Dry Erase Writing

Recently at a friends' bday party Q went gaga over the dry erase board that was one of the activities to choose from at the party. So I turned around her easel to the dry erase side and put out a marker! She has lots of fun practicing her writing in a different method. Additionally, it is SO VALUABLE for toddlers and preschoolers to practice writing on something upright because it really works the muscles in their wrists and forearms and even shoulders. Refining their motor control in these muscles will help them when they are forming precise lines and curves needed to make numbers and letters later on.

Using a dry erase board is also great for supervised infants--ie: an infant set in Mom's lap or with Mom (or dad or whomever, of course) standing behind them at the board. Dry erase markers are very easy to mark with (if they are new and not dried out), and don't require as much "push" as crayons and pencils need to make their mark. Obviously dry erase marker is not safe to eat and it isn't washable, so infants need to be supervised, but they can have writing times as well! Draw people, trace their hands, dry letters, or even shapes!

Preschoolers love playing pictionary on a dry erase board!

In my classroom I have sometimes attached the dry erase marker and eraser to the board with a string so they don't "wander" too far from home. :)