How Does Pattern Tracing Prepare Children for Writing?

A child can know an alphabet but when asked to write it can become a different matter. The pencil just keeps moving in strange ways, too fast or sometimes very slowly.  Children can get bored after just a few goes. For parents and teachers this can be a natural thought:  How can we make writing easier without making it a chore?

The earliest stage of help, however, tends to be nothing more than a lot more basic than the formation of words and letters.  Children can develop fine motor control and develop their muscles by drawing, copying and tracing over lines, circles, and shapes.  What children learn may seem like a game, but ultimately creates the necessary skills without obvious awareness.

Why Pattern Tracing Comes Before Letter Writing?

Writing involves more than just learning the alphabet. A child must learn to master a pencil, the various dimensions involved in the issuing of paper, while maintaining eye and hand co-ordination, and making fine movements with a degree of precision.  Such skills are acquired piece by piece and pattern tracing offers a good way of practising them gently. 

Having the child trace all the way over the dotted line from point A to B is valuable in letting the child learn to follow the line with the pencil. A simple curved start could introduce the movement for a letter like “c” or “o” with straight lines creating movements for “l”, “t” and “I”. 

Hence the reason many early writing books for children have a section of tracing work prior to total alphabet practice.  Your child can practice the movements involved, albeit without concern that all of their letters will be perfect.

Pattern Tracing Builds Pencil Control Naturally

Something that young children finds difficult to learn in the beginning is having control of a pencil. They tend to press too hard on the pencil, squeeze them tightly or moving their hand in a sudden or jerking motion.  Trace a pattern provides them a guideway to follow therefore they don‘t have to figure out how much movement they require. 

Children might initially veer out of the dotted line.  This is normal.  As the child practices the hand starts to become more stable and they start to have better control. They start to go slowly when they want to go, and change direction more easily at bends and stop when they are expected to.

This is where tracing begins to be more than a worksheet activity. It becomes an intermediary to writing, converting a freehand drawing activity into a writing task as children are...

 From Simple Lines to Confident Writing

A good pattern book will not ask a child to write complicated patterns straight away. Activities may start with horizontal and vertical lines, then move onto curves, waves, zigzag shapes, circles and then combinations of all of these.

This is important because children learn how to write gradually. They learn how to pencil movement from word to word and combine these movements. By the time they are learning the alphabet, some pencil movements will already be ‘not new’.

Tracing Also Strengthens Hand-Eye Coordination

Imagine a little child drawing a curvy road. The eyes go where the road takes them, and the hand attempts to keep the pencil moving along the road.  It is called vision and movement.

That coordination is necessary when children are writing from a page.  Where a letter begins, where a letter is supposed to finish, and that the pencil stroke must be continuance to the picture that they see to understand. 

Some tracing books for kids, then, will do more than just boost handwriting. They can also promote active observation and a measured response.  The latter skills certainly play a part in drawing and colouring activities in the classroom.

Why Repetition Helps Young Writers

Young children typically require more repetitions than adults might. A movement that appears straightforward to us may be new to a pre-schooler.  Repetition of similar patterns allows the child another chance to master the movement without imposing additional demands. 

But repeating the same page endlessly isn’t the only way. Patten can be varied, and called-for repetitions can be increased gradually. Enjoyable practice for a few minutes may be far more effective than a lengthy session that leaves the child tired and upset.

Writing books for children can be a useful tool to make this easier; if the task is broken down into activities then children will not need the motivation to do ‘practice writing’, they will need motivation to do one activity at a time.

Read More: How Do Books Help Children Become Better Learners?

How Parents Can Make Pattern Tracing More Enjoyable

The formal introduction of the concept of tracing by adults to children could really influence how they learn. If children constantly have their every little mistake pointed out immediately, they could begin to perceive writing as a stressful activity. Instead, parents could emphasize perseverance. 

Experiment with giving a choice of two or three patterns. Sit close to encourage slow, precise movement (not perfection in tracing) and talk about the pattern with phrases such as “Try and follow the curve slowly” or “Can you just get to the end without picking up your pencil”?

 A few simple habits can make practice more comfortable:

• Promote a loose pencil grip rather than a tight one.

•  Practice diligently for short periods while children are eager and focused.

• Praise flawed effort, not only perfect lines. 

• Gradually increase amount of time spent practicing more complex patterns. 

We are not concerned about how many pages we complete.  Instead, we want to give children the message that the pencil is something they can use.

When Should Children Start Pattern Tracing?

Announce the simple activity of beginning to trace at any given age does not exist for all children or for any single child.  Each pre-schooler is unique and develops at a different rate so babies and parents can use better judgment than comparison.  A beginning child can be encouraged to participate in simple tracing practices. As such, if the child expresses a desire to draw, scribble or hold a crayon and make marks, preschool may be gradually introduced. 

Initial activities should be cheerful. Children are not required to produce lengthy writing activities at this time. A few minutes of tracing and then drawing, or colouring will sustain the fun.

As their control increases, parents can start using more complex patterns and work toward letters and numbers.  This progression should be gradual and unforced.

Choosing the Right Tracing Practice for Your Child

Not all tracing activities are appropriate for all children. Some children will work better with big, basic shapes, and others will be readier for small, more intricate ones.  Find activities where the path is clear, the level of difficulty is right, and there is enough to challenge but not bore the child.

Lil Legends might be helpful for parents who prefers practice that is more organized and encourages learning. It could be a better chance for a more relaxing experience of child with fun activities. The right material should develop it gradually and not putting children in an exam mode.

Conclusion

Writing confidence is not achieved in an instant it is developed through small movements, repetitions, patience and praise. Pattern tracing provides young children with a more relaxed introduction to pencil control, where they learn to move a pencil in a certain way to follow a path and so begin to gain an element of control.

That seemingly so-trivial line or circle on a page at preschool can be just one of many crucial preparatory steps that lead to writing letters, numbers and – ultimately – words.  With the right amount of practice for their age and the chance for children to approach the task at their own comfort level, those early practices that we often consider unproductive can become the early gains they need to make without dread.`