Preschoolers are just beginning to master the fine motor skills they will need to write letters and numbers fluently. Right now, their efforts may look like scribbles. That’s okay, because over time, their handwriting will improve. For now, your job is to get your child excited about writing. Here are 10 ways you can encourage your child to learn to write.

There are four stages of writing that children go through: scribbling, controlled writing, letter writing, and practicing writing. Knowing which stage your child is at will help you best support them in developing their writing skills. Your child’s writing ability depends on their ability to master a range of literacy skills including letter recognition, print awareness, such as word spacing.