Paint over and over in different colors!
  • Toddler at Play traces letters with paint and Q-tips , put this to their name and the kids will love it!
  • Jen’s OT for Kids uses glitter glue to practice name writing! (Get glitter glue here , affiliate link )
  • Practice writing their name on the chalkboard, but with water to erase it away !
  • Make a sensory bag to practice pre-writing skills to write the letters of their name (from Learning 4 Kids)
  • Fingerpaint their name! This idea from Creative Tots is a great one for kids struggling to grip a pencil yet.
  • Practice writing their name in a salt sensory tray ! Great idea from Bounce Back Parenting. No salt? Try flour!
  • Get out the watercolors and  trace the letters of their name with a paintbrush ! This is a pretty one from Play to Learn Preschool!
  • Teach Preschool has a fun name writing game to do on the whiteboard.
  • When all else fails, break out a can of shaving cream . This idea from Gift of Curiosity always wins! Write their name in a tray!

12 ways for preschoolers to practice name writing

How can I teach my child their name?

Not quite ready to practice name writing yet?

Try some of these name activities to start recognizing and spelling their name first.

There are so many exciting and fun ways to help even toddlers learn to spell and recognize their names .

Download the FREE Learn Your Name Week!

What are your favorite activities to help your child practive writing their name?

These affiliate products are non-worksheet ways for kids to practice writing their name.

  • Use these WikkiStix letters to write their name
  • Try the letter construction set from Learning Resources to build their name
  • Use dry erase markers to write their name on the window
  • Use sidewalk chalk to write their name outside

Here are 10 more ways to prepare your little ones for school (that have nothing to do with academics!), from TheSaltyMamas.com.

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About Jamie Reimer

Jamie learned to be a hands on mom by creating activities, crafts and art projects for her three boys to do. Jamie needed the creative outlet that activities provided to get through the early years of parenting with a smile! Follow Jamie on Pinterest and Instagram !

More Hands on Kids Activities to Try

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Reader Interactions

29 comments.

marilyn young says

June 17, 2023 at 8:37 pm

Always looking for ideas for Head Start/Early Head Start, thank you!

Seanna says

July 6, 2020 at 4:51 pm

I love this website

Courtney says

August 22, 2019 at 2:11 pm

These are all great ideas! We discussed this topic in my mommy group, the Weecare.co Community Page. I think one of the most basic things when getting started is something another mom from Weecare mentioned: “Keep crayons and paper in her reach at home and practice together.” If it’s there and in front of them all the time, they are more likely to be interested and want to do it. If anyone is interested in the full discussion, here’s the link: https://weecare.co/post/at-what-age-do-kids-learn-how-to-spell-their-own-names-226 .

Suzette Dobbins says

August 19, 2018 at 10:16 pm

One of my favorite ways to practice writing is with water on a chalk board. I have one client who loves to put everything in the mouth, who cares if its a clean brush and water!

Stephanie, One Caring Mom says

July 13, 2018 at 3:14 pm

My youngest will be headed to preschool soon so I would love for him to have some idea of how to write his name. These ideas actually make it look fun. Thank you for getting all of these together!

April 10, 2016 at 1:58 am

I love this compilation. Big help!

Snehal Borkar says

January 15, 2016 at 1:13 am

It’s very good idea……THANKS

Nona T. says

January 2, 2016 at 1:37 pm

I am a preschool teacher with 15 years experience and five master degrees in education. You are absolutely correct about writing names. Your activities are perfect. Thank you for the reminder. School starts up again in a few days and I am going to have my little ones do your activities. So many times adults forget that young children learn best by having playing and fun. Skill sheets are NOT fun!! I wish teachers would sit down with a skill sheet and complete it. It wouldn’t take long before they realize how their hands ache and they stopped processing what they are suppose to learn. Just imagine how a child’s little hand muscles must hurt. Thank you again for the great ideas and reminders of how to help our children.

Claudia Morales says

January 2, 2016 at 9:39 am

Thank you!!! We are doing the Rainbow Writing Name right now! She loves it!

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Parents Wonder

Can 4-Year-Olds Read and Write? Educational Norms & Goals

Your child is leaping toward independence, leaving the awkward and silly toddler behind. The transition from toddler to preschooler seems to happen overnight. Skills gathered between 3 and 5 years old are essential to school readiness. 

Can 4-year-olds read and write? It is possible for 4-year-olds to read and write as early literacy skills are often emerging at this age. Some 4-year-olds can copy or trace letters, showing beginner skills in letter formation. Most 4-year-olds are working on phonemic awareness, letter identification, and high-frequency words.

Encouraging your 4-year-old to read and write should be done gently through play. By identifying what your 4-year-old knows and should know, you can choose activities, toys, and books that best support their developing skills. 

What Should a 4-Year-Old Know Educationally?

Deciding what is normal and abnormal falls to a list of milestones and developmental markers.

There is a wide range of what is considered normal development as skills develop at different rates. Developmental milestones are indicators that imply what skills your child should know.

4-Year-Old Reading Skills

Early reading skills will develop in partnership with your child’s language skills.

By age four, your child should be able to:

  • Identify some letters of the alphabet
  • Name beginning sounds of letters or words
  • Retell stories
  • Differentiate between letters and numbers
  • Engage in rhyming word games
  • Match some letters to sounds
  • Recognize familiar words, signs, pictures/symbols

4-Year-Old Writing Skills

Fine and gross motor skills will determine early writing readiness. Grip, stamina, and strength are necessary for successful writing.

  • Complete pre-writing strokes, including circles and vertical and horizontal lines
  • Trace lines and letters
  • Copy familiar letters
  • Begin using scissors with mild accuracy
  • Start using a tripod grip: holding a writing instrument with their thumb and pointer finger while resting it on the joint of their middle finger

Not all of these skills must be mastered by age four. These are emerging skills that will continue to grow as your child practices.

4-Year-Old Math Skills

Basic math skills begin with rote counting and noticing quantity. Differentiating between numbers and letters is the first step in visual math skills.

At the age of 4, your child should be able to:

  • Sort, organize, and differentiate between objects
  • Identify at least three shapes
  • Identify four or more colors
  • Count to 10
  • Begin identifying numbers 1 – 10

Math skills are still in the early stages at age four. Repetition, play, and practice boost math knowledge and encourage kids to exceed milestone expectations.

4-Year-Old Social Skills

Social-emotional growth is abundant during preschool years. Social skills emerge rapidly as children seek independence and friendship outside their inner family circle. 

Social-Emotional 

By the age of 4, children are blossoming into social creatures. They would rather play with others than be alone.

Four-year-olds begin seeking new experiences and expressing personal tastes. By 4, children seek independence and will attempt new tasks to display independence.

Your child may now play more cooperatively with other children to seek happiness. The concepts of “game rules” and sharing are new skills making playtime more reciprocal.

Your 4-year-old’s playtime may evolve from direct play into creative make-believe play.

Four-year-olds are now actively seeking to make others happy. They will begin to display more desirable and socially acceptable behavior. They will also begin to negotiate solutions to conflict rather than throw a tantrum.

By understanding rules and boundaries, your child behaves with more respect for their environment and the people in it. 

Self-Control

Four-year-olds express emotions verbally rather than physically. They can communicate likes and dislikes. By understanding their emotions, they can obey and think logically before acting.

Obedience  

Four-year-olds understand obedience. They are displaying more obedient behavior by following two- or three-step directions, showing respect for people and their environment, and acting with the intent to please others.

A little girl in a yellow shirt sitting on the floor at a library looking at a book.

4-Year-Old Fine Motor Skills

Children learn through play, and that is exactly what they should be doing. They should be running, jumping, throwing, and kicking.

At 4 years old, your child should be able to:

  • Use a fork and spoon
  • Cut with scissors
  • Trace or copy lines, shapes, or letters
  • Draw a person with a body
  • Stack 10 or more objects
  • Dress independently

Your child’s quest for independence keeps motor skills sharp and evolving.

What Should a 4-Year-Old Know Before Starting School?

The skills your child learns at home are essential to school readiness. Before your child heads off to school, they should be able to express themselves . The expression doesn’t have to be perfect, but it needs to be understandable.

Your child should be able to play with others amicably and have the ability to express wants, needs, and emotions. Social skills ranging from turn-taking to asking for help are essential skills for children starting school.

Four-year-olds should know how to feed and dress themselves. Being able to use the toilet and express toileting needs is crucial for school-aged children.

Academic practice before your child starts school isn’t required but is very helpful. Practicing, identifying, and sorting are skills that are applicable to objects, letters, numbers, shapes, and colors.

These basic academic skills are beneficial for your child to know before starting school. 

How To Develop Language Skills in a 4-Year-Old

Development in your child’s language and early literacy skills happens through everyday interactions. Language skills develop through:

  • Play – Skills develop through playing together and with academic toys/resources
  • Communication – Talk to your child, talk about your day, ask questions, and narrate
  • Reading – Read together! Books that have repetition and rhyming are great tools for language development
  • Music – Sing songs or listen to educational/repetitive songs 

Anything you can do to boost communication and listening skills will support language development.

Signs of Reading Readiness

Reading readiness stems from interest. If your child is interested in reading, they will be motivated to learn the proper steps necessary to be a successful reader.

If your child can…

  • Identify all or some of their letters
  • Understand that letters make sounds
  • Retell a story with context

… they could be showing you signs that they are ready to read.

Is My Child Ready for Preschool?

Determining whether or not your child would benefit from preschool stems from two key readiness aspects: social-emotional and physical.

Social-Emotional – Can your child separate away from you without anxiety? Do they play well with peers? Are they able to tolerate exposure to over-stimulation and extended period of sensory input? Can they express themselves?

Physical – Are they potty trained? Can they feed and dress themselves?

If you answered “Yes” to all of these questions, your child could be ready for preschool.

Related Questions:  

Should a 4-year-old be potty trained.

Yes, a 4-year-old should be potty trained, especially before starting school. If your child is struggling with this accomplishment, talk to your pediatrician about any stress in your child’s life, but know that accidents at this age are completely normal.

What Age Should a Child Read Fluently?

Children should be able to read fluently by 2nd grade between the ages of 6 and 8 years old . Of course, there are exceptions, and many children can read well by the age of 4 while others still may not be quite fluent at 9 years old.

Final Thoughts

All children grow and develop at their own pace. Don’t worry if your child hasn’t reached all of their milestones at a specific time.

Children learn through play and daily interactions. By communicating and playing with your child, you are encouraging positive development.

Your child should be gradually learning new skills and meeting developmental markers. If you notice any delay in development or regression of skills, talk to your primary health care provider.

Ashley-Author Avatar

Mom of three (including identical twin boys), wife, and owner of Parents Wonder. This is my place to share my journey as a mother and the helpful insights I learn along the way.

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Parent Resources for Learning > Core Skills > 7 Fun and Easy Learning Activities for 4-Year-Olds

7 Fun and Easy Learning Activities for 4-Year-Olds

by Dr. Jody LeVos | May 17, 2023 | Core Skills

Five 4-year-old children playing with blocks together on the floor

Your 4-year-old’s imagination is growing by leaps and bounds. Four-year-olds often develop imaginary friends and love to play dress-up (Creativity and Curiosity at work!). They can also get their friends, siblings, or even mom and dad involved as their ability to play with others develops (part of building Character).

When choosing activities for 4-year-olds, we suggest picking games that encourage creativity, introduce new things, and involve cooperative play to help your child continue developing these important skills.

Core Skills

At the four-year mark, you’ve likely already seen your child’s growing cognitive abilities. Many kids this age begin to:

  • Memorize the names of shapes and colors
  • Understand the idea of counting
  • Write or read a few written numbers
  • Recall parts of a story
  • Write their first name

In addition, children at this stage are getting better at problem-solving and understanding the world around them. And there’s so much more exciting cognitive development to come!

Gross and Fine Motor Skills

Children playing outside on trampoline

At age 4, your child is developing a few new gross motor skills. These may include jumping on one leg, skipping, throwing and catching a ball, kicking a ball, climbing, and hopping while running.

Some fine motor skills are also improving. At this stage, your child may be able to complete puzzles, use child-safe scissors, and hold pens, markers, and pencils correctly.

Your child’s growing gross and fine motor skills help them explore new activities related to many of the 5 C’s. At age 4, they may become able to draw some figures and write a few letters and numbers (Core Skills and Creativity). And their gross motor skills will help them play organized games like sports, which develop Critical Thinking by introducing sets of rules to follow.

Since many children love being active and welcoming new challenges, working their developing motor skills into new activities for 4-year-olds can be a lot of fun!

Sensory Skills

Smiling child in classroom holding up hands with blue and green paint on them

At Begin, we encourage lots of sensory play (activities that involve kids using their five senses) because children explore and learn about the world around them by touching, smelling, seeing, hearing, and tasting.

Sensory play has an important role in many aspects of a child’s development, including:

  • Cognitive development
  • Social skills
  • Fine motor skills
  • Gross motor skills
  • Language development
  • Problem-solving skills

Incorporating sensory play when you choose activities for 4-year-olds can help them continue developing these skills.

Physical Strength

We’ve already covered some of the gross motor skills your 4-year-old is learning. As they continue to be active every day, their physical strength will naturally increase.

Four-year-olds should ideally get about three hours of physical play per day . This can include light, moderate, and vigorous activities.

Organized sports and other physical games can help kids develop their strength and Critical Thinking at the same time. But at this stage, it can be challenging for children to wrap their heads around the rules of a game. Four-year-olds may run or kick a ball in the wrong direction. And that’s OK! It’s part of their development.

If you choose to enroll your child in sports to help with their physical development, we suggest you opt for early childhood sports programs that focus on healthy fun and engagement, rather than being competitive.

7 Creative Learning Activities for 4-Year-Olds

1. indoor obstacle course.

Two girls setting up an obstacle course on the floor

What You’ll Need:

It’s easy to create an indoor obstacle course using everyday items around your home. To get started, you’ll need to come up with a list of challenges and then build the course around that.

Look around the house and see what movable items can bring your obstacle course to life. Chairs, cushions, books, and blankets can all add to the fun!

What to Do:

It’s always fun to get the kids involved in the building of your obstacle course. As a parent, your main role can be maintaining safety.

If you’re stuck thinking of challenges to create, here are some ideas:

Tunnel — An indoor tunnel is easy to create by lining up a row of chairs that your child can crawl through.

Balance Beam — Got some painter’s tape? Place a long strip on the floor and encourage your child to walk it in a straight line.

Maze — Children can create an indoor maze by lining up some books and using them as a low wall.

Obstacle courses are great to encourage physical activity, Critical Thinking, and Creativity while having lots of fun!

2. Hopscotch

Smiling girl sitting on ground next to hopscotch grid

  • A small rock or pebble
  • A paved area outside

Hopscotch is a classic activity for 4-year-olds! (Check out detailed instructions for hopscotch and other number-related games here. )

You might want to make the game a bit easier than the usual version to begin with. You can do that by:

  • Making the squares with numbers closer together
  • Letting your child jump to one number at a time
  • Creating a board that goes from one to six (this can increase as your child gets more adept at the game)
  • Letting your child place their stone on the number rather than toss it

As your child gets better at the game, they can move closer to the original rules.

Besides getting some exercise in, your child will also be practicing math , one of the Core Skills. You can help by counting their hops out loud and then celebrate the total hops once they reach the other side.

3. Outdoor Letter and Number Hunt

  • 10 index cards

Start by writing the numbers 1 to 5 on five individual index cards (one number per card). Then write 5 letters—maybe your child’s name or one of their favorite things—on the remaining cards.

Finally, hide the cards in your yard or around a nearby park (behind a tree, in a bush, under a rock, etc.). Tip: Be sure to place the cards underneath or attached to something in case the wind blows!

The aim of the game is simple—encourage your child to find a number card (“Let’s see if we can find a number!”). If they find a number, celebrate this moment (“You found a number!”). If not, turn the card over and encourage them to try again. You can then do the same with letters.

You can find more details here . To make it a bit more challenging, ask your child to find a specific number or letter. Recognizing letters and numbers is an important Core Skill for 4-year-olds, so this game helps them learn while having fun!

4. Dance Festival

Family dancing in living room

  • Wooden spoons
  • Fun costumes

Attending a concert or music festival can be a fantastic experience for kids, giving them a chance to cultivate Curiosity by checking out new sights and sounds (not to mention the Creativity that comes with dancing). So why not bring that fun to your household?

You can turn pots over to create drums, hit wooden spoons together (they can also be a pretend microphone), and dress in fun costumes to really get into the mood.

This is a great activity to get the whole family involved. The kids may want you to play their favorite songs over and over, and that’s fine—but see if you can work some new ones into the mix too!

5. Craft Box

Girl concentrating as she paints a craft box

  • Pipe cleaners
  • Cotton balls
  • Colored paper
  • Any other craft supplies you have around the house

This activity is straightforward. All you need to do is fill the box with the craft supplies and encourage your child to create anything they want.

Will they draw a house? Create a rocket ship? Who knows what their imaginative minds will come up with?

This is a great opportunity for your child to continue developing their Creativity. And once the box is finished, they can store art supplies in it for future creative projects too!

6. Color Mixing Sensory Bag

Happy boy showing off hands colored in rainbow paint

  • Icing or shaving cream
  • Food coloring
  • Two small bowls
  • Toothpick or spatula
  • Large zip-top bag

You can follow these detailed instructions for creating a color mixing sensory bag for your 4-year-old. In a nutshell, your child will need to use their fingers and hands to squish and mix the different colors inside the bag.

This activity is a great way for your child to practice experimenting and exploring cause and effect while having fun and learning about colors, an important Core Skill. They’ll also enjoy squishing and squashing the soft icing or shaving cream!

7. Shared Story Map

  • Our story map
  • Crayons or pencils
  • Toys (preferably stuffed animals)

Encourage your child to tell you a story, using the story map as a guide. They can fill the map out with their creative drawings, or you can help them write the story out.

Sometimes it can be challenging for a child to think of a whole story by themselves. This is where you come in! You can start the story, and then your child can add on (other family members can join in, too).

Once you’re confident the story is complete, it’s time to act it out together using the toys!

This activity helps with language development (a Core Skill), storytelling and imagination (Creativity), and collaborating with others (Character)—all at the same time!

Bust Boredom with Activities for 4-Year-Olds!

Group of kids laughing together on floor

Children are constantly learning and growing. By focusing on activities for 4-year-olds that develop the 5 C’s, you can have a great time as a family while setting kids up to thrive in life.

To explore more great activities that support early learning (including our award-winning apps and hands-on activity kits, tutoring, and more), check out the Begin website !

Dr. Jody LeVos

As our Chief Learning Officer, Jody leads a highly knowledgeable team of early learning experts at Begin. She has a Ph.D. in Developmental Science, focused on children’s mathematical and cognitive development.

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Dr. Jody LeVos

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17 Best Books for 4-Year-Olds

Because every family with a kid in preschool can use more reads in its rotation.

affectionate father reading book with adorable mixed race daughter

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.

Most 4-year-olds are so entertained by stories that they ask you to read favorite picture books over and over again — the repetition is both soothing and helpful to them when it comes to figuring out concepts and messages. A 4-year-old can also spend a long time at a library or bookstore, flipping pages. Age 4 is a bit young for chapter books, especially if they don't have pictures for you to show while you read aloud. At this age, a lot of a child's investigation involves studying pictures as much as the words themselves.

The Good Housekeeping Institute has experts on staff who are parents themselves, who are constantly watching the world of children's books to find the best kids' books of all time . Below, you'll find gems for your 4-year-old from that list, as well as our best books for 3-year-olds round up, which naturally has some crossover with older ages. We also pulled from our annual Kids' Book Awards , done in conjunction with librarians, tester families and book aficionados (such as special guest judge and author Jenna Bush Hager ).

Looking for more great books and gifts? Check out these Good Housekeeping guides:

Best Toys and Gifts for 4-Year-Olds | Best Books for 1-Year-Olds | Best Books for 3-Year-Olds

Evergreen by Matthew Cordell

Evergreen by Matthew Cordell

The most beloved new picture book in our 2023 Good Housekeeping Best Book Awards , according to editor Karen Cicero , who works with the librarians and families who judge the awards, is about a squirrel delivering soup to her sick grandma. The brave yet scared squirrel traverses Buckthorn Forest, showing readers that helping others is worth conquering their fears . It's pure fiction and fairytale with a sweet message and a twist ending for the 4-year-old set. Librarians, parents and children all gave it high praise and its author, Matthew Cordell, previously won the 2018 Caldecott Medal for Wolf in the Snow .

There Is a Bird On Your Head! by Mo Willems

There Is a Bird On Your Head! by Mo Willems

Does your 4-year-old show interest in sounding out words ? They might be able to pick out a few in any of the 25 simple — and simply hilarious — Elephant and Piggie books. Author and illustrator Mo Williams uses the most basic of language and repeats words to tell stories of happy Piggie and grumpy, worried Elephant. Show your preschooler the word "bird," for instance. This one won the 2008 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award, named for Dr. Seuss, an award that goes to the year's most distinguished book for early readers.

Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons by Eric Litwin and Illustrated by James Dean

Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons by Eric Litwin and Illustrated by James Dean

Here's another great book series for age 4, and if your kid likes it, buckle up: There are more than 50 Pete the Cat books. "They're all a big hit with us," says Apparel Lab Executive Director Lexie Sachs , a mom of two who also helms our Family Travel Awards . This title incorporates the concept of subtraction and gets kids counting in a sing-song way. It earned a Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor in 2013.

The Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen and Illustrated by Dan Hanna

The Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen and Illustrated by Dan Hanna

Expressive, shimmery fish rule this fun read-aloud picture book that ultimately helps 4-year-olds deal with their big feelings . "The Pout-Pout Fish offers a creative way of teaching kids about emotions and how to turn 'dreary-wearies' into 'cheery-cheeries,'" says one mom of a 4-year-old, echoing others who enjoy this read. "My son loves pointing out all the different sea creatures — squid, jellyfish, octopus, clam. He especially gets a kick out of Pout-Pout Fish’s catchphrase, 'blub, bluub, bluuuuub,' and insists I say it with an exaggerated 'pout-pout' frown. Admittedly, the rhyming and alliteration can get kind of tongue-twisty to read but that's all part of the fun."

I LOVE Strawberries! by Shannon Anderson and Illustrated by Jaclyn Sinquett

I LOVE Strawberries! by Shannon Anderson and Illustrated by Jaclyn Sinquett

This one got top marks from librarians and families in our 2022 Good Housekeeping Best Book Awards . Done as a series of handwritten diary entries, along with a bit of regular text, you can follow one girl’s efforts to convince her parents that she’s hard-working enough to grow a garden of berries. “This book explores themes of responsibility, passion and entrepreneurship while explaining the process of growing one's own food,” said our judge Sandhya Nankani, founder of The Story Seeds Podcast . Bonus: The publisher is a nonprofit!.

Nothing Rhymes with Orange by Adam Rex

Nothing Rhymes with Orange by Adam Rex

All the other fruit have rhyming words — why not Orange? Orange is feeling super sorry for itself, as noted in many asides across these imaginative pages. But this book has a happy ending, and is a hoot to read aloud , says our Good Housekeeping Parenting & Relationships Editor Marisa LaScala . "The first time I read this through with my daughter, we were laughing so hard we had to wait to turn the page," she says.

The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt and Illustrated by Oliver Jeffers

The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt and Illustrated by Oliver Jeffers

We're suckers for funny books, as are 4-year-olds — and this one's got more than 23,000 five-star Amazon reviews to boot. The crayons are mad, each for their own reason. They've gone on strike and have issued their grievances to their young-boy owner, Duncan. It's up to him to convince each crayon to come back, a lesson in unity and recognizing worth . The illustrations are child-like to depict the kind of drawings that kids really do. This was Goodreads’ Best Picture Book of the Year when it came out in 2013.

Little Faces Big Feelings: What Emotions Look Like by Amy Morrison

Little Faces Big Feelings: What Emotions Look Like by Amy Morrison

Socio-emotional health is a hot topic and rightly so — kids have a lot of feelings to process that go way beyond just happy and sad. We put this book on our 2023 Best Book Awards list, noting how helpful it is for neurodiverse children who struggle to read others' body language. Instead of demonstrating each feeling with a single picture, this book utilizes 10 inclusive images to show a range of what, for instance, frustration might look. A mirror on the final page lets your kids make their own faces.

Nibbles: The Book Monster by Emma Yarlett

Nibbles: The Book Monster by Emma Yarlett

One of the testers for our Parenting Awards turned us onto this inventive book, which starts with your child letting Nibbles out of his cage by opening up a flap. He then runs rampant through the book. "Nibbles like to eat books so the way the book is built, there are lots of holes in the pages," she says. "Then he starts eating his way through fairy tales and changing the stories. At the end he escapes so there's a big hole in the back of the book. We have lots of laughs with this, and it's interactive. Sometimes I see my daughter just paging through it on her own, looking at the pictures."

We're Going On A Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury

We're Going On A Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury

If you don't yet have this classic in your library, get it while your 4-year-old is still young enough to love the delicious anticipation of finding and escaping from the bear. It also introduces sequence: Readers follow the family swishy-swashying through grass and splash-sploshing through water on their way to a cave, then going in reverse order on their way out. "It's still a big hit in my son's Pre-K 4s class," says our Executive Technical Director Rachel Rothman , a mom of three young kids.

Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry and Illustrated by Vashti Harrison

Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry and Illustrated by Vashti Harrison

It can be tough to find a father-daughter tale. In this book, a tie-in to Academy-Award Winning Short Film "Hair Love," a girl named Zuri describes all the different ways her hair can look. Then her Daddy offers to work through some trial and error to give her yet another hairstyle she'll love. It's a message about self-confidence and loving the hair that you're born with.

What Happens to a Hamburger? by Paul Showers and Illustrated by Edward Miller

What Happens to a Hamburger? by Paul Showers and Illustrated by Edward Miller

One of 93 books in the Lets-Read-And-Find-Out Science series. This shows kids, with simple illustrations, the journey their food goes through, beginning with chewing food and breaking it down in their mouth. They learn how the body digests — changing food into fuel. It ends, naturally, with food coming out as poop. It's an educational read for any 4-year-old who questions how things work (especially their own body!) and useful, perhaps, for both picky eaters and reluctant potty-users. Not only that, but it's all part of the process of living, kids!

Danny and the Dinosaur by Sid Hoff

Danny and the Dinosaur by Sid Hoff

This oldie but goodie, first published a couple of generations ago, is just a simple tale of friendship that also tickles a 4-year-old's imagination. What dinosaur-loving child wouldn't want a playdate with a dino? It's a level-one reading book, which means you can read it to your preschooler now and in a few short years they should be able to read it to you .

Just One Flake by Travis Jonker

Just One Flake by Travis Jonker

This new story also made our 2023 best-of list. "This book celebrates the uniqueness in all of us,” said our judge Jenna Bush Hager. “My youngest, Hal, laughed out loud.” The boy, Liam, comes up with inventive ways to try and get snow on his tongue, a lesson in creativity . In the end, he gets more snow than he bargained for!

The Bad Seed by Jory John and Illustrated by Pete Oswalk

The Bad Seed by Jory John and Illustrated by Pete Oswalk

This naughty seed's list of naughty deeds spells out what people shouldn't do — things like being late, not putting objects back where they belong, not washing hands, and so on. At the end, after some misadventures, he decides he wants to be happy and good. If your 4-year-old enjoys this, there are six more in the series including one about a good egg and one about a cool bean.

I Want to Be Spaghetti! by Kiera Wright-Ruiz and Illustrated by Claudia Lam

I Want to Be Spaghetti! by Kiera Wright-Ruiz and Illustrated by Claudia Lam

Here's our final new-to-2023 release: A book about ramen that serves as a lesson in self-love . A package of ramen sitting in a grocery story wishes to be more like spaghetti, all “thin” and “popular,” but learns from other pasta that they're all just perfect being themselves. Once the ramen is cooked that it realizes “being yourself is tasty.”

Just Go to Bed by Mercer Mayer

Just Go to Bed by Mercer Mayer

The books in the extensive Little Critter series are inexpensive and reliably entertaining. This one sees Little Critter go through a bedtime routine , which he pretty much fights all the way. (Sound familiar?) The little guy's procrastination is impressive, and the parents do their best to stay calm before finally losing it with one final, "Go to bed!" It ends sweetly with him tucked in and dozing off while his parents sneak a peek from the door.

Why Trust Good Housekeeping?

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For more than a century the Good Housekeeping Institute has steered families toward quality products. You've probably heard of the Good Housekeeping Seal but might not know about our extensive "best of" lists such as our Best Car Organizers for Busy Families and our Best Bedding Awards .

This list was compiled by Contributing Writer Jessica Hartshorn with insight from our kids' book-award stories, done in conjunction with librarians and families, as well as recommendations from our Lab pros who are also parents. Hartshorn previously worked at Parents magazine and is a mom of two.

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Although learning to read is an organic process, it does require proper teaching of a wide array of methods, techniques, skills, and strategies, such as phonics and phonemic awareness. And given that it does require a little more than just putting a book in your child’s face and teaching them the words on the page, the letters of said words, and how to say them, it’s no wonder that some parents can be a little daunted by the prospect of teaching their four-year-old to read.

However, it really doesn’t have to be a daunting task! Firstly, your child’s teacher will be their main teacher; therefore, they’re going to learn most things at school, meaning there isn’t anywhere near as much pressure on you! And secondly, teaching at home is actually relatively straightforward. That being said, as is the case with most things in life, knowing where to start isn’t always the easiest thing to figure out.

That’s where we come in. We know a thing or two about teaching four-year-olds to read; therefore, we’ve put together this post to give you and your child the best possible start on your reading journey (yes, it’s your journey, too!). We know that most parents reading this won’t have taught a child to read before, so we’ve made it super easy to understand, digest, follow, and implement. Teaching needs to be positive and rewarding, and our ten tips below will give you the perfect opportunity to marry these two to create the ultimate reading environment for your four-year-old.

It’s important to remember that learning to read is often a daunting process, so always take things one step at a time, introduce the proceeding ideas gradually, and don’t be afraid to take a step back or slow things down if needs be. All children will learn at different speeds, so try not to get too hung up on how quickly your child is learning. Instead, purely focus on making progress – no matter how small it is. So, without further ado, let’s get stuck in!

How To Teach Your Four-Year-Old To Read: 10 Easy-To-Implement Ideas

#1 – create a ‘reading environment’.

The great thing about reading is that it can be done anywhere at any time – even if you’ve only got ten minutes spare; therefore, never miss an opportunity to teach your four-year-old to read. Of course, we don’t mean making them read every spare minute of the day they have, but turning your home into a ‘reading environment’ can help your child to learn all day, every day, without them even realising it!

One of the best ways to do this is by labelling things around your house. Make posters, labels, and signs and place them in and around your home. Doing this will help your child to form connections between objects, words, letters, and letter sounds, i.e. the key ingredients to successful reading. In fact, you don’t even need to be at home to do this. If you’re out and about, point at posters, signs, and anything else with words on it. When doing so, always say the word, then break it down into each individual letters and the different sounds of the word. To make it easier for them, ask them what the first letter of the word is and if they know the letter sound. If they get this right, see if they know any other words that begin with the same letter.

#2 – Don’t Forget Nursery Rhymes

Although nursery rhymes may seem like a thing of the past and things you’d read to younger children, they really can be of value to four-year-olds learning to read. After all, learning when young is all about having fun, and nursery rhymes will often bring a smile to a child’s face and are the definition of fun – so be sure to utilise them!

Singing nursery rhymes helps children to become accustomed to words, letters, letter sounds, word sounds, and syllables – without even realising they’re learning (which is often the most effective way). In fact, one of the premier ways to enhance phonemic awareness (probably the most essential skills where learning to read is concerned) is to recite nursery rhymes and songs and clap at the same time. Make sure you join in, as this will further help to increase the parent-child bond, which makes learning even more fun!

#3 – Read Together On a Daily Basis

No matter what you’re doing or how old you are, the adage ‘practise makes perfect’ is relevant. Period. Therefore, it’s absolutely vital to practise reading as much as possible. Of course, we don’t mean to point where your four-year-old is exhausted from reading, but we do mean setting aside time every day to learn to read – even if you can only squeeze in 20 minutes here or 15 minutes there.

Reading every day will help your child learn how to ‘sound out’ words, build comprehension, boost their vocabulary, and listen to what fluent English sounds like (from you). What so many parents don’t actually realise is that simply hearing someone else read can help their child to pick up many reading skills. Plus, reading on a frequent basis can help foster a love for reading; and if a child loves to read, he or she will read more, which will only speed up their reading development!

#4 – Be Patient

Although this might be an obvious comment to make, it really is crucial to be as patient as you can – even if you feel your four-year-old isn’t making the reading progress, you’d hoped for. Children will always learn at their own pace, which will be different from their peers and siblings, so try not to compare them to other children. Being patient helps to create a relaxed, easy-going, and fun environment – three factors that result in learning becoming a time full of smiles, happiness, and joy!

#5 – Use Word Cards

Despite being a complex process, the tools required to learn to read don’t have to be. For example, word tools are exceptionally simple and extremely effective. In fact, they’re definitely one of the best ways to teach your child the different sounds of a word. Plus, they’re super simple to make if you don’t want to buy them. All you need to do is cut out some pieces of cardboard (roughly A5 size) and write a word on them. 

Obviously, a four-year-old will only just beginning their reading journey, so starting with words that contain three letters is the best place to begin. But using them is really easy for both you and your little one. Here’s how to use word cards:

  • Ask your child to select a card.
  • When they’ve selected a card, read the word out to them and hold up three fingers.
  • Ask your child to say the first sound of the word, then the second, then the third. 
  • Once they’ve said each individual component, ask them to say the full word. Simple!

We love this activity because   it is cheap and easy to set up and because it’s super easy to do, doesn’t require vast amounts of focus from your child, is fun, and, crucially, helps your four-year-old to develop necessary decoding and phonics skills. 

#6 – Don’t Be Afraid Of Technology

Learning to read (or any form of learning to read for that matter) should be fun and enjoyable. However, children don’t often have the longest of attention spans and can become bored rather easily; therefore, it’s imperative to ensure you use a variety of strategies, methods, games, and activities to ensure boredom doesn’t ensue. This, as you can probably tell from the title of this sections, will involve embracing technology.

Although it’s easy to cast aside computer, laptops, tablets, and smartphones due to fear of your child becoming addicted to ‘screen time’, it’s essential to understand that these devices can have profound effects on your child’s ability to read – if they’re used in the correct fashion.

#7 – Sight Word Games

‘Sight words’ can be described as words that are quite difficult to sound yet need to be recognised on sight (hence the term  sight  words). Sight words are commonly high-frequency words that occur on a regular basis during everyday reading. Examples of such words are, does, here, was, I, they, the, there, their, have, to, etc.

When teaching your four-year-old how to recognise sight words, we recommend using a game we like to call ‘When you see it, say it’. Learning to both recognise and read sight words is an integral part of the learning to read process, and will help youngsters to improve their reading fluency at a much more rapid pace. By the age of four, your child should know a handful of sight words, but by the time they start school, this number should be around 20-30 (or even more if they’re super quick learners!).

#8 – Letter Magnets

One of the most common difficulties young children face when learning to read are middle vowel sounds. However, using another simple learning tool, i.e. letter magnets, you can help your four-year-old to begin to understand and say middle vowel sounds. Plus, it’s really easy to do. Here’s how:

  • Place all the vowels on one side of the fridge (or wherever your letter magnets are).
  • Say three-letter words that have a consonant-vowel-consonant structure.
  • Ask your child to spell the word.
  • To give them a nudge in the right direction, say all of the vowel sounds out loud (A, E, I, O U) while pointing at the letters, then ask them which one makes a sound like the middle sound of the word.

#9 – Word Games

Let’s face it, all children (and most adults!) love playing games, so allowing your four-year-old to play educational games is one of the best ways to teach them how to read. In reality, it doesn’t matter what type of word games you play – ones you’ve purchased from a shop, ones you’ve made yourself, ones you’ve created yourself etc. The key is to make them fun while at the same time teaching your child something to do with reading, letters, or anything else related to reading and the alphabet. At the end of the day, if a child is having fun, they are more likely to want to carry on learning. When I was younger, I often found traditional learning quite boring; however, as soon as a game was involved, I was excited to learn – and I’m sure there are lots of children out there who are exactly the same!

#10 – Core Skills

Last but certainly not least, let’s talk about core skills. Where reading is concerned, there are five primary components that lay the foundation for all reading skills and are absolutely vital to ensure successful reading. These are:

Phonemic awareness , which is the ability to hear sounds and be able to manipulate different sounds within words. 

Phonics , which is the ability to identify the relationship and connection between letters and the sounds they make.

Vocabulary , which is the ability to understand the meaning of words, their context, and how they are defined. 

Fluency , which is the ability to read aloud with understanding, speed, and accuracy. 

Reading comprehension , which is the ability to understanding the meaning of the text, regardless of whether it’s fact or fiction. 

Teaching Your Four-Year-Old To Read: A Summary

The above ten points should help you to lay a foundation of learning when your child is away from the classroom and in the comfort of your own home. While learning to read will, of course, take more than the list of tips mentioned above, by implementing the above, you’ll help to speed up your four-year-old’s reading skills.

Classroom Q&A

With larry ferlazzo.

In this EdWeek blog, an experiment in knowledge-gathering, Ferlazzo will address readers’ questions on classroom management, ELL instruction, lesson planning, and other issues facing teachers. Send your questions to [email protected]. Read more from this blog.

How to Help Students With Their Writing. 4 Educators Share Their Secrets

learning to write for 4 year olds

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Teaching students to write is no easy feat, and it’s a topic that has often been discussed on this blog.

It’s also a challenge that can’t have too much discussion!

Today, four educators share their most effective writing lessons.

‘Three Practices That Create Confident Writers’

Penny Kittle teaches first-year writers at Plymouth State University in New Hampshire. She was a teacher and literacy coach in public schools for 34 years and is the author of nine books, including Micro Mentor Texts (Scholastic). She is the founder and president of the Book Love Foundation, which annually grants classroom libraries to teachers throughout North America:

I write almost every day. Like anything I want to do well, I practice. Today, I wrote about the wild dancing, joyful energy, and precious time I spent with my daughter at a Taylor Swift concert. Then I circled back to notes on Larry’s question about teaching writers. I wrote badly, trying to find a through line. I followed detours and crossed out bad ideas. I stopped to think. I tried again. I lost faith in my words. I will get there , I told myself. I trust my process.

I haven’t always written this easily or this much. I wouldn’t say I’m a “natural” writer because I don’t believe they exist. Writing is work. When I entered college, I received a C-minus on my first paper. I was stunned. I had never worked at writing: I was a “first drafter,” an “only drafter.” And truthfully, I didn’t know how or what to practice. I was assigned writing in high school and I completed it. I rarely received feedback. I didn’t get better. I didn’t learn to think like a writer; I thought like a student.

I’ve now spent 40 years studying writing and teaching writers in kindergarten, elementary school, middle school, and high school, as well as teachers earning graduate degrees. Despite their age, writers in school share one remarkably similar trait: a lack of confidence. Confidence is a brilliant and fiery light; it draws your eyes, your heart, and your mind. But in fact, it is as rare as the Northern Lights. I feel its absence every fall in my composition courses.

We can change that.

Confidence blooms in classrooms focused on the growth of writers.

This happens in classrooms where the teacher relies less on lessons and more on a handful of practices. Unfortunately, though, in most classrooms, a heap of time is spent directing students to practice “writing-like” activities: restrictive templates for assignments, with detailed criteria focused on rules. Those activities handcuff writers. If you tell me what to do and how to do it, I will focus on either completing the task or avoiding it. That kind of writing work doesn’t require much thinking; it is merely labor.

Practice creating, on the other hand, is harder, but it is how we develop the important ability to let our ideas come and then shaping them into cohesive arguments, stories, poems, and observations. We have misunderstood the power of writing to create thinking. Likewise, we have misunderstood the limitations of narrow tasks. So, here are my best instructional practices that lead to confidence and growth in writers.

1. Writing Notebooks and Daily Revision. Writers need time to write. Think of it as a habit we begin to engage in with little effort, like serving a tennis ball from the baseline or dribbling a basketball or sewing buttonholes. Writers need daily time to whirl words, to spin ideas, to follow images that blink inside them as they move their pen across the page. In my classroom, writing time most often follows engagement with a poem.

Likewise, writers need guidance in rereading their first drafts of messy thinking. I’ve seen teachers open their notebooks and invite students to watch them shape sentences. They demonstrate how small revisions increase clarity and rhythm. Their students watch them find a focus and maintain it. Teachers show the effort and the joy of writing well.

Here’s an example: We listen to a beautiful poem such as “Montauk” by Sarah Kay, her tribute to growing up. Students write freely from lines or images that spring to them as they listen. I write in my notebook as students write in theirs for 4-5 minutes. Then I read my entry aloud, circling subjects and detours ( I don’t know why I wrote so much about my dog, but maybe I have more to say about this … ). I model how to find a focus. I invite students to do the same.

2. Writers Study Writing . Writers imitate structures, approaches, and ways of reaching readers. They read like writers to find possibilities: Look what the writer did here and here . A template essay can be an effective tool to write for a test, but thankfully, that is a very small and insignificant part of the whole of writing for any of us. Real writing grows from studying the work of other writers. We study sentences, passages, essays, and articles to understand how they work, as we create our own.

3. Writers Have Conversations as They Work . When writers practice the skills and embrace the challenges of writing in community, it expands possibilities. Every line read from a notebook carries the mark of a particular writer: the passion, the voice, the experiences, and the vulnerability of each individual. That kind of sharing drives process talk ( How did you think to write about that? Who do you imagine you are speaking to? ), which showcases the endless variation in writers and leads to “writerly thinking.” It shifts conversations from “right and wrong” to “how and why.”

Long ago, at a local elementary school, in a workshop for teachers, I watched Don Graves list on the chalkboard subjects he was considering writing about. He read over his list and chose one. From there, he wrote several sentences, talking aloud about the decisions he was making as a writer. Then he turned to accept and answer questions.

“Why do this?” someone asked.

“Because you are the most important writer in the room,” Don said. “You are showing students why anyone would write when they don’t have to.” He paused, then added, “If not you, who?”

confidenceblooms

Developing ‘Student Voice’

A former independent school English teacher and administrator, Stephanie Farley is a writer and educational consultant working with teachers and schools on issues of curriculum, assessment, instruction, SEL, and building relationships. Her book, Joyful Learning: Tools to Infuse Your 6-12 Classroom with Meaning, Relevance, and Fun is available from Routledge Eye on Education:

Teaching writing is my favorite part of being a teacher. It’s incredibly fun to talk about books with kids, but for me, it’s even more fun to witness students’ skills and confidence grow as they figure out how to use written language to communicate what they mean.

A lesson I used to like doing was in “voice.” My 8th graders had a hard time understanding what I meant when I asked them to consider “voice” in their writing. The best illustration I came up with was playing Taylor Swift’s song “Blank Space” for students. Some students groaned while others clapped. (Doesn’t this always happen when we play music for students? There’s no song that makes everyone happy!) But when they settled down, I encouraged them to listen to the style: the arrangement, her voice as she sang, the dominant instruments.

Then, I played a cover of “Blank Space” by Ryan Adams. Eyes rolled as the song unfurled through the speakers, but again I reminded students to listen to the arrangement, voice, and instruments. After about 60 seconds of the Adams version, heads nodded in understanding. When the music ended and I asked students to explain voice to me, they said it’s “making something your own … like your own style.” Yes!

The next step was applying this new understanding to their own writing. Students selected a favorite sentence from the books they were reading, then tried to write it in their own voice. We did this a few times, until everyone had competently translated Kwame Alexander into “Rosa-style” or Kelly Link into “Michael-style.” Finally, when it was time for students to write their own longer works—stories, personal essays, or narratives—they intentionally used the words and sentence patterns they had identified as their own voice.

I’m happy to report this method worked! In fact, it was highly effective. Students’ papers were more idiosyncratic, nuanced, and creative. The only change to this lesson I’d make now is trying to find a more zeitgeist-y song with the hope that the groans at the beginning die down a little faster.

itsfun

Teaching ELLs

Irina McGrath, Ph.D., is an assistant principal at Newcomer Academy in the Jefferson County school district in Kentucky and the president of KYTESOL. She is also an adjunct professor at the University of Louisville, Indiana University Southeast, and Bellarmine University. She is a co-creator of the ELL2.0 site that offers free resources for teachers of English learners:

Reflecting on my experience of teaching writing to English learners, I have come to realize that writing can be daunting, especially when students are asked to write in English, a language they are learning to master. The most successful writing lessons I have taught were those that transformed the process into an enjoyable experience, fostering a sense of accomplishment and pride in my students.

To achieve this, I prioritized the establishment of a supportive learning environment. At the beginning of each school year, I set norms that emphasized the importance of writing for everyone, including myself as their teacher. I encouraged students to write in English and their native language and I wrote alongside my English learners to demonstrate that writing is a journey that requires hard work and dedication, regardless of age or previous writing experiences. By witnessing my own struggles, my students felt encouraged to persevere.

My English learners understood that errors were expected and that they were valuable opportunities for growth and improvement. This created a comfortable atmosphere where students felt more confident taking risks and experimenting with their writing. Rather than being discouraged by mistakes, they viewed them as steppingstones toward progress.

In my most effective writing lessons, I provided scaffolds such as sentence stems, sentence frames, and word banks. I also encouraged my students to use translation tools to help generate ideas on paper. These scaffolds empowered English learners to independently tackle more challenging writing assignments and nurtured their confidence in completing writing tasks. During writers’ circles, we discussed the hard work invested in each writing piece, shared our work, and celebrated each other’s success.

Furthermore, my most successful writing lessons integrated reading and writing. I taught my students to read like writers and utilized mentor texts to emulate the craft of established authors, which they could later apply to their own writing. Mentor texts, such as picture books, short stories, or articles, helped my students observe how professional writers use dialogue, sentence structure, and descriptive language to enhance their pieces.

Instead of overwhelming students with information, I broke down writing into meaningful segments and taught through mini lessons. For example, we analyzed the beginnings of various stories to examine story leads. Then, collaboratively, my students and I created several leads together. When they were ready, I encouraged them to craft their own leads and select the most appropriate one for their writing piece.

Ultimately, my most effective lessons were those in which I witnessed the joyful smiles on my English learners’ faces as they engaged with pages filled with written or typed words. It is during those moments that I knew my writers were creating and genuinely enjoying their work.

To access a self-checklist that students and EL teachers can use when teaching or creating a writing piece in English, you can visit the infographic at bit.ly/ABC_of_Writing .

iprovided

‘Model Texts’

Anastasia M. Martinez is an English-language-development and AVID Excel teacher in Pittsburg, Calif.:

As a second-language learner, writing in English had not always been my suit. It was not until graduate school that I immersed myself in a vast array of journals, articles, and other academic works, which ultimately helped me find my academic voice and develop my writing style. Now, working as an ESL teacher with a diverse group of middle school multilingual learners, I always provide a model text relevant to a topic or prompt we are exploring.

When students have a model text, it gives them a starting point for their own writing and presents writing as less scary, where they get stuck on the first sentence and do not know how to start.

At the start of the lesson, prior to using a model text, I create a “do now” activity that guides my students’ attention to the topic and creates a relevant context for the text. After students share their ideas with a partner and then the class, we transition to our lesson objectives, and I introduce the model text. We first use prereading strategies to analyze the text, and students share what they notice based on the title, images, and a number of paragraphs. Then, depending on the students’ proficiency level, I read the text to the class, or students read the text as partners, thinking about what the text was mostly about.

After students read and share their ideas with partners and then the whole class, we transition to deconstructing the text. These multiple reengagements with the text help students become more familiar with it, as well as help students build reading fluency.

When deconstructing the model text, I guide my students through each paragraph and sentence. During that time, students orally share their ideas determining the meaning of specific paragraphs or sentences, which we later annotate in the model text using different colored highlighters or pens. Color coding helps visually guide students through similar parts of the model text. For instance, if we highlight evidence in paragraph 2 in one color, we also highlight evidence in the same color in the following paragraph. It helps students see the similarities between the paragraphs and discover the skeleton of the writing. Additionally, color coding helps students during their writing process and revision. Students can check if they used all parts of the writing based on the colors.

Furthermore, one of the essential pieces during deconstructing model texts that I draw my students’ attention to is transition words and “big words,” or academic vocabulary. We usually box them in the text, and I question students about why the author used a particular word in the text. Later, when students do their own writing, they can integrate new vocabulary and transition words, which enhances their vocabulary and language skills.

As the next step, I invite students to co-create a similar piece of writing with a partner or independently using our model text as their guide. Later, our model text serves as a checklist for individual and partner revisions, which students could use to give each other feedback.

Model texts are an essential part of the writing process in any content-area class. As educators, we should embrace the importance of model texts, as they provide a solid foundation upon which students can develop their unique writing skills, tone, and voice.

modeltexts

Thanks to Penny, Stephanie, Irina, and Anastasia for contributing their thoughts!

Consider contributing a question to be answered in a future post. You can send one to me at [email protected] . When you send it in, let me know if I can use your real name if it’s selected or if you’d prefer remaining anonymous and have a pseudonym in mind.

You can also contact me on Twitter at @Larryferlazzo .

Just a reminder; you can subscribe and receive updates from this blog via email . And if you missed any of the highlights from the first 12 years of this blog, you can see a categorized list here .

The opinions expressed in Classroom Q&A With Larry Ferlazzo are strictly those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinions or endorsement of Editorial Projects in Education, or any of its publications.

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35 Excellent Nonfiction Books for 2nd Grade, 7-Year-Olds

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Don’t forget about 2nd grade nonfiction books for 7-year-olds! It’s also fun to read informational fiction with fictionalized elements to learn facts, too– which are gateway books to straight nonfiction.

When you read nonfiction with your growing readers in the primary grades, especially in second grade, teach them about text features that make nonfiction books different than fiction books.

nonfiction books for 2nd grade 7 year olds

Notice the text features of nonfiction together. Look for what makes nonfiction different than fiction. Things like:

  • table of contents
  • titles and subtitles
  • bolded words

Here are my top recommendations to keep your 7-year-olds in 2nd-grade reading nonfiction at an appropriate reading level.

Let your kids pick books about things that interest them– it’s very motivating to have a choice of reading material!

Nonfiction Books for 2nd Grade, 7-Year-Olds

learning to write for 4 year olds

We Dig Worms!  by Kevin McCloskey I love this Toon Early Reader  with eye-popping illustrations and one sentence of text per page that explains something about worms. The art is painted on recycled grocery bags which makes for a gorgeous, earthy feeling throughout.

learning to write for 4 year olds

Go Wild! Pandas  by Margie Markiarian This book is a beautiful way for younger readers ages 6 to 9 to learn about pandas with easier text and plenty of photo support and captions.

learning to write for 4 year olds

How Birds Sleep   writtenby David Obuchowski, illustrated by Sarah Pedry Read about 20 different birds and where they sleep. From the Black-legged Kittiwake who sleeps on the choppy waves of the ocean to the Sandhill crane who sleeps on one leg while others in the flock watch for predators, this is a fascinating book about interesting birds and their sleeping habits. Add to that beautiful blue-colored illustrations, and you’ll feel cozy and sleepy while reading about these sleeping birds.

learning to write for 4 year olds

Go Wild! Sea Turtles  by Jill Esbaum for National Geographic Kids Use this new Go Wild! series with your early elementary readers to learn how to read nonfiction text for information.  Full-color photographs, labels and captions, and colorful and readable text.

learning to write for 4 year olds

All About Plants: Ada Twist, Scientist The Why Files  written by Andrea Beaty and Dr. Theanne Griffith Packed full of information, this informational book hits the right spot for primary ages.  Full-color photographs, diagrams, labels, cartoons, and informational text answer big questions like “ How do they eat? ” and “ Do plants need air like me? “  I like this book — the writing and format are excellent. However, I wish this book include a table of contents and a glossary.

nonfiction books for 2nd grade 7 year olds

Mars: Earthlings Welcome  written by Stacy McAnulty, illustrated by Stevie Lewis Not nonfiction per se but informational fiction, this first-person narration from  Mars ‘s perspective shares all its many features of Mars.  Like two moons and 37 more minutes in a day! It’s funny, entertaining, and very informative. I would love to use this in a writing class to teach  voice ,  point of view , and even organization.

nonfiction books for 2nd grade 7 year olds

Fox Explores the Night  written by Martin Jenkins, illustrated by Richard Smythe A  nocturnal  fox searches for food in a busy city. She finds supper in someone’s backyard then returns home. It’s a purposefully simple book with guided questions in the back such as “ Can you find examples of different light sources in the book? “

learning to write for 4 year olds

Not a Monster  written by Claudia Guadalupe Martinez, illustrated by Laura Gonzalez As you learn about the not-a-monster axolotl, you’ll also learn the color words in Spanish .  Watch the egg to growing fins, the color roja, then swim under a moon the color blanca. See the axolotl search for food among the roots of flowers rosados. Readers will read about these adorable salamander creatures, their behaviors, and how pollution is affecting their canal habitat in Mexico City. Bravo for this lovely picture book that does triple duty — entertains kids, educates us about the axolotl , and teaches us about los colores!

learning to write for 4 year olds

Stone Age Beasts  written by Ben Lerwill, illustrated by Grahame Baker-Smith Kids will love this interesting oversized book about the cool creatures from the Stone Age.  Each two-page spread is filled with a mesmerizing illustration and accompanied by fascinating descriptions of the creature along with a sidebar of facts, including a world map of its location. For Siberian Unicorn, the author writes, “ Unicorns in fairy tales are normally dainty and elegant, but this spectacular real-life beast was a gigantic mass of fur and muscle. ” Read about the Wolly Mammoth, Elephant Bird, Wonambi, Saber-Toothed Cat, Cave Lion, Dire Wolf, and more! A new favorite!!

learning to write for 4 year olds

What’s Inside a Caterpillar Cocoon? and Other Questions About Moths & Butterflies  by Rachel Ignotofsky Just wait until you see the gorgeous illustrations throughout this book. I could frame them all!  Learn all about moths and butterflies , starting with their differences, their life stages, their metamorphosis, their anatomy, and more interesting information about their diet, mating, and spreading pollen.  Kids will love reading about these important insects. Perfect for primary-grade classrooms and homes.

learning to write for 4 year olds

The Indestructible Tom Crean  by Jennifer Thermes Kudos to author/illustrator Jennifer Thermes!  She’s made Tom Crean’s biography into a mesmerizing, heart-pounding adventure of a story — which it was.  Tom’s a sailor who takes three trips to Antarctica, the most perilous being the famous Endurance voyage with Captain Shakelford. Their ship freezes and sinks. Survival seems unlikely. But somehow, the crew makes it to land, where they climb through a glacier range to get help. Incredible writing with stunning illustrations.

learning to write for 4 year olds

Honeybee: The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera  written by Candace Fleming, illustrated by Eric Rohmann Amazing,  gigantic illustrations give us a bees-eye view of a honeybee’s life  from her birth to the days of working in the hive, guarding the hive, and searching for nectar. Beautifully written and illustrated, this book accomplishes being an informative book about the life-cycle of bees that sensitively ends with a reflection of our honeybee’s accomplishments (“ She has visited thirty thousand flowers…Her work is done .”), her final flight in the warm air, and the birth of a new honeybee.

learning to write for 4 year olds

The Toad: The Disgusting Critters Series  by Elise Gravel Visually captivating with interesting, easy-to-read text that is informative and sometimes hilarious. I’m a fan of this kid-friendly nonfiction book series! (also read:  The Worm ,  The Fly ,  and  The Rat )

learning to write for 4 year olds

Fly Guy Presents Scary Creatures!  by Tedd Arnold Get 5 books in 1 in this large-sized book filled with these level 2 titles:  Sharks, Dinosaurs, Insects, Bats , and  Snakes .  Fly Guy and Buzz visit places like the aquarium or the museum to learn about different creatures.  Colorful drawings and photographs illustrate the topics about which they’re learning with an appealing layout. The text of facts and conversation bubbles are just right and comprehensible for growing readers.

learning to write for 4 year olds

Pizza: A Slice of History  by Greg Pizzoli Pizza fans, check out these tasty tidbits, history, and facts about your favorite food.  Where did pizza originate? Greece or Persia? Or Naples, Italy when a man named Raffaele Esposito created a pizza with tomatoes. One or two sentences per page, this informative book hits the right spot for ages 4 to 8 year olds.

learning to write for 4 year olds

Over and Under the Canyon  written by Kate Messner, illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal A mother and son take a hike in a desert canyon where animals shelter from the hot sun.  Overhead the kestrels glide and eagles dive, along the walls tarantulas creep and geckos scoot. The pair see a roadrunner devour rattlesnakes, a mule deer gallop away, and wildflowers blossom. When the sun fades for the day, mom, dad, and son eat supper and crawl into their tent while coyotes howl and the insects sing a desert-night lullaby. Informative while being interesting and magical.

learning to write for 4 year olds

The World’s Best Jokes for Kids Volume 1  by Lisa Swerling & Ralph Lazar Each of these jokes is illustrated with I really love because it gives struggling or new readers extra picture support for decoding and comprehension. This series ( volume 2 is here ) shares jokes that will make your kids laugh, groan, and share with all their friends.

learning to write for 4 year olds

My Little Book Manatees  written by Hope Irvin Marston, illustrated by Stephanie Mirocha Perfect for early elementary-age readers,  read all about the life of a mother and baby  manatee  as he grows with his birth, behavior, food, and problems with pollution and speed boats.  Vivid verbs and lots of sounds words throughout make this extra engaging. “ Munch! Her huge teeth looked like crinkle-cut french fries. She chewed very fast. Every day she chomped down one hundred pounds of plants. ” Very well-done!

learning to write for 4 year olds

Shall We Dance?  by Robin Page You’ll love these creatures who high-step and tap off the pages with vivid verbs, informational facts, and colorful illustrations. “ Turtles tickle… Eagles cartwheel… Crabs wave. ” Each page features a creature and its strut, spin, or shimmy, plus an informational paragraph. Fun, exciting, and fact-filled!

learning to write for 4 year olds

Plants Fight Back   written by Lisa J. Amstutz, illustrated by Rebecca Evans What a well-done, fascinating book!  On each two-page spread, clever rhymes show how plants protect themselves and more non-rhyming text explains and elaborates on that information.  For example, “ Some plants deliver a peppery punch to mammals who might try to much them for lunch. // Rabbits like to eat most garden plants. But they don’t touch chili peppers! That’s because chili seeds taste very hot to mammals. The hot seeds don’t bother birds. “

learning to write for 4 year olds

What Do They Do With All That Poo? written by Jane Kurtz, illustrated by Allison Black There’s potty humor, and then there are books literally about poop. Learn about the poop of different zoo animals — pandas, hippos, elephants, hyenas, bats, and more. You’ll read what’s in each animal’s poo, the shape and color, and other pertinent facts. “ Each rhino’s poop has its own unique smell. Rhinos smell dung to gather information about one another. ” Then, the book answers the title’s question –what does the zoo do with so much poop? Well, they put it in trucks and dump it into landfills, send some to scientists, or make compost.

learning to write for 4 year olds

Sun and Moon Together  by Ethan Long Long’s created a community (Happy County) with  silly cartoons and stories that explain factual information while engaging the reader’s attention.  Learn about the Sun and the Moon, the water cycle,  the solar system , and delight in stories about characters like Wilbur and Orzo Bright whose hot air balloon pops and sinks to the bottom of the ocean. There’s so much to learn, see, and do in this entertaining book.

learning to write for 4 year olds

Beginners United States Atlas National Geographic Kids (2020) A MUST-OWN BOOK! Updated for 2020, this is a gorgeous, easy-to-use oversized atlas perfect for ages 4 to 12. Each state gets a two-page spread with a large map, a small map showing full-color photographs, the state’s location in the U.S., important facts, land and water features, history about the state. Organized by region, it’s easy to find what you’re looking for. The text is simple and readable, perfect for primary grades like 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grades.

learning to write for 4 year olds

All the Birds in the World  by David Opie As the narrator talks about what makes birds birds, the kiwi bird asks “ What about me? ” on every page. Eventually, we’ll learn the answer to the little bird’s question…even though she doesn’t fly, has no tail, and has a beak with nostrils, she  is  part of the bird family. It’s a  wonderful, inclusive book with gorgeous illustrations of birds of all kinds.  Valuable back matter gives readers a key to the names of the birds on each page.

learning to write for 4 year olds

The Blobfish Book  by Jessica Olien I LOVE how creative this book is with a cartoon-like blobfish with a big personality who interjects said personality during the book’s photograph and textual information about life in the deepest parts of the ocean. Perfect text-to-picture ratio (aka. not too much!) makes this a nonfiction home run!

learning to write for 4 year olds

BUGS! Animal Planet Amazing Animal Facts Chapter Books  by James Buckley, Jr. The Animal Planet chapter books are in full color with photographs, illustrations, and kid-friendly design. The text size itself is perfect for elementary readers, it’s slightly bigger than typical nonfiction books of this length with decent white space in between the lines and around it. Finally, I’m impressed with the way this book series delivers factual information without dumbing it down or making it too difficult to read. Amazing Animal Facts Chapter Books is a stellar, highly recommended science chapter book series just perfect for elementary classrooms and libraries.

learning to write for 4 year olds

Creep, Leap, Crunch! A Food Chain Story  written by Jody Jensen Shaffer, illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal The first half of this book is a cumulative food chain story that starts with the sun and the plants, then continues to the smallest prey, a cricket that eats grass.  Each page adds on a predator who eats the prey — the mouse eats the cricket, the snake eats the mouse, all the way up to a brown bear eating the fox. Back matter explains more about the forest and the animals.  This is a perfect  STEM read aloud  introduction to food chains and  forest biomes .

learning to write for 4 year olds

Pink is for Blobfish: Discovering the World’s Perfectly Pink Animals  by Jess Keating These aren’t your princess pink variety of pink animals. No! In fact, these are gelatinous blobfish, hairy tarantulas, naked mole rats, and more — that just happen to be pink. Great writing pairs perfectly with photographs and cartoons. I love this book!

learning to write for 4 year olds

The Brain Is Kind of a Big Deal  by Nick Seluk Kids will learn so much about the brain in this  well-done, humor-filled book  with pacing and flow that will hold readers’ attention. Plus, they’ll love the cartoon panel illustrations and the text-to-picture ratio.

learning to write for 4 year olds

The Wing Wing Brothers’ Math Spectacular!  by Ethan Long I’m a big Ethan Long fan, and this book blew me away, it was so funny and educational. (Hard to do.) Plus, it’s a bedtime favorite, which I found, well, surprising. Math for bedtime? In this book, we meet the performing Wing Wing brothers: Willy, Woody, Walter, Wendell, and Wilmer. Cartoon illustrations depict their antics in three acts.

learning to write for 4 year olds

Caterpillar to Butterfly  by Laura Marsh Simple text matches each beautiful photograph. These books are bright, colorful, and informative — just perfect for any beginning reader.

learning to write for 4 year olds

Courageous Creatures and the Humans Who Help Them I Survived True Stories  by Lauren Tarshis ANIMALS Four compelling stories of animals and humans will keep readers engaged.  From carrier pigeon hero of WW I to cheetah cubs adopted by a human, these will share true stories for any animal lover. Filled with lots of black-and-white photographs and factual information that supports each story. For example, read about echolocation related to the dolphin story and general information about marine animals. Highly recommended.

learning to write for 4 year olds

Dogsledding and Extreme Sports: A nonfiction companion to Magic Tree House #54  written by Mary Pope Osborne and Natalie Pope Boyce, illustrated by Carlo Molinari I learned a lot from this little nonfiction book; it’s packed full of interesting information about many extreme sports , such as open water swimming, the Iditarod, and the X Games.  SEE ALL of the Magic Tree House Fact Tracker Books .

learning to write for 4 year olds

You Can Be a Paleontologist! National Geographic Kids  by Scott D. Sampson, Ph.D. Each section of information begins with a question like “How do you find fossils” then answers the question using text, photographs, and informational insets. Dinosaur fans will be excited to learn just how scientists find, store, study, and figure out more about the dinosaurs they study — all from the bones. Clear information with enticing photographs make this an excellent choice for 7 year old dinosaur and science enthusiasts.

learning to write for 4 year olds

Hockey Then to Wow! Sports Illustrated Kids Whenever I volunteer in the school library, I see groups of kids huddled up reading sports facts books just like this one. From the beginnings of hockey to the present day , readers will learn about old style skates to current skates, gear including the outfits, famous players, coaches, and teams. For hockey players and fans, this is a nonfiction must read series.

nonfiction books for 2nd grade 7 year olds

More Book Lists:

Books for 5- and 6- year olds Books for 2nd Graders, 7-year olds Books for 3rd Graders, 8-year olds Books for 4th Graders, 9-year olds Books for 5th Graders, 10-year olds Books for 6th Graders 11-year olds Books for 7th Graders, 12-year olds YA Books

Nonfiction Book Lists by Age

Picture Book Biographies

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Melissa Taylor, MA, is the creator of Imagination Soup. She's a mother, former teacher & literacy trainer, and freelance education writer. She writes Imagination Soup and freelances for publications online and in print, including Penguin Random House's Brightly website, USA Today Health, Adobe Education, Colorado Parent, and Parenting. She is passionate about matching kids with books that they'll love.

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3-year-old hospitalized after 4 family members fall into frozen lake

NEWPORT, Vt. (WCAX/Gray News) - Authorities in Vermont say a 3-year-old boy remains hospitalized in critical condition after his family’s side-by-side vehicle fell through the ice on a frozen lake.

A family outing at Lake Memphremagog turned tragic when police say a family’s side-by-side vehicle fell through the ice on the South Bay around 5 p.m. Saturday. Two adults and two children, one of them a 3-year-old boy, fell into the freezing water, WCAX reports .

Police say all four victims were out of the water by the time officers arrived. A bystander administered chest compressions on the 3-year-old boy, who was underwater for what first responders say was up to five minutes.

The boy was taken to the hospital, where he remains in critical condition.

Newport Police Chief Travis Bingham praised bystanders who helped get the child out and began CPR, saying the outcome could have been very different if they weren’t there.

“I’m fortunate [for] the quick response from the bystanders... [who] started doing the right first aid on this child which, I believe, is the reason why this child is still alive right now,” he said.

Bingham added that despite the recent cold, the ice on the big lake can be unpredictable.

“There’s about 13 inches of ice in spots on the lake. The spot where the side-by-side actually went through was about an inch and a half thick. So, it just kind of shows the various depths on the lake right now. With the weather and winter that we have had, the ice conditions are not great,” he said.

Newport Interm Fire Chief Kevin Lacross echoed Bingham’s concerns.

“Ice basically forms from the top down. We have just not had good cold weather for any amount of time. We, as firefighters, basically treat all ice as completely unsafe,” he said.

Police say the incident remains under investigation.

Copyright 2024 WCAX via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Family says they’re ‘going to find justice’ for 17-year-old found dead

BARNWELL, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - We’re learning more about the 17-year-old who was found dead in Barnwell.

Maylashia Shantebia Hogg was nine months pregnant and was set to induce her labor on Feb. 13, officials say.

According to the Barnwell County Sheriff’s Office, Maylashia was reported missing on Feb. 14.

According to the Barnwell County Coroner’s Office, her body was found Sunday afternoon by the Barnwell Police Department in a ditch.

Her family tells News 12 that she was found on Perry Street.

Maylashia’s aunt, Judy Hogg, says she was looking forward to becoming a mom, but instead, her family is planning a funeral for both of them.

MORE | Body of missing 31-year-old from Augusta found in Aiken County

Maylashia had one thing on her mind, the future — one that included being a nurse and a mom. But, now both of those things have been ripped from their family.

The baby was going to be named after Maylashi’s mom, who died three years ago.

“Every time I wake up in the morning, that’s the first thing I think of is Malaysia like dang she gone,” said Judy.

Judy says the loss of her niece brings back a familiar pain.

“That just brought back so many memories. It opened up so many wounds, like losing her was like losing my sister over again. I was living through and is still living through her kids,” said Judy.

Judy says Maylashia was young, outgoing, and full of life. She was a student at Barnwell High School.

“She was over the top. She was talking about it. She was showing me the sonogram of the baby. We had already had a nickname for the baby. We was going to call her our lil Tink Tink,” said Judy.

Everything changed when Maylashia didn’t show up just before she was set to be induced.

“I was like, where’s Malaysia? But then when I talked to my dad, he said that someone had saw her and that she had lost her phone, that she would be home Monday because she knew that I had to take her to the doctor on Tuesday because she was going to be induced on Tuesday. After she didn’t show up Monday, I was like, ‘Dad, something’s wrong,’” said Judy.

A memorial honors Maylashia Shantebia Hogg on Monday in Barnwell.

Deputies found Maylashia’s body just outside of a park in Barnwell.

As her family picks up the pieces, they are setting their eyes on justice.

“We’re gonna find justice. We’re gonna get them, whoever did it. Just know. We’re gonna get you. We ain’t gonna stop,” said Judy.

The case is being investigated by the Barnwell Police Department, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and the Barnwell County Coroner’s Office.

Anyone with information about the case is urged to email SLED at [email protected] .

Authorities are still searching for Michael Gene Still, who was reported missing around the same time . He was last seen on Feb. 6 at Colony West Apartments, 29 Colony West St. in Barnwell, authorities say.

Copyright 2024 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.

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IMAGES

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  2. Alphabet Worksheet For 3 And 4 Year Olds

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  3. Worksheets For 4 Year Olds Free

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  4. 26 Free Handwriting Sheets

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  5. Worksheets for 4 Years Old Kids

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  6. something I made for my class of 4-6 years old ..to teach them writing

    learning to write for 4 year olds

VIDEO

  1. Learning how to WRITE 💪✍️📝

  2. Preschool Learning Videos for 3 Year Olds

  3. Kids Learning Video For 3 Year Olds

  4. Best Learning Videos for Toddlers Learn Shapes

  5. ABC Learning Videos For 2 year olds

  6. Preschool Learning Videos for 3 Year Olds

COMMENTS

  1. Learning to write (ages 3-5)

    Learning to write (ages 3-5) Young children can sometimes recognise and read letters but still find it difficult to write them. There are many ways you can help your child to develop the skills needed for writing. Fine motor skills

  2. Writing skills at different ages

    Writing skills at different ages Writing skills at different ages By Gail Belsky Expert reviewed by Charles A. MacArthur, PhD Learning to write involves many skills. Kids need fine motor skills for handwriting and typing. Getting words on paper also requires spelling and other skills closely related to reading.

  3. How to Help 3 & 4 Year Olds Learning Handwriting

    Handwriting requires a whole host of foundational skills for a child to be successful and ready to (literally) put pen to paper. Here are some of the foundational skills that go into handwriting:

  4. Stages of writing development: Teach your child to write

    How writing develops. There are four stages that kids go through when learning to write: preliterate, emergent, transitional, and fluent. Knowing which stage your child is in - whether he's scribbling in the preliterate stage or using "dictionary-level" spelling in the fluent stage - can help you support his writing development.

  5. Free Writing Worksheets

    Handwriting Worksheet Generator Practice Writing Letters Trace the Words Worksheets Writing Letters Review Worksheets Fine Motor Skills Worksheets Cursive Writing Worksheets Pre Writing Worksheets Grammar Worksheets for Kids Practice Writing Numbers Graphic Organizers Spelling Worksheets Sentence Building Worksheets Think, Draw and Write Worksheets

  6. Teaching My 4-Year-Old to Write

    4-5-Year-Old Writing Skills Most 4-5-year-olds are able to: Hold a pencil or crayon with the proper grip Draw basic shapes like circles, squares, and triangles Write some letters of the alphabet, usually those that appear in their name first Begin to spell simple words on their own, such as "cat" or "dog"

  7. Learning to Write and Draw

    February 24, 2017 Early Learning Leer en español Learning to Write and Draw For very young children, there are four stages of learning to write that you may see as your child grows from 15 months to 3 years old.

  8. How To Improve Writing Skills For Kids: 14 Easy Tips

    Nov 30, 2016 • Writing Writing — it's an important form of communication and a key part of education. But in today's technology-driven world, kids aren't given many opportunities to practise and improve their ability to write. This leaves many parents wondering how to improve their child's writing skills.

  9. Literacy: Writing at Age 4

    VDOM DHTML doctype html>. Literacy: Writing at Age 4 | Milestones | PBS KIDS for Parents.

  10. Writing in Year 4 (age 8-9)

    In Year 4 (age 8-9), your child will be aiming to build upon the goals and expectations they were first set in Year 3. They will be expected to: Plan their writing by: Discussing writing similar to that which they are planning to write in order to understand and learn from its structure, vocabulary and grammar.

  11. Pre-K: Writing Sample 4

    Browse our library of evidence-based teaching strategies, learn more about using classroom texts, find out what whole-child literacy instruction looks like, and dive deeper into comprehension, content area literacy, writing, and social-emotional learning. ... This writing sample was created by a 4 year old. When asked what she wrote, the author ...

  12. Language & literacy in three- and four-year-olds

    The process of learning to read and write is quite complex, involving many different but related skills. Children will not learn most of these skills during the preschool years, but it is helpful to understand the whole continuum to provide materials and experiences that support the emergence of skills. Tips 16-6. Download PDF Version

  13. 8 Best Writing Games For Kids To Practice At Home And School

    Instructions Kids have a very active imagination and are natural-born storytellers. In this game, channel their storytelling abilities towards writing. These kinds of creative writing games for kids improve their creative thinking, visualization, handwriting and vocabulary skills.

  14. Writing practice

    In this section you can practise writing different types of texts with an example to help you. Read, write, play games, print activities and post comments! Level 1 writing. ... Please send me monthly newsletters and updates with free learning tips and resources.

  15. 12 Name Writing Practice Activities for Preschoolers

    Writing Activities Give your preschooler a little boost in school with easy and fun activities to practice name writing! They'll be ready to go for the first day of school! One of the first things your preschooler will learn is how to spell and recognize their own name. Your little learner will be discovering how to spell it.

  16. Can 4-Year-Olds Read and Write? Educational Norms & Goals

    Start using a tripod grip: holding a writing instrument with their thumb and pointer finger while resting it on the joint of their middle finger Not all of these skills must be mastered by age four. These are emerging skills that will continue to grow as your child practices.

  17. Printable Worksheets for 4 Year Olds

    These printable worksheets for 4 year olds introduces writing, builds on the basic knowledge of counting, numbers, the alphabet, writing and drawing, providing your child with the foundation they need throughout their schooling. Printable activities for 4 year olds are supplied as PDF files that are downloaded and saved on your computer.

  18. 7 Fun and Easy Learning Activities for 4-Year-Olds

    At the four-year mark, you've likely already seen your child's growing cognitive abilities. Many kids this age begin to: Memorize the names of shapes and colors. Understand the idea of counting. Write or read a few written numbers. Recall parts of a story. Write their first name.

  19. Learning To Write For 4 Year Olds

    Kindergarten/Preschool Handwriting Workbook- Alphabet & Number Tracing Writing Paper with Lines, Learning Tools for Age 2/3/4/5 Year Old Kids/Boys/Girls, ABC Learning for Toddler, Homeschool Supplies. 300. $1499. List: $19.99. FREE delivery Mon, Oct 9 on $35 of items shipped by Amazon.

  20. 4-to-5 Year Old Child Developmental Milestones

    Possible signs of developmental delay in 4- to 5-year-old children include: Being extremely afraid, shy, or aggressive. Being extremely anxious when separated from a parent. Being easily ...

  21. Amazon.com: Learning To Write For 4 Year Old

    Amazon.com: Learning To Write For 4 Year Old 09 46 00 1-16 of over 4,000 results for "learning to write for 4 year old" Results Letter Tracing Book For Kids Ages 3-5: Learn To Write Letters Workbook For Preschoolers 3-5 Year Old Learning Activities Alphabet Handwriting Practice ... & Girls (Handwriting Practice Collection)

  22. 17 Best Books for 4-Year-Olds 2023, Chosen by Experts

    The AAP says that two of the best ways to promote literacy at home include reading to your young child every day and setting reliable routines, which could include reading to them before a set...

  23. Teaching Your Four-Year-Old To Read: 10 Steps To Reading Success

    Here's how to use word cards: Ask your child to select a card. When they've selected a card, read the word out to them and hold up three fingers. Ask your child to say the first sound of the word, then the second, then the third. Once they've said each individual component, ask them to say the full word. Simple!

  24. How to Help Students With Their Writing. 4 Educators Share Their

    Real writing grows from studying the work of other writers. We study sentences, passages, essays, and articles to understand how they work, as we create our own. 3. Writers Have Conversations as ...

  25. 35 Excellent Nonfiction Books for 2nd Grade, 7-Year-Olds

    Nonfiction Books for 2nd Grade, 7-Year-Olds. We Dig Worms! by Kevin McCloskey. I love this Toon Early Reader with eye-popping illustrations and one sentence of text per page that explains something about worms. The art is painted on recycled grocery bags which makes for a gorgeous, earthy feeling throughout. Go Wild!

  26. Solo Female Travel: Tips and Ideas for Exploring Costa Rica

    Tara Cappel, founder of FTLO Travel, a group travel company for solo travelers in their 20s and 30s, says that Costa Rica is a fantastic choice for female travelers wanting to dip their toe into ...

  27. 3-year-old hospitalized after 4 family members fall into frozen lake

    A family outing at Lake Memphremagog turned tragic when police say a family's side-by-side vehicle fell through the ice on the South Bay around 5 p.m. Saturday. Two adults and two children, one ...

  28. Family says they're 'going to find justice' for 17-year-old found dead

    We're learning more about the 17-year-old who was found dead in Barnwell. Maylashia Shantebia Hogg was nine months pregnant and was set to induce her labor on Feb. 13, officials say.