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Baby Beluga 09:36 AM 04-06-2018
DCB turns 5 in July and has zero writing skills. Can't even verbally spell his name to me.

I have him "write" his name doing the best he can on the back of artwork. And he refuses to do it. He refuses to even try, really. He just sits, whines, and repeatedly says " I don't know. I can't do it" while shaking his head. Totally shuts down.

What do I do here? I don't want to push him if he isn't ready.....but we're kind of in a "he needs to be pushed" place. Writing one's name is absolutely a requirement for K here. They will still enroll him not knowing how to spell/write his name, but he will be so utterly behind.

He is with me 3 days per week and at a center 2 days per week.
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daycarediva 09:50 AM 04-06-2018
Make it worth his while, find different ways to do it.

For the kids to get any computer time here, they must "sign up" (write their name) can't write your name? Won't even try? NO computer.

Salt trays.

Mega blocks/Lego name puzzles.

Folders with his name that he has to put his work away in, etc. I plaster their names all over EVERYTHING.

How are his fine motor skills? I'm seeing more and more of this from kids. I used to be able to have alllll the 3yo's writing their names, but not anymore. Parents doing too much for them, poor fine motor skills, it's not helping kids get K ready.
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Baby Beluga 09:57 AM 04-06-2018
The computer time is a great idea. I have ABC mouse...maybe that will help encourage him some.

Fine motor skills are okay from what I can see. He cuts well. Colors/draws well. He is able to draw pictures. I just asked him to draw a picture of his chickens for me. He made a pretty typical chicken picture for an almost 5 year old. Manipulates legos, playdough, magantiles, pipe builders well. The only trouble seems to be with puzzles (he HATES doing them...but can do them successfully) and writing his name.

ETA: he can recognize his written name when asked to find it.

Also, his parents do everything for him. Including putting his shoes on. Even though he is more than capable of putting them on himself.
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mamamanda 10:04 AM 04-06-2018
Would he interact with his name in a different way, like you could write it fairly large across the paper & have him sticker over it with small stickers following the shapes of the letters? Or maybe give him flashcard letters for the letters in his name & have him put them in the right order?
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BrynleeJean 02:09 PM 04-06-2018
i had a five year old that COULD do things id ask him to and he's whine and say "i can't" till it was a full on fit and we had to call mom multiple time.
five is plenty old to be writing. now if he hasn't had the experience then of course ease him into it.
he is five so i wouldn't baby a five year old. kinder won't baby so i don't baby BUT id start with basics and have expectations set for his age in the area of efforts.
my two year olds id take like their color sheets and write their names REAL big in highlighter. every single sheet and then take their hand and help them hold the pencil or crayon and trace their name. then we'd do two names or three names and the names would get smaller. by the age three they recognize their name and the letters in it and hold the crayon or pencil correctly without me, and can pretty much trace the highlighted name themselves and they do that all that year too cuz the highlighted name is still bigger than the generic "dotted trace names" you find online and the highlighted ones you do yourself leave more room for error and are more forgiving.
by four they do tracing papers printed , their name and other letters of the alphabet and can start writing their name by themselves by five its all practice makes perfect until they get to that school age.
id take those steps and see if you can't condense them into the weeks you have left with hime before school. or just start with the basics and whatever you get done is better than nothing. teaching was always my favorite part
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Pestle 07:48 AM 04-07-2018
My brother has dysgraphia. We were homeschooled, and my mother taught him to write his letters using a variety of mostly-kinetic exercises. If you pick up any of the Montessori early education books, they'll have a bunch of ideas.
https://www.amazon.com/Basic-Montess...F9SD7MKTGV8HE6
https://www.amazon.com/Teach-Me-Myse.../dp/0764127896
https://www.amazon.com/Teaching-Mont...KB5FKS0TWA45TX

I start the kids out with sandpaper letters and Play-Doh letters and with paper that has lines to trace--pre-writing exercises that show them the shapes of the letters and the movements required to create them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1D5u5LVuOk

I don't force anybody to participate. When there's one kid who doesn't like to join in, I focus myself, with fascinated excitement, on the activity, and draw the other kids in. Once they're doing it, the non-participant just HAS to get in on the action!
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flying_babyb 02:22 PM 04-07-2018
Ok group time idea:
We did card with the kids names on them then sing
McKenna starts with M
McKenna starts with M
M-C-K-e-n-n-a (i say each letter while pointing to it and they repeat it)

They also have to write there name on there tag in order to go play. Each kid has a banana that they must put up at the center there playing in. Cant try? go read a book!
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Mad_Pistachio 04:34 AM 04-08-2018
Learning Without Tears has some tools you may be able to use, like a chalkboard wet-dry-try method.
if you are not opposed of children using a tablet, they have that same wet-dry-try application for iPads (not sure about Androids).
they use lines and curves in 2 sizes (large and small) to form letters, starting with easier ones and proceeding to harder ones.
their Mat Man is my personal hero.
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Ariana 07:54 AM 04-08-2018
Tracing each letter a few times per week is how I do it. So if the kids name is Bobby, start with tracing a B for a week, then an O etc. Then do the letters together and slowly transition to trying on his own. Lots of praise and scheduled time to do it. No more than 5-10 minutes at a time. Start at 1 minute and work up. Even begin with tracing shapes can help.

I just started this week with a 4 year old and he already is writing his K independently when doing his drawings! My goal is to have his full first name by September.
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hwichlaz 12:03 PM 04-09-2018
Here’s my portable writing center.

I have really limited people space but lots of storage space. So I'm making centers in boxes so i can bring them out, use them, clean up, then bring out another. Here's my first center. It's a writing center. I have laminated mats for playdough and dry erase. A small magnadoodle, chalk board, cookie sheets with magnetic letters, letter sheets to make collages or stamp on, and worksheets for my pre-Ks if they want them.

I also have tracing sheets with each child’s name on them. And puzzles that I’ve made for their names.
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hwichlaz 12:07 PM 04-09-2018
Try two for names...
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Baby Beluga 01:02 PM 04-09-2018
These are all wonderful ideas - thank you!

Originally Posted by hwichlaz:
Here’s my portable writing center.

I have really limited people space but lots of storage space. So I'm making centers in boxes so i can bring them out, use them, clean up, then bring out another. Here's my first center. It's a writing center. I have laminated mats for playdough and dry erase. A small magnadoodle, chalk board, cookie sheets with magnetic letters, letter sheets to make collages or stamp on, and worksheets for my pre-Ks if they want them.

I also have tracing sheets with each child’s name on them. And puzzles that I’ve made for their names.
I love the idea of putting supplies in a box where he can choose what/how to write his name. I have many supplies, but they are organized by category and not activity. Thinking I will make a box and add it to my learning tray shelves.
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Tags:milestones, milestones - name address
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