Wow, does my daughter love to trace! She, at a little over 2 1/2 years old, is getting so good at writing her name and other simple words like cat (which we have) and dog (which we do not). She is also enjoying drawing snowmen, hearts and other assorted creatures and symbols and writing her favorite numbers 2 (her age), 5 (no idea) and 8 (because it looks like a snowman!)
You can get all fancy and purchase a tracing table which may illuminate the writing surface and provide for very easy viewing of the lines, shapes, letters and numbers intended to be traced but there is no real need to plop down the dollars for such a device. While they are neat, and may make you the envy of the tracing circuit, your children can practice their letters and faces without a table specifically for the activity. My family works this tracing business the old fashion way – with pencils, crayons, paper and the floor or any other flat surface. It seems to work out quite nicely.
Another great reason to move from regular crayon scribble/playtime to controlled and assisted tracing is the ability to harness the creative energy inside their little frame, hold your child’s attention longer and challenge them to progress towards something that every toddler in the world seems to enjoy – saying, hearing, seeing and writing their own name.
She went through a phase where she would color morning, noon and night but for much of her 2nd year the crayons have lost their luster in her eyes. Lately though, with the introduction of more structured writing, drawing and now tracing, a big bucket of primary colors and a big pad of plain paper is a steady fixture on our living room floor.
If your child has gotten bored of the same ole-same ole when it comes to coloring, consider advancing the game a bit. Spell your child’s name in a dotted or perforated manner and see if your kids can spell their own name by tracing over your letters. Sit back and watch your little ones burst with joy and pride at their newfound ability.
Related Articles
2006 Best Infant and Preschool Toys