Help with writing

I can’t comment for any apps or activity recommendations but have you thought of putting a reward system in place? My daughter is in reception and has been refusing to read her school book to us. Since then we’ve implemented a reward system and she’s been doing it everyday without a doubt. She gets a Pom Pom ball that she can put into a jar and when it’s filled up she can go to the shop and pick out any toy she wants. She’s even turned it into a game and wants us to hide the ball for her to find before she puts it into the jar, she said that’s the best part of her evening! I imagine you can put any reward in place like stickers or whatever else xx

Maybe get a set of wooden letters or stickers and he can put together words he find interesting. Just to kick things off. E.g. you can write "car" and he copies it. Or write letters on sticky notes and he can collect the alphabet (letters he needs) from around the room/house. I would definitely go low pressure to spark interest. Pinterest might have some good ideas around things he already likes. And Busy Toddler is quite good too (the website is full of ideas for home schooled kids that can be used at home even if they attend public school).

Does he like helping? He could ‘help’ you write a shopping list, or some labels for (eg) your cupboards or doors for different rooms or signs for games he likes to play (road signs/shop signs etc), birthday cards for family/friends.

You could also try different methods. So rather than pencil/pen they can write letters in sand with their fingers or a stick. In better weather they could use chalk on the driveway/patio; water painting on the fence.

My son is the exact same! I’ve bought all sorts of things like the foam jigsaws that have letters and numbers, whiteboards, rewards charts, books of his favourite characters, apps on my tablet, songs but he just isn’t interested. I think it’s hard because my son was born later in the school year too (he’s a June baby) and they’re compared to children that turned 5 last year, sometimes the development is just a little bit slower, or they tend to accelerate in other topics (my son loves maths and all things numbers.. especially 67 😒😂). I try not to put too much pressure on him and be patient as I can though it is worrying when teachers pull me up on it 😩x

My daughter is the same (also an August baby). She has apps like Duolingo for writing and Alphablocks but her teacher said her writing can improve on paper so I’m trying to keep practicing with her too, I think cause they’re August babies it’s still a little harder 🥲

I can’t comment on this but my 4 year old knows his abcs, his numbers, his full name but he can not read at all, he shows no signs of wanting to read or write, I’m struggling to get him to read his own name and white his own name. He starts reception in September. He absolutely loves to learn. He even does doodle maths every day, I’m trying to get him ready for school but reading and writing his is weak points

There is a duo app that teaches reading, and the very hungry Caterpillar has one

It all feels so early to be worried about this 😭 I know some countries don't even start school until 6 or 7, so definitely give him some grace. My approach would be not to put any pressure on,but to make a big fuss whenever he reads anything of his own accord so he gets to enjoy the praise