PARENTS!! Here is a list of some great pre-reading and writing strategies. 

Salt Box – Line a small box with black paper and add a thin layer of salt. 
Your child can write letters in the salt. Shake the box to "clean the slate."

Sandpaper Letters – Cut the letters of your child’s name out of sandpaper. 
Glue these onto a piece of cardboard. Your child can trace his/her name with 
his/her finger.

Magnetic Letters – Buy several sets of magnetic letters (upper & lowercase 
letters.) On the fridge or a cookie sheet, help your child find and group 
together all of the capital and lowercase B/b, then all of the D/d, etc. 
Talk about the letter’s name and the sound it makes. Then, find all the 
letters that make a "mmm" sound (M) or an "ssss" sound (C & S), etc. 

Alphabet Books – Cut a piece of paper into fourths, staple them together on 
the side, and write an alphabet letter on the cover. Your child can cut 
pictures out of magazines that begin with the letter on the cover and glue 
them on the following pages. Label the pictures. 

Finger Paints – Your child can smear finger paints on a piece of paper. Help 
him/her write his/her name or various letters with his/her finger. Wipe the 
slate clean, then try some more.

Playdough – Draw a letter, and have your child roll out pieces of playdough 
and fit and mold them together to make that letter’s shape. Try lots of 
letters!

Spaghetti – Do the same as above with cooked spaghetti. Color small batches 
with food coloring to make it more fun.

Letter Hunt – Look for letters. Pick a letter of the day and see how many 
everyone in the family can find. Look on street signs, in books, etc. Make 
it a game! 

Body Letters – Help your child make letter shapes with his/her body. Some 
letters, like L, your child will be able to make with his/her own body. 
Some, like M, will require two bodies. 

Fine Motor Control Practice – Draw curly lines, shapes, mazes, and have your 
child trace them with a pencil. Then see if s/he can duplicate these 
shapes/lines/etc. by him/herself.

Word Wall – Put up separate alphabet letters on pieces of paper on the wall. 
Write new words the child has mastered, cut them out and put them under the 
alphabet letter that has the same beginning sound.

Computer Software – Look for software that incorporate phonics into reading 
activities. 

Post-its & Pens – Write single letters on small post-its and have your child 
stick the post-its on items around the house that begin with the same letter.

Magnadoodle – This is great for the car when practicing fine motor skills, 
writing letters, words, word families, spelling words, etc.

Alphabet Bingo – This game is wonderful for practicing letter names and 
sounds. 

Rhyming Words – Look for rhyming words in books, poetry, writing, etc. 
Practice making rhyming words with magnetic letters, pens and paper, on the 
computer, etc.

Poetry – Read lots of poetry to your child. Go back and look for words that 
start and/or end with the same letter, words that rhyme, capital letters, 
same endings, etc.

Read! Read! Read! - Read to your child often and discuss what you are 
reading! Model and encourage as much language as possible.

KIDS!!  Have fun practicing to write your shapes, letters and numbers.  
Email me a beautiful picture to see!