How many summer-born 4 yrappear olds can write their name unsupervised?

[sharesinNivea]

I'm noticing many references in threads to Reception children age 4 even the summer-borns being able to write their first name, although it doesn't specify whether that's unsupervised.

Is this normal?

My June born Reception starter can recognise his first initial but he certainly can't write his whole name supervised or not.

Of course, it will be impossible to hear honest replies I suppose. Still, I'm curious.

[bundaberg]

my june baby can write his name. But his name is Asa, so it isn't exactly hard. and he has an obsession with letters and writing...

he's the only one of my children to be able to write his own name on starting school. His siblings were both older than him when they started too!

[CharlotteBronteSaurus]

dd1 was 4.6 (March-born) when she started reception
she could just write her name when she started, in massive, wobbly letters about three inches high. plenty of the kids in her class hadn't got that far.

[Iwillorderthefood]

DD2 is July born and can recognise the first letter of her name. She absolutely cannot write her name though. She has no interest in doing it either.

[ihearttc]

DS1 who actually has a feb birthday couldn't write his name before starting school and at the end of Reception wasn't that great either.

However he is now in Y4 and has really neat and small handwriting.

[RobinSparkles]

DD1 could write her name unsupervised at 3.11 (so very nearly 4). She was born in June so was 4.3 by the time she started reception.

She's now 6 and her writing is fine as far as 6 year olds go. She doesn't hold a pen "properly", she never has - she's always held it with her whole hand iykwim, I haven't really pushed her to do it "correctly" as I thought it was more important for her to be comfortable. Her presentation could be improved.

In fact, my two year old holds a pen much better than my 6 year old ie. correctly but she can't write her name! :o

[duchesse]

I don't think I could write, nor even attempted to, until I was nearly 6. I could read fluently by 3 but it never occurred to me to write until I went to school. I never went to nursery or any pre-school setting- the first time I had to write my name was when I started school in year 1. I'm quite academically able. I don't think writing has any bearing on or relationship with intelligence or academic ability as long as it's achieved in some form by a sensible age (obviously there are lots of alternative means of notation these days, which enable children with motor skills problems in ways that didn't exist 35 years ago)

[CloverkissSparklecheeks]

Spring born DS could write his 8 letter name when he was 2 but Summer born DS could just about write his name (7 letters) the term before he started school, it was very large writing and it took a while for him to be able to write letters properly once he started school. I think it varied massively in both their year groups and also the varied level of writing continues for quite a few years from what I have seen.

DS1 is now in Y3 and some children have a beautiful grown up handwriting style with flair etc whereas others still have very childlike difficult to read handwriting.

At 4 I wouldn't worry at all as many children do not have the strength to hold their pencils properly.

[YellowDahlias]

My summer born DD could write her nickname (5 letters) before she was 3. She could write her proper name (6 letters) by the start of school but would occasionally need a prompt as to the spelling.

[Heathcliff27]

My june born 4 yr old can write her name quite well, i've noticed a definite improvement in the last couple of months. She goes into first year primary school August next year.

[KatoPotato]

My DS could write his name from about 2.9, but now insists on putting a smiley face in the 'O' and an exclamation mark at the end...

[Helspopje]

my summer born 3 yr old has been able to write her 6 letter name since she was 2.9

[SparklyFucker]

Both mine could make a legible attempt at their names by the summer term in nursery, so at about 4yo. Ds1 was earlier and with more finesse than ds2, but you could still tell it was his name (ds2, that it).

[NaturalBaby]

Mine can and big brother could because nursery made them write their name on a 'register' every morning when they arrived for the last term before starting school. They enjoyed doing it with all their friends and by the end of term they could do a reasonable effort on their own.

[ZombieMonkeyButler]

Clearly 2.3, not 2.6 .

[ZombieMonkeyButler]

August born DD can write her name & she's 2.6 years old. To be fair though, it is a very easy name to write and only contains 3 letters.

Neither DS1 nor DS2 could have written their own names before Reception age though, and they were September and April babies.

He'll get there eventually .

[MummytoMog]

Mine. Late August birthday, been able to write since her third birthday. She can't talk though if that makes you feel any better.

[Mittensonkittens]

My summer born boy started reception this September having been able to write his name for over a year. However that was all he could write and unlike some of his autumn born peers, particularly autumn born girls, had no interest in writing anything else.

He's more interested now but his writing isn't great, it's too big and some of the letters he finds tricky. He is also left handed. On the other hand it is very much a formation thing because he can sound out words quite well. He's doing ok at school overall but if he had been autumn born he would have been towards the top of his class I think whereas he is more in the middle.

[duchesse]

Acryclic, hello, whoever you are! I know, it's fair flown by. DD is delightful and I thank my lucky stars every single day.

[Metebelis3]

They all could. Well before they started school. Two of them have subsequently been moved to keyboard only/mainly due to dyspraxia and appalling handwriting (plus pain etc) but they could write their names, as a one off, fairly legibly from about 3. One of the benefits of going to nursery I suppose, knew there had to be one.

[3bunnies]

Ds is a Sept boy so 4 but starting school next Sept. He hasn't decided even which hand to use and isn't writing letters legibly yet. I am trying to encourage him because he can read and I would like to reduce the discrepancy between his reading and writing skills as they seem to be in groups assessed on both for phonics so I don't want him bored in an easy group or out of his depth in a harder group, somewhere in the middle would be great.

He is also my last so I have time to devote to worrying about his education! When dd1 was in reception, life with a baby and toddler too was just about getting through the day!

[atomicyoghurt]

Don't worry about it! Pencil control comes along with a whole heap of other developmental bits and bobs and you can't expect every child to get there at the same time.
My first child could do it (long name) my second couldn't (long complex name) and my third is two and can already write hers but it's only 4 letters. I think if your child can recognise their name written down that is more important, and if they can write the first letter so they can mark their work that will make them feel good

But seriously, chill out about it. It will come. Just give plenty of opportunity for mark making.

[JoinYourPlayfellows]

"It's very interesting to learn that many pre-schoolers can write their whole name too a year before starting Reception! - my 4 year old cannot even hold a pencil in the proper manner yet."

My eldest could write her name clearly when she was 3.

My next child can just about draw a something that looks a bit like a face at 3.5.

I think the range of what is possible is enormous.

I expected the nursery teacher to have some serious words with me about my 3 year old's pencil refusal and inability to hold a drawing implement, but she said it was totally normal.

[AcrylicPlexiglass]

Hi duchesse.:) We were on the anti-natal thread together. Can't remember what I was called back then though! I remember you posting pictures of your lovely neat bump. Can't believe that bump and my bump are now 4 and at school!

[AcrylicPlexiglass]

She is in reception and a summer baby, btw.

[duchesse]

DD3 (August born, 4y 3 m) can't. She can manage the first 5 letters unaided but then forgets what comes next. She's a bit dicey on E (it tends to end up with extra bars) and I don't think she's ever written her name as far as the N so I don't know if she can do an N.

I'm not at all worried about it.