Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Before this lesson, prepare individual sand trays and ensure each pupil has a writing book, crayons, and a pencil. The central idea is to allow pupils to freely explore making marks without pressure, which helps develop their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Observe pupils as they engage, ensuring they are comfortable and enjoying the activity, as their free movement and participation are key indicators of successful learning.

Class: Pre-School Level 2
Term: First Term
Week: 1
Age: 3 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Handwriting
Curriculum Theme: Handwriting
Previous Lesson: Developing Fine Motor Skills
Topic: PRE-WRITING SKILLS: FREE WRITING AND SCRIBBLING
Subject Matter: Pre Writing Skills (Free Writing). Weekly focus: Pre-Writing Skills: Free Writing and Scribbling.

Specific Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:

Cognitive Domain

Recognise that making marks (scribbling) is a way to express themselves.
Understand that scribbling helps their hands get ready for writing.

Affective Domain

Show enjoyment and enthusiasm while scribbling on sand trays and in notebooks.
Participate willingly in free writing activities.

Psychomotor Domain

Scribble freely on sand trays using their fingers.
Scribble freely in their notebooks using crayons or pencils.

Share materials like sand trays and crayons appropriately.
Engage in the shared classroom activity of free writing.

Reference Materials

NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 2
Early Childhood Care and Education resources

Instructional Materials

Sand Trays (individual or shared)
Writing Books (exercise books)
Crayons
Pencils
Large sheets of paper (optional, for group scribbling)

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson is crucial for 3-year-olds as it lays the foundational groundwork for formal writing. Free writing and scribbling allow children to develop essential fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and muscle strength in their hands and fingers, which are all vital for holding a pencil correctly and forming letters later on. It also encourages creativity and self-expression in a non-pressured way.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils can already hold simple objects, make basic hand movements, and show an interest in drawing or making marks on surfaces. They have some developing fine motor control.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

PRE-WRITING SKILLS: FREE WRITING AND SCRIBBLING

Pre-writing skills are all the things we learn and do before we start writing letters and words. They help our hands and fingers get strong and ready to write.

Free Writing and Scribbling:

This is when you make any kind of mark you want, without worrying about making a perfect picture or letter.
It’s like drawing lines, circles, squiggles, and dots just for fun!
Scribbling helps your fingers and hands learn to move in different ways.
It helps your brain and hand work together.
We can scribble with our fingers in sand, or with crayons and pencils in our books.

Key Words

Scribble – To draw or write something quickly and carelessly. For children, it’s making free marks.
Free Writing – Making marks on paper or a surface without rules, just exploring.
Sand Tray – A tray with sand used for sensory play and making marks with fingers.
Notebook – A book with blank pages for writing or drawing.

Scribble Scrabble Song

Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”

Lyrics:

Scribble, scribble, round and round,
Making marks upon the ground (or sand).
Up and down, and side to side,
Let our happy scribbles glide.
Scribble, scribble, what fun we make,
For our hands, a happy break!

Actions: Pupils make circular motions with their fingers in the air, then up and down, and side to side, mimicking scribbling movements.

Watch and Practise

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0P5_9tU-7g

💡 Teacher Guide for Using This Board Summary

How to teach the content: Introduce “Pre-writing skills” by explaining that it’s about getting hands ready for writing. Explain “free writing” and “scribbling” as making any marks they like. Emphasise that there’s no right or wrong way to scribble at this stage. Use simple, encouraging language.

What to show or demonstrate: Demonstrate making various scribbles (circles, lines, squiggles) on a sand tray with your finger. Then, demonstrate using a crayon or pencil to scribble in a notebook, showing different movements. Model enthusiasm and enjoyment.

How to use the rhyme/song: Sing the “Scribble Scrabble Song” with the pupils, encouraging them to do the actions with their fingers in the air. Repeat the song a few times to reinforce the idea of making different marks.

How to use the video: Introduce the video as a fun way to see other children scribbling. Play the “Scribble Scrabble Song” video. Encourage pupils to sing along and mimic the movements shown in the video. After watching, ask them what kind of marks they saw or what they liked about the song.

What to watch for: Observe if pupils are freely making marks without hesitation. Ensure they are not trying to draw specific objects or letters, but rather exploring movement. Watch for pupils who might be reluctant and offer gentle encouragement or model the activity alongside them.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Play-based Learning, Demonstration, Guided Practice, Songs and Rhymes, Practical Activity, Repetition, Question and Answer

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engagement/Motivation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and asks, “Who likes to draw or make marks with their fingers or crayons?” The teacher then introduces the idea of getting our hands ready for writing by making happy scribbles.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to the question, raise their hands, and listen to the teacher.

Learning Point: Pupils are engaged and introduced to the concept of making marks.

Step 2: Introduction to Free Writing and Scribbling

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Concept Introduction

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains what free writing and scribbling mean for young children – making any kind of mark they want, just for fun, to help their hands get strong. The teacher shows simple examples of scribbles on a chart or whiteboard.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen attentively and observe the examples of scribbles.

Learning Point: Pupils understand that scribbling is about free exploration of marks.

Step 3: Teacher Demonstration on Sand Trays

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Modelling

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher demonstrates how to scribble freely on a sand tray using their finger, making circles, lines, and squiggles. The teacher encourages, “See how my finger dances in the sand? You can make any mark you like!”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils watch the teacher’s demonstration carefully.

Learning Point: Pupils observe how to use the sand tray for scribbling.

Step 4: Pupils Practise Scribbling on Sand Trays

Time: 6 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Practice/Supervision

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher distributes sand trays to pupils and encourages them to use their fingers to scribble freely. The teacher moves around, offering gentle encouragement and praise, ensuring pupils are comfortable and enjoying the activity. The teacher can sing the “Scribble Scrabble Song” while pupils work.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils scribble freely on their sand trays using their fingers, exploring different movements and making various marks. They sing along with the teacher.

Learning Point: Pupils develop fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination through sensory exploration.

Step 5: Teacher Demonstration in Notebooks

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Transition

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher collects the sand trays and demonstrates how to scribble in a notebook using a crayon or pencil. The teacher shows how to hold the crayon/pencil comfortably and make different types of marks on the paper, saying, “Now our crayons can dance on the paper too!” The teacher plays the “Scribble Scrabble Song” video.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils watch the teacher’s demonstration and the video, observing how to scribble with a crayon/pencil.

Learning Point: Pupils learn to transfer scribbling skills to paper with a writing tool.

Step 6: Pupils Practise Scribbling in Notebooks

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Application/Individual Practice

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher distributes writing books and crayons/pencils. Pupils are encouraged to scribble freely in their notebooks. The teacher walks around, offering individual support, praise, and reminding them that any mark is a good mark. “Let’s make our books full of happy scribbles!”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils scribble freely in their notebooks, making various marks with crayons or pencils.

Learning Point: Pupils gain confidence and control in using writing tools for pre-writing activities.

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 4–5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher checks pupils’ understanding through short questions and practical tasks.

“Show me your favourite scribble in your book!”
“What did we do today to get our hands ready for writing?”
“Can you make a big round scribble in the air?”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond orally and demonstrate the required skill where appropriate.

Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson.

Step 8: Conclusion

Time: 2 minutes

Teaching Skill: Summarization/Reinforcement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher praises the pupils for their wonderful scribbles and participation. The teacher reminds them that scribbling is important for making their hands strong for writing. “You all did a great job making your hands strong today!”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the teacher and tidy up their materials.

Learning Point: Pupils feel a sense of accomplishment and understand the value of the activity.

Lesson Keywords

Scribble – To make free, uncontrolled marks with a finger or writing tool.
Free Writing – Drawing or making marks without specific rules or pictures in mind.
Pre-writing – Skills children learn before they start to write letters and words.
Sand Tray – A shallow container filled with sand, used for sensory play and mark-making.

Differentiation

Support: For pupils who are hesitant, the teacher can provide hand-over-hand guidance on the sand tray or paper, or use larger crayons for easier grip. Focus on very large, free movements rather than small ones.
Extension: For pupils who quickly grasp the concept, encourage them to try making different types of scribbles (e.g., “Can you make a scribble that goes up and down like a snake?”). They can also be encouraged to describe the marks they made.