Prewriting Worksheets

Related ELA Standard: W.K.1

Core Standard
Answer Keys Here

Holding a pen or pencil and drawing or writing something is a simple task for adults but taking that leap for a child is a big one. We start with proper hand placement. If a child holds the writing implement incorrectly, make sure to fix it; you don’t want any bad habits to form. The next step is making sure that they can make proper pencil strokes. We then move on to hand eye coordination. I find a great way to see where your student’s strengths and weakness are with writing is to watch them color. It tells you so much about where they are at. These worksheets will help you gauge where your students are at their writing skills and help them move forward.

Prewriting Worksheets:

Connect the Pictures - Put picture one with picture 2 now. As the image shows position a line from your left hand to your right hand.

Trace the Shapes - Make all the connections that you can find. This is also a chance to have students name each of the shapes.

Shape Me A Way - Find a way to attach this guys little legs together. This centipede is out for a day on town.

Horizontal Lines - Help each caterpillar reach her dinner by tracing the line. Do the first one with the help of a straight edge, like a ruler.

Who Wants It? - Connect each object with the one who wants it. We work on a similar skill that will work on out fine motor skills.

More Shapes - Tracing is a huge skill to work on. These shapes will require your pencil to go in many different directions.

Vertical Lines - Help keep the car on the road. Trace the vertical dotted lines. Have them go North to South.

More Vertical Lines - Trace the lines to connect the items that belong together. For extra credit name them.

Zig Zag Lines - Help the ants find the food. Trace the lines that zig zag. They look like a roller coaster ride.

Waves - Trace the waves to help the boats reach the islands. Note that we start to begin to work on loop and whirl patterns with our pencil.

Tracing Curves - Trace the curves that when put together will make a flower for this butterfly to land on. This is a helpful motion for handwriting.

Flower Curves - Trace each curve. Use different colors to turn them into flowers. Note that there are place to go hard and others to go soft on.

Spirals - Trace the spirals. This takes some patience as it is done in one continuous motion.

Diagonal Lines - Trace the diagonal lines to highlight the rain drops that are hitting the umbrella and forming puddles.

Tall Grass - Trace over the lines to help the lion hide in the tall grass. He is getting ready to eat.

Prewriting Skills for Students

Writing requires a lot of skills for young children. They might not consider it as easy as you do. You cannot just introduce the techniques of writing to them. You will have to start with other prewriting skills so that your child can develop this muscle with time and effort. Gradually building the strength to write is the best way to ensure that your child will become an expert at it. Here are some prewriting skills for children.


Tracing the Letters

Tracing the letters is the easiest prewriting skill. It does not require any extra efforts. Just when you are teaching alphabets to the child, you can ask him or her to trace the shape of the letter. This will be a preliminary activity for the children before they actually start writing. It will give them an idea about what they will be doing later.


Play Dough

One of the most exciting prewriting skills is play dough. Give the young students some play dough to play with. Tell them to get as creative as they can. Ask them to make different shapes and characters. You can also teach them how to make letters with play dough.


Cutting Practice

The cutting practice is an essential prewriting skill. It helps in developing the hand strength. You can give plastic scissors to the children. This is because other scissors are too dangerous for them. Give them some paper and ask them to cut any shape that they like.


Writing In Salt

Writing in salt is a great way to develop the hand strength to hold a pencil and learn techniques to write letters. You can give them a tray full of salt and straw. Now, ask them to write letters on the tray.