Is writing really an age-appropriate skill for a 3½ year old?
As with any cognitive, social-emotional, and physical skill, children develop writing skills at their own pace and within their own time frame. What is considered normal development will vary widely across different children. But 3½ is well under the age at which one should become concerned over a lack of interest or progress in the development of writing skills. Continue to offer plenty of opportunities for your child to write both at home and in school — but accompany those opportunities with good writing models. By this I mean that your child should see others around him — peers, older children, and adults — all writing for enjoyment and for specific purposes. At home, you can take your child on a special outing to buy a birthday card. Then settle at a comfortable chair and table to write a special note. Or, you can ask your child what he would like to get on your next trip to the supermarket. Ask him to make a list so that you won’t forget to buy it, and post the list on the refrig
