Writing Prompts are a great addition to a literacy center.  Journal writing in preschool can be a good way to help children develop communication skills.  They can practice phonetic spelling and creative thinking.

Here are some good Summer writing prompts for preschoolers:

• The best part about summer is…
• When the sun is out, I like to…
• This is how to build a sandcastle…
• TThe place where I want to go on vacation is…
• When I go swimming, I like to…
• If I were a ladybug, I would…
• I cool down in the summer by…
• I have a magical beach umbrella that…
• I know it is summer when…
• One day I bounced a beach ball so high that…

To download these writing prompt templates, as well as 10 others, visit Teachers Pay Teachers.

What are the building blocks necessary to develop writing readiness (pre-writing)? [Excerpt from Writing Readiness (Pre-Writing) Skills]

• Hand and finger strength: An ability to exert force against resistance using the hands and fingers that allows the necessary muscle power for controlled movement of the pencil.
• Crossing the mid-line: The ability to cross the imaginary line running from a person’s nose to pelvis that divides the body into left and right sides.
• Pencil grasp: The efficiency of how the pencil is held, allowing age appropriate pencil movement generation.
• Hand eye coordination: The ability to process information received from the eyes to control, guide and direct the hands in the performance of a task such as handwriting.
• Bilateral integration: Using two hands together with one hand leading (e.g. holding and moving the pencil with the dominant hand while the other hand helps by holding the writing paper).
• Upper body strength: The strength and stability provided by the shoulder to allow controlled hand movement for good pencil control.
• Object manipulation: The ability to skilfully manipulate tools (including holding and moving pencils and scissors) and controlled use of everyday tools (such as a toothbrush, hairbrush, cutlery).
• Visual perception: The brain’s ability to interpret and make sense of visual images seen by the eyes, such as letters and numbers.
• Hand dominance: The consistent use of one (usually the same) hand for task performance, which allows refined skills to develop.
• Hand division: Using just the thumb, index and middle finger for manipulation, leaving the fourth and little finger tucked into the palm stabilizing the other fingers but not participating.