Making marks, making writers
Before children learn to form letters, they need plenty of experience making marks — lines, circles, zigzags, patterns. This kind of free, exploratory mark making builds the pencil control and hand-eye coordination that writing depends on.
There are so many wonderful ways to mark make — chalk on the ground, painting with water, drawing in sand, using crayons or felt tips on big sheets of paper. The key is keeping it playful and pressure-free. Children who enjoy making marks become children who enjoy writing!
💡 Top tip: Big movements first! Encourage large arm movements on big paper before moving to smaller pencil work. This builds shoulder and arm strength as well as finger control.
Mark Making Video
✦ Coming soonAuntie Ona will be adding a mark making video soon — showing examples of lines, patterns and marks to try at home!
From sounds to letters
Once children are confident making marks, they're ready to start forming their first letter sounds. This video with Auntie Ona guides little ones through writing the sounds they've been learning — a brilliant bridge between phonics and handwriting.
💡 Top tip: Watch the video together and pause to practise each sound before moving on. Little and often is the key!
Writing Your First Sounds with Auntie Ona 🖊️
Play dough: the secret superpower
Play dough might look like just fun — and it is! — but it's also one of the very best ways to build the hand and finger strength children need for writing. Squeezing, rolling, pinching and poking all work those tiny muscles in ways that transfer directly to holding a pencil.
You don't need anything fancy. Whether it's shop-bought or homemade, a good session with play dough a few times a week can make a real difference to a child's grip strength and control. Watch Auntie Ona make a play dough dinosaur and have a go together!
💡 Top tip: Try hiding small objects inside a ball of play dough and asking your child to find them using just their fingers — a brilliant (and sneaky!) strengthening exercise.
Make a Play Dough Dinosaur with Auntie Ona 🦕
Keep the fun going! ✏️
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