The hand muscles are vital for efficient grasp and speed. As the hand develops, the thumb side becomes more skilled in precision while the other side becomes stronger. Try these:

• Molding, rolling, or playing with playdough or clay
• Using a squirt or spay bottle in the bathtub or swimming pool
• Spinning a top

Oral language is the basis for all communication, both spoken and written. Build those pre-reading and pre-writing by lots of talking. Try these:

• Listen for sounds in the environment (birds, horns honking, fire engine sirens, wind blowing, rain hitting windows).
• Play games to help your child be aware of similar sounds in words. ("Maria Your name has the same sound as mommy." "Peter and popcorn start with the same sound.")

Mathematics is the development of logical thinking and the ability to see patterns and relationships. Try these:

• Encourage counting daily. Have your child touch household objects or toys when counting.
• Look for repeated designs (patterns) in clothing, wallpaper, and the world around them.

Young children begin to learn to write by making approximations on paper in the same way that they make approximations in speech when they first learn to talk. Try these:

• Provide play dough, pipe cleaners, shaving cream, or salt trays for your child to make/write the letters in his or her name.
• Make shopping lists. Your child may write words for the list by using scribbles, print-like marks, strings of letters, or letters that have a relationship to the sounds they represent. Ask your child to "read" his or her shopping list.