Tips on 5yo writing and routine when not in school?

[Raddyradiator]

DS 5 yo is in reception and his reading is coming along but his writing seems to be stalling and he doesn't show much interest in it. He's left handed so I'm not sure if this has an impact.

DH and I work during the week and DS is in wrap around care until 5-6pm four days a week. We also have a 2yo who is with a child minder.

DS is tired after school so the most we will do is to ask him to read his current book but we don't practice any writing with him. I try and get him to write things like bday cards etc during the weekend but at most he writes his name then says he can't do it and gives up.

We don't have any structured learning during the weekends - DS goes swimming and then we tend to go out as a family, go visit friends or stay at home and watch tv/play. Swimming is DS' only activity. We tried little kickers and he hated it.

I'm not sure what I can do to encourage him with writing and his other learning (eg he likes talking about numbers but I have no idea where to start with teaching him more in a fun way)

His teacher says he is doing fine but he's in a class of 30 which seems a lot and I don't want him to fall behind his peers. I would also like to do more to improve his learning opportunities/get him interested in other activities but don't know where to start. Any advice much appreciated!

Writing does tend to progress slower than reading. Have you had a look at the curriculum to see where the school would expect him to be at the end of the year?

Maybe try linking writing to his particular interests. Even thinking about and attempting to write the paw patrol character's names for example is a good start.

Also a lot of talk about writing is great too so for example if you were talking about the paw patrol theme song and between you made an extra verse or your own version together and then sat down together and write it down.

Also if his hand is getting tired after a short while try to introduce some fine motor skill activities to strengthen his hands.

I would give him access to lots of different writing materials, paper, postcards, cards etc. Put them in baskets like you maybe do with his toys. Praise any “emergent” writing that happens…. Don’t correct spelling but ask him to read it back and maybe illustrate what he has written with a picture!

Encourage him to do lots of fine motor activities to support muscle development in his fingers, hands and wrists, to to encourage his pincer movement.
So play card games - like pairs where he has to pick up a card off the floor or a table
Play games with little tweezers (like 'Operation')
Play with playdough or plasticine - even better if he can 'rescue' things like buttons or paper clips that are 'stuck' in there
Find reasons for him to squeeze water out of a flannel or tea towel or cloth (or dolls clothes)
Fill an old washing up bottle with water and get him to "paint" on a fence or on the drive or your patio with the water - different shapes or letters
Anything with elastic bands - just twiddling, or you can get sort of peg boards to make patterns on
Indeed the other sort of peg boards where you have 'pegs' you put into holes to make patterns
Using clothes pegs is great - on a piece of string or on card

Then reading to him lots, and talking to him and listening to him lots all develops language, which of course is another side to writing.

Then doing the 'spelling side' separately with letter cards or sponge letters or wooden blocks or any of the games where they have to create words or early puzzle books where they fill in missing letters or do dot to dots or mazes or anything where he is controlling a pencil without needing to think about all the other aspects of writing at the same time.