Dear Brigid,
My little boy will start school this year and I do not know where to start with teaching him some of the basics, like learning how to write letters and numbers. I’m worried this will lead to him falling behind his peers when he starts school in September.
He has zero interest in colouring, or drawing letters on paper with me. I bought those little wipe-clean books for writing practice - still, no interest. When I looked it up online, I felt overwhelmed by the amount of different material and ideas out there. What would you suggest? Maybe others have the same struggle 🤷
Mrs W
Hey Mrs W,
Having taught 100s of 4ish year olds over the past decade, I’ve met many children (and many, many boys) who have little interest in sitting down to draw, practice writing letters or numbers.
This is perfectly par for the course and you are not alone. It is tricky for many parents to get their kids excited about letters, numbers and writing.
First things first, children don’t need to know how to write, count or recall letters and sounds before they start school. That’s what school is for! However, as you’ve mentioned, helping them along with the basics in the months leading up to school starting, can help them feel confident and school-ready when September eventually rolls around.
A quick Google search on this will produce 000’s of hits including some elaborate insta-worthy suggestions that are NOT conducive to the lives of busy parents on a budget.
Here are some simple and fun ways you can help your energetic kid get a headstart on ‘school ready’ skills such from writing to counting (minus the meltdowns):
-
Sensory Play aka Making a Mess Under Adult Supervision
-
Shaving foam on the shower door – Show them how to doodle letters, numbers, or just make swirls. Bonus: doubles up as bath-time entertainment!
-
Sidewalk Chalk - learning outdoors = instant fun. Plus, graffiti-ing your back garden is a cool and rebellious act 😎 (...even if it is just chalk!) Experience with mark-making, holding writing tools (doesn’t have to be pencils) helps kids develop fine motor skills: they will have built the dexterity and strength to use a pencil for writing when the time comes.
Top tip: Start with letters that mean something – like the first letter of their name or a sibling’s name.
-
Tablet Time can be a Tremendous Learning Tool 🔧
Many parents feel uneasy about screen time, and that’s totally understandable. But when used intentionally, technology can be a helpful tool rather than a mindless distraction. Instead of passive scrolling, structured, short sessions (think 20 minutes a day) with high-quality educational apps can actually support key learning skills in an engaging way.
The key is choosing wisely. Look for apps designed by educators, with clear learning goals and interactive elements that encourage problem-solving, language development, and creativity. EDURINO blends digital play with real-world learning, making tricky concepts like counting, letter formation, and phonics fun.
How can parents tell if an educational app is good quality?
Source the resource: Who made it? What learning objectives does it aim to cover?
EDURINO’s learning worlds have been designed by UK teachers to help children develop skills that will enable them to meet UK National Curriculum objectives.
Does it offer language development?
Research by the University of Cambridge found that EDURINO’s educational games:
-
Have 71% higher word frequency than other top UK apps 🚀
-
Offer 47% more diverse vocabulary 💡
-
Use 118% more complex language for advanced learning 📚
Apps like EDURINO mix digital and hands-on learning, making tricky skills (counting, writing, phonics) more engaging for kids who resist traditional learning.
3. Fine Motor Skills Boot Camp
Strong hands = confident writers. Plus, fine motor skills help with everyday school life: tasks like zipping coats, using scissors, and tidying up.
Try these fun ways to build up those little muscles using bits and bobs you have at home:
Sensory Play: Squishing Play-Doh, using tweezers to pick up small objects.
Arts & Crafts: Colouring, cutting shapes, dot-to-dot activities.
Building & Construction: Lego, stacking cups, marshmallow towers.
Lacing & Threading: Beads on string, lacing cards.
Games & Puzzles: Jenga, Operation, matching games.
To learn more about EDURINO and how our educational app can support your child's learning and development including:
-
learning to read and write
-
help with phonics
-
improving maths understanding at EYFS
-
help with understanding emotions
-
improving your child's handwriting
-
developing fine motor skills
Take our quiz - and get a personalised learning recommendation for your child.
Brigid is a primary school teacher with over a decade of experience teaching in state and independent schools in the UK and Middle East, with specialism in Early Years Education and working with neurodiverse learners.
