Parent Information
Journals are a way for children to build up their fine motor skills and prepare for writing in the future The following is a guide of how your child should hold the pencil correctly. Smaller crayons work best even if you have to break them in half. This will help to promote proper grasp.
3 year olds: can scribble or just put strokes on page
4 year olds: should be starting more definitive drawings working towards something that describes what they are drawing; also should be working towards more details to the picture. (ex. Head, arms, legs and face for a person)
Other ways to build fine motor skills:
Playdough - my personal favorite (make snakes, lettes, balls to squish)
Pick up small objects with tweezers (dollar store has nice kids ones)
Puzzles
Use crayons broken in half or golf pencils to encourage proper pencil grasp
Pouring into cups in the bath or sink
Scribbling with markers, crayons
Painting (watercolors or other)
Lacing cards (you can also try playdough mounds with a hard spaghetti stick in them, put fruit loops on them)
String necklaces with fruit loops
Letter Formation video - This video does all the letters. You can pick a few at a time. You do NOT have to do all letters in one sitting.