Air Writing is a process that gives your child a whole body experience when writing uppercase and lowercase letters in the air. When you model how to write a letter in the air, stand up, demonstrate how to keep your arm straight with your elbow locked and point your index “writing” finger. When you air write, face the same direction as your child so that the letter is represented correctly. (If you face your child, the letter will appear backwards to your child.)
- index cards
- marker
Step 1: If your child does not know all the letters in his name, start there. Print your child’s first name on a large index card or paper using an uppercase letter for the first letter and lowercase letters for the rest. Example:
You might also use names of family members or special friends because your child will have an emotional connection to these words.
Step 2: Touch the first letter in your child’s name and ask him to say or shout out the name of the letter.
Step 3: Model air writing while standing. Demonstrate how to keep your arm straight with your elbow locked, pointing your “writing” finger. Face the same direction as your child so that the letter is represented correctly to him. Tell your child: “Stand up and get your writing finger ready. Hold your arm out straight in front of you. We are going to write the letter (A) in the air. The uppercase A is always big. Start at the top and make a slant line down. Go back to the top and make a slant line down the other side. Put a line in the middle. What letter did we make?”
Step 4: Point to the next letter in the name and give directions. “Shout out the name of this letter (n). Get your writing finger ready again. The lowercase n is smaller than the A. Make a short line down. Go back to the top and make a bump and then go straight down. What letter did we make?”
Step 5: Continue with the remaining letters.
Provide fewer letters. Use just one letter at a time in your child’s name. Remind your child of the letter name and encourage him to say it back to you. Describe the motions you are making as you demonstrate how to write the letter in the air.
Ask your child to show you how to air write a letter without your help. Ask him to describe how to air write the letter as he is doing it. For example, your child might say: “I am making the uppercase B. I start at the top and make a straight line down. Then I go to the top and make a bump to the middle and another bump to the bottom.”
