Can your 3-4 yo write their name or letters?

Happycouple · February 2012

DS is good at identifying letters and can write maybe 4 or 5 of them. They are often large and a bit 'messy'. I noticed on his school valentines that it looked like some of his peers may have written their own name. Just curious how common this is?

SeaSoul · February 2012

I don't think that's typical. Cal is just starting to be able to write a handful of letters (nowhere close to perfectly) and thought he did sort of write his name on my Valentine card, it was with a little help/direction from DH.

But he isn't taught anything - he's not in preschool.

kittylove · February 2012

We are working on it, and he can kind of do the R but that is it. We do a lot of hand over hand writting, and I would bet money that is how most of the kids wrote thier name. Don't worry about it that Luke can't yet. Some kids go into K without knowing how, but they go into 1st being able to.

RoxBride · February 2012

DD just now figured out how to write her name, but it is a MESS. That said, her name (Charlotte) is full of really common letters so it is pretty easy. SHe's learned because she loves those tracing worksheets and does those a lot.

emiannie · February 2012

Miles can, but he's in preschool and his teacher said it was her goal to have them writing their names by the end of the school year. She succeeded. It's kind of messy, but over the last two weeks has gotten much clearer.

UsedToBeGoldie · February 2012

Griffin started writing his around 3.5 and it's gotten better and better since.

now he writes lots of things- sounds out words, etc. He's about to turn 5.

pandabearlover · February 2012

Betsy just started. I think her new school is focusing more on writing than her old preschool. She has a paper of her name to trace when she gets there every morning.

PS-I love how she makes her B. A huge loop, then another huge loop and a tiny line to connect the two. And only a mother would recognize her S.

BoilerSuz · February 2012

DS was doing his name recognizably by 3 1/2 and other letters or by 4. Between 4 1/2 and almost 5 we've seen much improvement in clarity. He's to the point now that we can spell words or have him copy what we've written. Spacing the letters as well as size remains an issue. Unfortunately he hates coloring and drawing making the process much harder. Boys often have small motor skills behind their female peers.

LCS040209 · February 2012

I haven't been very active on this board, but I'm trying to be! Anyway, this caught my eye. I taught preschool for years before being a SAHM and am in master's program for special ed/reading.

Kids at this age are all progressing at different rates, so try not to worry too much. Your LO will start to write when he is ready. You can practice with writing in sand, chalk, markers, etc. Children at this age are just starting to figure out that speech matches print in addition to how to write letters. They will start writing them messy, backwards, and upside down. This is all normal and completely appropriate!

LCS040209 · February 2012

Really famous/great paper that explains reading and spelling development. I included it bc there is a chart you can look at to give you examples of what is appropriate and what age and why.

https://www.sevenhillscharter.org/docs/teachers/voyager/phonicswordstudyarticles/PHExplorationsinDevelopmentalSpelling.pdf

alchris · February 2012

Kira is in her 3rd year of a Montessori school where fine motor skills are HUGE. Even though fine motor has always come easily for her, and even with her school work, it's only in about the last 2-3 weeks that she's been writing her name....and it's only 4 letters. ;-) I think 4 years old for it is perfectly normal.

byrne15 · February 2012

DS just turned 4 and he can write his name...it isn't perfect and it is in larger letters. It certainly wouldn't fit on a little valentine.

JillRock96 · February 2012

I don't think it is typical -- just a skill they are developing. Ava can write her name really well, but it is only two different letters, and really they are all the same shape (just the V is inverted). The only other letters she can without help are MOM, though she tries to copy other letters.

CMM05 · February 2012

DS1 is 4 years 5 months and yes, he can write his full name (first and last). He has been writing his first name since the beginning of the school year, but it was large and messy at first. His teacher began writing smaller dashes/lines recently and that clicked with him. He will also write words if I spell them for him......but there are a few letters that he forgets how to write on his own.

His pre-k teacher told me that main goal by the END of pre-k is for them to be writing their names, so you have lots of time!

Like others have said, this skill varies greatly from child to child. DS's best girlfriend was writing words last year (when she was 3.5).

Don't worry! What he is doing sounds totally normal!

Mrs.Reem · February 2012

They're learning to write letters in Katen's 4yo preschool. She can write all of the letters as well as her name, my name, and spell mom, dad, ...basic 3 letter words.

She's a sponge though. She's always asking to do stuff like that AND the leappad has several games that improve her dexterity and writing skills. Because of the leappad Ana can pretty much write her letters also. It's certainly not anything I've done to help her out. lol

queenbone · February 2012

DS really liked me writing letters for him when he was 3. He would occasionally write them too.

Now he writes his name all the time. He will ask us to spell out other words for him to write, (like Mother) but the letters are not in order at all and are of varying sizes.

It isn't something they are teaching him in preschool, but he is really exploding with letters right now. So fun to watch!

dundasgirl · February 2012

Reed writes his name and a few other letters. About 3 weeks ago his "e" was backwards, now it's the right way. And his "d" is a circle with a long line right now the middle of it. Sort of like he couldn't decided whether to make a b or d so he just drew the line right down the centre:)

He loves to write on the chalkboard. It's amazing to me how one day it starts to click with them.

skoorbnibor · February 2012

yes, he can write his name and the alphabet, but not always in order

futrkingsley · February 2012

DS is 3y2m and has been in a MOntessori preschool for 18 months or so and he can make marks in a few shapes with pen/pencil but I wouldn't say he's even close to writing his name OR even know his alphabet. He recognizes the letters in his name as a pattern of shapes and can put them in order but he can't always tell you what those letters are. He can draw circles and lines and crosses (T's or X's) but it takes a lot of concentration to make a C instead of an O.

He is not a kid who likes drawing or art all that much. He much prefers really active pursuits so it doesn't surprise me. I know that at school he is working on math skills over learning his alphabet and the tools he's using are working on his fine motor skills.

His school is mixed age and a handful of his classmates signed their own cards but I'm assuming that was from the segment that is 5 or close to it and not his same age peers or those younger than him.

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