Tactile Letters

In preschool we learn about letters in many ways.  We sing songs, we read books, we write with markers, pencils, and we use all sorts of other fun tactile ways including salt, play dough, shaving cream, clay etc..  Tactile refers to touch.  Many students learn best by doing.  Today we used our fingers in salt to form letters.  It's a fantastic sensory experience but also a great way to practice writing and drawing.  See photos below.

There are many stages of writing.  Did you know scribbling is a developmentally appropriate stage of writing?  In preschool we celebrate all stages of writing whether it's scribbling, writing mock letters, copying print or conventional writing.   See your child's folder for a copy and explanation of the developmental stages of writing.  Remember don't worry if your child isn't writing letters yet.  He or she may not yet be there developmentally and that's absolutely okay.  The most important thing to remember that exposure to all types of ways to write is what is important.  Supplying your child with various types of paper, pencils, crayons and markers on a daily basis is important and crucial to their literacy development.  If you want to get adventurous get out some salt and put it on a tray, or roll some playdough and form letters with your child, or even put some shaving cream on a tray and let your child play in it.  I'd love to hear about your adventures.