At the preschool level, the focus in terms of handwriting is on establishing a strong grip and learning to hold a writing or drawing tool properly and in a way that engages the necessary muscles.
Coloring is stressed as good for children this age. Children are able to practice their grips as they change colors. They often can use small tools like crayons to color, which are perfect for their small fingers. They can also develop control as they adjust the pressure of their strokes to fill the spaces they are coloring.
Coloring often feels like a very uncreative endeavor, however. So we have been looking for ways to make it more expressive. Many times this year, children have worked to color in their own drawings.
As we do this, teachers are hearing children say that their fingers are getting tired. This is a sign of a need to strengthen those finger and wrist muscles.
In the hope that children will do some more coloring at home in a way that is engaging and a little open-ended, we have created a coloring book showcasing the butterfly drawings of the Rivers Class students. We are sending it home today for the children to enjoy at home. At the end of the packet is a paper for parents about how to help children hold crayons the right way.
We hope you will find time for coloring in the next few weeks and over the summer so that the children will strengthen their grip, control, and muscle tone.
