Encourage mark making as a way of supporting early writing skills
Whether or not children should be being taught to write in the early years is always up for debate with practitioners feeling either strongly for or against children writing while in early years settings. Many forget that the early years outcomes follow children into reception class so the writing skills they need to accomplish some of the higher age brackets can be taught by qualified teachers in reception class. Although it is not essential for early years practitioners to teach the skills needed to actually form letters and words, and not always advisable, it is incredibly important that mark making is supported and promoted. To find out more about the debate over practitioners teaching children to write go here.
What is mark making?
Mark making is any form of mark left behind after a purposeful movement. Mark making can be done in a variety of ways and children learn this skills very early on. Younger children learn to do this through gross motor movements and messy play is often a great way to encourage children to realise they are making marks as they explore. As children get older their marks will become more defined and more controlled. Marks will begin to have meanings for the children and may be done through more sophisticated fine motor movements with things such as pens and paint brushes.
What is the importance of mark making?
Mark making is an incredibly important tool that should be used to give children all the physical skills needed to support handwriting once they start at school. Children need to pass through various physical milestones such as gross motor movements, pincer grip, fine motor skills, holding tools, tripod grasp and the understanding that their movements have an impact to be able to form letters and write. All of the skills listed above are promoted through mark making activities, and it is for this reason that mark making should be encouraged whenever possible. Without having learnt the skills above a child would be unable to learn to form letters once at school and therefore would not achieve a good level of development at the end of the foundation stage. Mark making should not be forced and because of the restrictions, it is for this reason children should not have to copy or trace letters, and stamps should not be used.
Top ways to promote mark making for under 2’s
- Finger painting
- Shaving foam
- Wet Sand
- Gloop (cornflour and water)
- Angel Delight or Custard
- Chunky pens and Chalks
Top ways to promote mark making for over 2’s
- All the above activities
- Pens, crayons, pencils
- Paints and paint brushes
- Chalks
- Natural paintbrushes and mud
- Provide clipboards so mark making can happen anywhere in the room
- Glue and glitter
The processes of learning to make marks is just as important as the marks themselves so praise children for their efforts and encourage them to continue with the marks they are making. Each piece of work should be valued and appreciated, and children made to feel that their creations are special. Mark making is a valuable way of preparing children for the skills needed to write so concentrate on this. More information on Mark making in the early years can be found here
For a full list of resources to promote mark making go here