Writing with a Stick {Outdoor Play Party}

When playing outdoors, it can be simple to incorporate emergent writing learning for preschoolers.  
Dirt is the canvas and a stick the writing tool.  
I  begin by making marks in the dirt.  If I tell my children to observe something, chances are they won’t be motivated to watch me.  But when I act interested in scribbling and making lines in the sand, their curiosity is piqued.  
I dialogue to myself describing my actions. For example, “I hold a stick firmly in my hand to write.” or “I am making lines in the dirt.” or “I am erasing my marks.” or “I am writing an M for Mama.” I repeat the same action many times like writing straight lines many times.  
Soon the children are looking for their own writing sticks and writing in the dirt.  
Writing in the dirt, builds fine motor skills and teaches alphabet skills.  A bonus is that you don’t waste any paper with this writing activity.  
It’s easy to incorporate early writing into outdoor play.  For more than 40 outdoor literacy activities, read Take Literacy Outside.

I loved all the activities linked up at last week’s Outdoor Play Party.  Thank you for participating.  Toddlers Through Preschool shared how they learned math while camping. Organic Aspirations had fun with an outdoor scavenger hunt. What a great way to build vocabulary skills when outdoors!    document.write(”);