I first became interested in teaching small children how to write during my undergraduate work as I trained to be an elementary teacher. In the 1980s, the teaching of writing was shifting in a new direction. Influenced by educators like Donald Graves and Lucy Calkins, the focus moved away from rigid rules, drills, and worksheets and toward a child-centered approach.
Writing was seen as a process rather than a product. Children were encouraged to choose their own topics, draft freely, revise with support, and share their work with others. The goal was to give young writers voice and ownership, helping them see themselves as real authors.
As part of my training, I was offered a newly developed minor from my university to go along with my teaching degree. It was called Language Arts Across the Curriculum. Through this program, I learned how to teach writing within all the areas of the curriculum, even in science and social studies. I also learned how to integrate spelling words and vocabulary throughout all of the subjects. This foundation helped me see that writing could be taught and practiced in many different ways, not just during the designated “writing” time.
Techniques That Work with “Littles”
Over the years, I embraced several techniques for helping children learn to love writing. I think parents, grandparents and caregivers should try some of these methods with the “Littles” in their lives. Schools love prepared and energetic learners who have a great attitude about learning. Let’s all be a part of the solution – a small writing revolution we can all embrace?
Language Experiences
Start with whatever your child is currently obsessed with – dinosaurs, Bluey, Peppa Pig, Power Rangers, a pet, or even the worms that wriggle up after a rain. Gather books, shows, and other media around that interest, and then read together: read to them, with them, and later listen to them read. Kids are most motivated when they can talk, draw, and eventually write about something they already love.
Drawing and Dictation
For pre-readers, invite them to tell a story about something they love while drawing the pictures. As they talk, you act as their “scribe,” writing down their words in what I used to call a secret language – cursive. Their spoken story becomes a real book: pictures by them, words by you. Later, you can read it back again and again, showing them that their ideas matter and their stories are worth keeping.
Write an “A to Z About Me” Book
This project is just what it sounds like. Work with your child to think of their interests for each letter of the alphabet. For example: “A is for anthill watching,” “B is for baking,” or “C is for cake eating on my birthday.” Begin with a simple introduction such as: “The alphabet from A to Z will tell you something about me. Just follow along and you will see the things that are important to me.”
For each letter, your child can draw a picture of their chosen interest, and together you can add a sentence or two about why it matters to them. The finished book becomes a wonderful keepsake of their childhood passions. I especially like using “bare books” – blank bound books that give the project a polished, final-product feel. Bare Books site.
Create a Writer’s Workshop at Home
Give writing its own special place. Set up a little corner with a desk, good pens, an old typewriter, stickers, coloring supplies, paper of all kinds, even wallpaper scraps for book covers. Add a flameless scented candle for ambiance if you’d like. The more engaging and inviting the environment, the more likely children will want to spend time there.
Make journaling or logging part of the routine. Provide each child with a decorated notebook where they can “write” every day through drawings, scribbles, invented spellings, or stories they dictate. Over time, they’ll see their own growth, and writing will feel like a natural, daily habit. The key is to join them. Keep your own journal in the same space and write alongside them. Depending on the purpose, journals can be kept private or shared – a choice that teaches respect for the writer’s voice.
Use Playful Word Play and Storytelling
Rhymes, silly songs, puppet shows, and oral storytelling all serve as powerful precursors to writing. These activities show children that language is fun, flexible, and creative – and that joy naturally spills over into writing. When stories are ready to be shared, “perform” them together in a poetry slam, a puppet show, or even a family storytelling night.
Write for Real Audiences
Encourage children to write notes, cards, lists, or simple letters to family, friends, or even the mail carrier. When their writing has a purpose and someone responds, it reinforces that writing matters. And yes – set the phones and electronic tablets aside for a while!
Find Resources
One of my favorite resources is We Think with Ink by Michael Leannah. This book is full of practical ideas for teachers and parents who want to help children grow as writers. Look at buying a copy here: We Think With Ink
How to Adapt We Think with Ink Principles for Preschool and Home
Although We Think with Ink is designed for teachers in classroom settings, many of its principles can be adapted for preschool-aged children and home learning. Here are some possibilities:
| Principle from We Think with Ink | Possible adaptation for preschoolers |
| Writing as learning across content | After baking cookies, help your child “write” (through dictation or drawing) a recipe card for the cookies, including pictures of ingredients. Or after planting seeds, make a growth chart together with notes and drawings. |
| Projects / Meaningful writing | Start a family newspaper with your child as the “reporter.” They can draw or dictate news: “Grandma visited” “Our dog dug a hole” “It rained today.” Staple the pages together as an issue. |
| Voice, confidence, ownership | Let your child keep a “Me Journal” where they decide what goes in – stickers, doodles, glued-in treasures, dictated stories. Emphasize that they are the boss of the book. |
| Reflection & Feedback | End the day by having them “read” their drawing or scribbles back to you, then ask, “What part do you like best?” or “What should we add tomorrow?” – simple, child-led reflection. |
| Writing workshop at home | Instead of a desk, turn a cardboard box into a “Writing Fort” stocked with supplies. The cozy, playful space can spark the sense that writing is something special. |
Other Preschool and Home Writing Resources
In addition to We Think with Ink, there are other resources that offer concrete ideas and strategies for supporting early writing at home.
National Association for the Education of Young Children, or NAEYC offers simple, practical ways for families to support writing at home. They remind us that early writing starts long before spelling and sentences – it begins with scribbles, drawings, and playful marks on paper.
Virginia’s ECE Resource Hub ECE Hub Site shares hands-on activities that make writing both fun and developmentally supportive. Ideas include creating a special “writing spot” at home, taking writing outdoors with chalk or paint, and using playdough or clay to strengthen hand muscles needed for holding pencils and forming letters.
Conclusion
Teaching a child to write doesn’t have to look like a classroom lesson. It can start with a silly song, a crayon drawing, or a secret-language story scribbled into a homemade book. The tools are simple: paper, pencils, patience, and praise. What matters most is showing children that their words matter. They are authors with something worth saying. Give them that gift, and you’ll not only help them write, but also help them find their voice. And isn’t that what we all want?
Let’s Have a Conversation:
When you were a child, what first made you feel like a “real writer”? Was it a journal, a school assignment, or something at home? If you have children or grandchildren, what fun ways have you tried to encourage their storytelling or writing? Do you think today’s kids have fewer opportunities to write by hand, and how do you feel about that?
