Literacy skills aren’t just learnt through formal writing. However, literacy skills are nurtured long before children hold their first pencil. At City Impact Church Preschool & Childcare, children engage in various fun activities that help them learn letters and develop the motor skills needed for writing. Here’s how these experiences play a vital role in early literacy development:
Story Time
Reading aloud to children and encouraging them to tell their own stories helps them understand language, build vocabulary, and spark their imagination.
Fine Motor Skills
Activities like playing with playdough, threading beads, and cutting with scissors strengthen the small muscles in children’s hands and fingers, preparing them for writing.
Gross Motor Skills
Physical activities such as monkey bars, climbing and jumping build arm, shoulder and core strength, which supports gross motor skills needed for sitting and writing.
Sensory Play
Sensory bins with foam, sand, or water allow children to trace letters with their fingers, helping them learn letter shapes through touch.
Not only do these activities support them to learn and recognise the letters of the alphabet, and build their fine and gross motor skills but they prepare children for school in several ways:
Confidence Building:
Children gain confidence as they master new skills and recognize letters. This confidence translates into a positive attitude towards learning and school.
Social Skills:
Group activities promote collaboration, communication, and listening skills, all of which are crucial for classroom learning.
Cognitive Development:
Early literacy activities stimulate cognitive development, including memory, attention, and problem-solving skills.
These are not just fun games and activities, but important stepping stones for the skills needed for a successful transition to school! Interested in learning about how we build a foundation in numeracy, click here.
