5 year old cannot write at all

[Toarrie]

My 5 yo can’t write at all, can’t draw. Won’t even really put a pencil to paper, he just says it is too hard and won’t even attempt it.
I’m getting quite worried about it now as we’ve seen no improvement in 2 years and now he’s been in school for almost a month and still we can’t get him interested or to try.
How can the teacher teach or how will he even be able to learn without drawing or writing.

Has he done any sort of mark making? Finger drawing lines in sand, soil, paint? Transitioned to using paint on a sponge to mark make? Paintbrush? Felt tip? Colouring in? Tracing shapes?

He will scribble. So colouring in would be just scribbling over the whole page. Painting with a paintbrush would be similar.

My husband didn’t start school until he was five and couldn’t or write a word. He wasn’t interested. He went on to a successful career in academia.

Em I didn’t say I hadn’t noticed. We have been trying to encourage him for a long time. What else can I do.

what have you tried ?
will he copy shapes, zig-zag lines on paper or wipeable book
you can get printable pre-writing skills papers on pintrest that you could laminate so reusable with a non permanent marker
big sheets of paper or floor and chalk
playing with playdough strengthens the hand/fingers ready for holding a pencil
dough disco on you-tube

Yes I am aware of many children who start school at 5 who can’t read or write a word but I think the concern is he can’t even do a letter or number or really draw anything

does he do finger painting?
drawing?

Play doh can be really good for building muscle strength in his hand

ask the school for guidance.
they have special fat pencils
no pressure op

He's only been in school a matter of weeks. I'd just give him time. My youngest wasn't interested at all at the start of school- his teacher was amazing when I said it was worried and reassured me that it's just hard and he'll pick it up. Now he's 7 and he is fine.

Ok well I would practice colouring in a bit neater then - find pictures of something he likes. Would bribery work for colouring in say a tiger orange and grass underneath green with separate areas? Or colouring in a card for Auntie Janice?

did he go to nursery?

Have you tried the wipeable tracing books?

He can only copy zig zag lines following the dots.
we have a white board for his DD, pens, paper etc set out permanently. He isn’t interested, can’t encourage him.
loves playdoh thought

Thank you

My youngest was like this until he was about four and a half. It turns out he was left handed but had been copying all the other kids at nursery and trying to write and draw right handed.

It took him a few years to catch up in terms of dexterity and hand strength but he's now 9 and was one of the first in the class to get his pen licence.

Yes 2 years in private nursery and 2 years at school nursery

When we practice handwriting at home I start with having them trace, so I buy a book with lined paper, and I write numbers first (easier to trace) really big so over two lines or more if the lines are small and have them trace a line of 0's, then a line of 1's, up to 5. Once they've mastered that I introduce up to 10. Then I start introducing tracing the letters (all really big), showing them where to start and finish. Eventually adding in tracing their name, and then moving onto tracing smaller letters and numbers and then have them try by themselves.

It's worked wonders with all of my children and they all had very neat handwriting from the get go with no extra 'fine motor activities' needed. Just simply tracing.

He is left handed but it took him a long time to decide

Er are you ok?

Mine is left handed too. It took him about half way through reception to decide.

I just sat mine down for ten minutes everyday and said we are doing writing practice. I actually found the paper and pencil practice papers more helpful tbh. Are you just leaving stuff out or sotting with him and guiding him?

i find it also helps if I draw something slowly then Dd will draw the same character at the same time. Start with easy ones j, i, v etc.

Our DS wasn’t very interested in writing or drawing at pre school age. He concentrated his efforts on reading. Once at school he started catching up on writing. He has dyspraxia, so dexterity is a problem. Although, he learnt to touch type and hasn’t really looked back.

That might be part of it? It takes time to build up those muscles to be confident and comfortable.