what age did your ds start to enjoy writing?

[absinthe]

rather than seeing it as a chore.... What can I do to make it more fun for him? He has just started reception at 4.5 and can read well compared to most of the other boys in his class. I introduced writing a few weeks ago (late I know, but he just wasn't ready). He is always very keen to have a try; initiates this activity himself infact. However, he 'loses' his correct pencil grip within seconds and appears to get upset and abandons it. Never experienced this with dd at all

[thegrammerpolicesic]

Anything which presses his buttons...what is he into? If it's trains how about him drawing a pic of a train and then writing caption?

If he likes cars, you could draw a huge map together of your area, mark particular places on it and he has to write the names e.g. school, pool, shops, with you helping him with the spelling if needed.

Ds is also into writing notes to his dad now and will write little notes to relatives.

He was like your ds a few months ago - wasn't keen on writing and would revert to a fist-like grip. He started school in Sept and his enthusiasm has changed totally plus he always manages the proper grip - so be patient is what I'm saying, don't go beyond mild encouragement (don't show any frustration at all with him getting the grip wrong) and chances are it'll correct itself.

[bibbitybobbityhat]

My ds is 6.4 and still doesn't particularly enjoy reading or writing.

Am not worried.

[DottyDot]

Hmm. Ds1 is 8 and still hates writing - will do his school work and home work (just - with much grumbling/stropping) but hates writing and has probably done about half a dozen drawings in his life.

Ds2 is 5 and loves writing - he writes me little notes and insists I write back to him so he can write me more. He writes stories and last summer when he was 4, started a series of books (like Lemony Snicket, which he loves) - he was going to do 13 but finished about 5 of them, each with a few pages in them.

So... I'd say it's entirely down to the child - ds1 will probably carry on writing as little as possible - he's a computer and maths geek genius and will do sums on paper all day if you let him. Ds2 will obviously go on to win the Booker prize...

[kreecherlivesupstairs]

Have you thought about getting those rubber grip things that go around pencils. That will help him with his frogs leg pencil grip. My dd is 8.9 and, like dotty still hates writing. When she was just starting she enjoyed using a white board. We had one about 30X20 cm and she'd write all manner of nonsense on it and then rub it out. I think the non permanance of it attracted her.

[WeNeedToLeaveInFiveMinutes]

My DS1 is 6.2. He now writes on his pictures and writes little messages. They aren't always comprehensible or correct but he has fun. He started using letters occasionally in the summer and now he takes pleasure in it.

His reading ability is around average but his writing was not. Since he started playing with his letters he's come on leaps and bounds. I don't know if he's "on target" (who cares?) but he now "gets" writing and is progressing.

[chopstheduck]

my 4yos do enjoy writing. They find it fun to write letters, cards, stories, anything like that. They don't enjoy practising correct letter formation so much.

My older ds did really struggle, he has sn anyway so it has always been hard for him to hold a pencil correctly. The things we did, was writing any other way than jsut using a pencil - such as chalk boards, white boards, sand trays, forming them with plasticine (great for strengthening fingers) and waving them with a ribbon on a stick (gross motor in the arm is important for developing the fine motor).
Pencil grips and slopes are also useful. If he doesn't have any fine motor issues, I'd try the triangular shaped pencils first and see if they help.

[redskyatnight]

DS started enjoying drawing a few months ago (at 5.5). he still dislikes writing but after a few weeks in Year 1 he now regards it as a necessary evil rather than something to be kicked and screamed against.

They are writing more in Year 1 (he mostly avoided it in Reception) and I think it's a question of familiarity making it less of a torture.

[absinthe]

Thanks - school has not mentioned it yet but there are children in his class of 30 who still don't even recognise their name.
I tried the pencil grips but he was more interested in working out how to slide them off more than anything.
Triangular pencils- where can I buy them?
Wish i could say mine was a maths geek instead but I can't - he gets it effortlessly but I would not describe him as a whizz.
I always thought getting reading and getting writing went hand in hand which is why I am surprised by it

[BooyhooNOTboohoooORbooyou]

my ds really enjoys writing. he is 4.5.
about a year ago i printed off a load of letters for him to trace. it was just another activity for him. like painting or jigsaw puzzles. i never made him do it but i slightly encouraged him to do some letters and he gets a sticker when he does some letters regardless of how many or how well he does it. he now asks if he can do it. also a game he really enjoys is 'restaurant'.
he goes round the room asking what everyone wants to eat and then writes it down on his notepad. just random letters because he cant spell anything except his name and asda .

try and make a game out of it and reward for effort rather than result.

[absinthe]

thanks Booy - esp for explaining what 'writing' means within the context of the game he plays with you. Sometimes, when it is mentioned that dc aged 3 write letters to the gps all day, I have imagined reams of detailed description. It makes me feel a bit better having someone explain the content!

[chopstheduck]

pencils but you can get them all over the place. WHsmiths used to sell them.

Also, make sure he is sitting properly, elbow tucked in to his side, feet flat on the floor, paper square on. Will make it all easier for him and less of a chore. Little things like that made a huge difference to ds1's writing.

[chopstheduck]

One mroe thing too might be worth checking, make sure his tripod grip is correct, and he isn't tucking his forefinger too far back.

[thecloudhopper]

Is he indeed ready to write? He is a boy after all and it is a proven fact that boys develop gross motor skills quickly but fine motor skills(the skills needed for writing) come much later I would concentarte on those through:
1.Playing with playdough as this will strengthen the muscles in the hand that are vital for writing.
2.By doing lots of threading with everyday onjects, pasta and chereeos the cerial are good for this.

1. By getting large tweezers (off Ebay just search for reptile tweezers) and small objects and getting them off the table and into the bowl.
2. simple cuttng and sticking using magazins and catalogs to make pictures.
3. Buttoning and unbuttoning things.

5.Getting him to peg up things.
6.Scunch up 1 peice of newspaper in 1 hand as tight as he can as this will help develop the muscle.
7.Using a plant sprayer to spray plants, (indoors, outdoors) to
spray snow (mix food colouring with water so that the snow
can be painted),
8.Playing with gloop -cornflower and water mixed together. THIS strengthens hand muscles.
hope that helps

[IAmTheEasterBunny]

Ummm, I'm still trying.....

[BooyhooNOTboohoooORbooyou]

thecloud those are really good tips. i have jotted them all down.

thanks

[Tinuviel]

DS1 is 12; DS2 is 9 and I am still waiting for them to enjoy writing!! It isn't that they can't - they just don't like doing it.

[absinthe]

chops - he has never had his feet on the floor as he is usyally at the dining room table - that is one modification to make.

cloud - thanks for the list - I think yoo have posted it before and I have done some of these things as a result.

is there a checklist available for fine motor skills that would help me establish whether there is a delay?