Reception and writing

[mollymole999]

So today is last day of term for my son who is in reception and will be 5 end of March, the teacher suggested I try some tracing with him over half term, she said he knows his letters/alphabet and is interested just needs help

But at home today all he wants to do is mark making. Scribble. I hold his hand over mine to trace but then that's me doing it

Do I worry

He's still very young. If he's interested in mark making just encourage that - it still helps with fine motor control. Does he have a good pencil grip? If not, that would be a good thing to encourage.

Maybe try Mark making in wet sand or salt with a tool....but at the end of the say a hand is not fully formed until age 7 ish just do finger gym excercise and messy play.

We’ve got a few of those wipe clean books from Aldi so DS can try letters and numbers. He enjoys having a go at that for a bit. DS is 4 and has just started reception too.

Also playing with things like Lego and play doh helps build the muscles in their hands ready for writing.

I wouldn’t be too concerned. They do things at their own pace so just encourage him to try if he wants to have a go.

He does have a good pencil grip according to school yes

I should have mentioned he has autism and is a year or so behind in most areas

That sounds fine for his age and the first half term of Reception.
As for practice - does he know his numbers? He could do dot to dot puzzles. It needs quite a bit of control to join the dots. Colouring books are good too for pen control.
I remember doing different patterns with my daughter - a line of zig zags, a wavy line etc.
Her teacher suggested we do a race - who can do their zig zag across the paper first.
Make it all a game and fun but don't stress.

He knows numbers to 10 yea. He can colour but it's more like mark making but with coloured pencils etc

Tracing isnt how children learn to write
Dont hold his hand either.

Bowl of rice uncooked. pair of tweezers. Transfer the rice to another bowl
Throw and catch a ball- get a smaller ball once he can do it

Big sheet of paper- you have 1 felt tip and he another. You make a dot and he either has to draw a circle round it or link it to the next dot you draw. make it a race- he has to stop you getting 2 or 3 ahead.

Race to write a letter- Big felt tips. You write then he writes on the same piece of paper (start with I, c and m).

My DS is 4, also in Reception & won't be 5 till next June. No indication he has any type of SEN.
Until recently he had little to no interest in holding a pencil, let alone writing. School has definitely helped & encouraged him.
We have dug out my DDs only chalkboard & put it up in his bedroom & as I'm reading he is practicing his letters on the chalkboard - this is a revelation, he was never interested before. Maybe it's the size, or the fact he can rub it out, but he's loving it.
I also do dot writing where I dot out the word & he can trace it.
Agree fine motor skills like Lego, playdoh, sand play etc are really important.