It might be good to have your child practice this skill a few times a week, for only a few minutes at a time, so that it won't be frustrating for them when they actually start K.

My kids were at a play based preschool. They started K this Fall without knowing how to write most letters upper or middle case and could not read at all. Now in April....they are writing sentences, and reading at level 5. So don't worry your child will be fine. Let her enjoy the summer. The formal learning will come soon enough and at the time it is supposed to.

I sort of agree.. My DD at 3 was very interested in writing (one of those early readers so writing came with it) but letter formation was not being taught yet at school and we were just sort of letting her do her own thing since she was little. By the time it was taught she already "knew" how to do it and never learned the correct way. While she has always an advanced student, it took years before her handwriting became decent.

Of course, tons of kids in large K classes emerge with fine handwriting..

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The only way to ensure that your child learns to form letters correctly is to spend one on one time teaching your child. Kinder teachers can't sit next to every kid and make sure each child starts letters at the top, uses proper spacing (ex. Y, p, g ) goes below the line, etc. it is worth buying a Handwriting Without Tears workbook,kumon book, or another handwriting book and have your child practice for 5 min. a day. You have to sit next to your child to make sure the letters are formed properly. Once a kid learns to form letters incorrectly it is really hard to undo. By first grade has printing habits are ingrained.

Obviously false.

I was a first grade teacher. I didn't write it was necessary to learn to print correctly (since some kids do with whole group instruction), I wrote "to ensure" that your child learns to print correctly. There is no time dedicated to printing practice in first grade at most public schools (parochial schools do more printing practice).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The only way to ensure that your child learns to form letters correctly is to spend one on one time teaching your child. Kinder teachers can't sit next to every kid and make sure each child starts letters at the top, uses proper spacing (ex. Y, p, g ) goes below the line, etc. it is worth buying a Handwriting Without Tears workbook,kumon book, or another handwriting book and have your child practice for 5 min. a day. You have to sit next to your child to make sure the letters are formed properly. Once a kid learns to form letters incorrectly it is really hard to undo. By first grade has printing habits are ingrained.

Obviously false.

I would agree that the above statement is generally false and unnecessary for most kids to learn decent writing. The exceptions would be if your child is struggling to pick up good handwriting habits or if truly excellent penmanship is important to you. They will learn decently in K and first without extra instruction at home unless the teacher requests it for a particular student, their writing just might not be a textbook example of perfect penmanship. The bolded statement seems true in my limited experience though, so if you are bothered by your kid's handwriting I would advise following this poster's suggestions to correct it sooner rather than later.

Anonymous wrote:The only way to ensure that your child learns to form letters correctly is to spend one on one time teaching your child. Kinder teachers can't sit next to every kid and make sure each child starts letters at the top, uses proper spacing (ex. Y, p, g ) goes below the line, etc. it is worth buying a Handwriting Without Tears workbook,kumon book, or another handwriting book and have your child practice for 5 min. a day. You have to sit next to your child to make sure the letters are formed properly. Once a kid learns to form letters incorrectly it is really hard to undo. By first grade has printing habits are ingrained.

Obviously false.

The only way to ensure that your child learns to form letters correctly is to spend one on one time teaching your child. Kinder teachers can't sit next to every kid and make sure each child starts letters at the top, uses proper spacing (ex. Y, p, g ) goes below the line, etc. it is worth buying a Handwriting Without Tears workbook,kumon book, or another handwriting book and have your child practice for 5 min. a day. You have to sit next to your child to make sure the letters are formed properly. Once a kid learns to form letters incorrectly it is really hard to undo. By first grade has printing habits are ingrained.

She will be fine. They will work on it in K. My son couldn't write most of the lower case letters either. Despite being exposed in preschool, hHe was simply not interested or really physically able to write very well until he turned 5 (summer bday). He is doing fine.

Our school's PreKindergarten learns to identify and write all upper and lower case letters. Can always pick out the ones new to Kindergarten because they often don't know their lowercase letters.

She'll be fine, they work on it in K. But if she seems interested (or you have reason to be concerned she will need longer to catch on then her peers) you could offer fun ways of working on letters over the summer.

Stuff like making them out of soft pretzel, or clay or tracing them in shaving cream/rice/a sandbox. Let her watch you write. Ask her to help you look for letters on the page when you read to her, or letters on the stuff in your shopping cart. Again though I would only do that if she seemed interested in letters and I wouldn't push it.

An involved parent and a home environment that values education are really two of the most important things at this stage, and it sounds like you have both going for you.

No, not required before getting to K in MoCo. Some kids will already know how, and many will not. There is a big range on reading and writing skills at K entry, and that is OK.

Op here. Thanks! I figured as much but there seems to be such a huge emphasis on it at her particular school I was starting to worry. I really don't like "schooling" her at home too much

She'll be fine. Try not to stress. Kids come in knowing far less.

They'll do it in K

My dd will start in the fall and jus turned 5. She can write mostly all the uppercase letters and recognize them but few if any lowercase. Many kids in her class can do both. Is this something she will just pick up in kindergarten or should I work on it with her at home more between now and the fall?