Pre-Writing Practice

One of my big goals for Xander's Tot School is to work on some of his pre-writing skills.  I know he is super young, but my hope is that in the next 6-8 months he will be able to get the color in the area of the page he intends.  I am not talking, coloring in the lines, drawing shapes, etc.  I would just like him to be able to put a blob of scribbles over certain pictures, shapes, or letters when he means to, so that I can eventually make him worksheets.

Anyway, right now we are just practicing the idea of coloring.  We only do it for a few minutes at a time, but several times a week.  Here are some of the pictures I have gotten over the last month or so.

First real experience coloring at the desk.

He was just as interested in taking the crayons out of the box and putting them back in.  He liked this so much, that our box is now nonexistent and we had to get a plastic crayon box.

Last summer I was able to find an Aquadoodle set at a garage sale (a mat where you "write" with water).  It even has stampers and rollers to go with it.  While Xander had fun playing, this one is really too big for him.  He would probably do much better with one of the smaller, travel size Aquadoodles.  

We got out our dry erase board and used markers to go with our color themes.  He likes it, but makes me a bit nervous with how wild he can get with those markers.

But, it worked out.  He actually prefers erasing to writing.

Since the dry erase board is so big and difficult for him to bend over on the floor, I was excited to get a good deal on a Crayola Dry Erase Center.  It is nice that he can use it on his desk, or he can sit on my lap and we can use it together.  Once again, he writes mostly so that he can erase.

He doesn't even have to watch what he is doing...