Introduction to pre-printing skills
Children should learn to accurately draw many lines and shapes before they are expected to form letters and numbers.
Developmentally, children learn pre-printing skills in the following order ( *)
vertical line. { | }
horizontal line { __ }
circle { O }
cross { + }
diagonal line { / }
square { ▢ }
diagonal line { \ }
an X { X }
a triangle {∆ }
Most preschool children (ages 3 and 4) are working on accurately forming crosses, diagonal lines and squares.
50 % of students aged 4 years-1 month old can accurately copy a cross. (Accuracy means a horizontal and vertical line are observed. The lines are roughly the same size and they intersect in the middle).
Remember, if your preschooler’s name has letters with diagonals (K, M, N) they may not be ready to form these letters with accuracy and confidence.
50% of students aged 5 years-3 months can accurately copy a triangle. This is important to remember when Abbi, Addison, Andy, Alex, or Avery are trying to make the letter A with a pointed top before they reach kindergarten age. The capital letter A will usually have a curved side in preschool aged children.
Multi-sensory activities and strategies will help your child progress through pre-printing shapes and set him/her up for success with pre-print skills. So have fun!
Here are a few quick and simple multi-sensory activities to integrate into your daily routine
At breakfast: Have your child trace the round shape of a plate and the square shape of the placement with their finger. Remember to start the pattern at the top.
Before leaving for school: Draw a shape on your child’s back and see if they can guess what it was. Remember to start the pattern at the top.
At snack time: Use straight pretzels to make various lines, shapes, letters or numbers.
At shower time: Have your child draw shapes in the steam on the shower door with their finger.
At bedtime: Use a flashlight to draw shapes on the ceiling before turning out the lights. This movement can be big, making the whole arm practice the motor pattern.
Connect with Path.
Occupational therapists uses observation skills and standardized assessment tools to create an awareness into a child’s visual motor integration skills. Visual motor integration is the ability to look at a shape, picture or letter and reproduce it onto paper. It is the ability to copy. If you have concerns with your child’s copying skills please reach out.
Reference: Age norms and the noted developmental order of pre-printing skills is taken from: The Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration: Keith E. Beery, Norman A. Buktenica, and Natasha A. Beery.
