Writing Skills at 4??

[EvanMom]

I haven't posted in ages but was wondering about my 4 year old son. He was 4 in August and is the youngest in his class. He has no idea how to hold a pen and it does not come naturally to him (my 25 month old son holds a pen perfectly and firmly forms small, neat shapes all over the page). My four year old can just about lightly scrawl his three letter name, but it is almost unrecognisable and spidery. The difference in the two is considerable and there is two years between them. Am I worrying too much about my four year old? Should he be able to at least hold a pen by now?

[Marina]

Dd, who is also an August child, has just this week got writing. Until about ten days ago she could write the first letter of her name and that was it.
However, she has had reasonably good, correct pen control for at least six months, come to think of it.
I'd have a word with your ds' teacher tbh. I bet he is just not quite there, and that's all there is to it.

[lisalisa]

Message withdrawn

[handlemecarefully]

A wee bit soon to be worrying. He will get there

[indignatio]

my ds hadn't even decided in which hand to hold the pen at your ds's age. FFW 1 year - his writing (this half term week diary) has been beautiful. I appreciate that I am biased, but even so - SO STOP worrying

[Fizzylemonade]

My mate who is a TA says to improve their writing skills you actually get them to do physical things like going on playground equipment!! It improves their co-ordination apparently, they literally just had a class on it in the school she works in which our children attend.

Your son is an August baby so is just only 4 years old. In our school they don't expect them to be able to hold a pen to write, they write with their fingers in sand, use washing up bottles filled with water to squirt letters outside on the playground and chalk their names.

My son's best friend was 5 at the beginning of September and the difference between their writing is huge but I try not to compare them.

[DirtyGertiefromnumber30]

im sure it will be OK. Maybe just give him lots of practice at home colouring etc to hone his pen holding skills. Try not to worry