Emergent writing: 3 ways to plant seeds for lifelong literacy

Key points:

• Supporting emergent writing empowers children to become confident communicators
• Beyond formulas: Embracing complexity in writing instruction
• From school year to summer: Why reliable edtech matters to boost literacy
• For more news on literacy, visit eSN’s Innovative Teaching hub

Just as a gardener plants seeds and nurtures them into strong, flourishing plants, early childhood educators have the opportunity to nurture the earliest seeds of literacy in young children. When thinking about emergent literacy, you might envision reading books to children or activities centered around the letter of the week. However, emergent literacy encompasses much more–it describes how children develop an understanding of language, symbols, and print before formally learning to read and write.

What is emergent writing?

Emergent writing begins as early as age two or three, when children first start to explore the relationship between marks on a page and the world around them. This development doesn’t happen overnight; it unfolds over time and is shaped by many essential school-readiness skills: physical, language, cognitive, social, and perceptual abilities.

By intentionally supporting this stage of development, educators and families can ‘plant the seeds’ for early writing success by focusing on three key areas: creating a rich environment for emergent writing, supporting children through developmentally appropriate writing stages, and fostering oral language skills through meaningful play.

1. Create an environment to foster emergent writing

Children are more likely to write when they’re surrounded by meaningful opportunities to do so. Whether at school or at home, a print-rich environment helps them see writing as part of everyday life. In a typical pre-K classroom, you’ll likely see classroom labels or alphabet posters. While these are important, research shows that nearly half of preschool classrooms lack displays of children’s own writing–an oversight easily remedied by educators.

Displaying children’s writing builds confidence in both writing and reading abilities. When children see their names or their own writing showcased, they experience a sense of accomplishment that reinforces enthusiasm for learning. Educators can support this by:

• Encouraging children to color signs for the classroom
• Developing books where children serve as authors
• Using resources that engage children in completing personalized stories they can proudly share with their family

At home, parents can support emergent writing by:

• Providing a variety of writing materials (colored pencils, markers, and small crayons) to facilitate correct grip development and increase engagement
• Labeling household items (doors, furniture, toys) to help children recognize written words in their environment
• Playing games like “I Spy” with letters or creating treasure hunts with letter clues

By providing encouragement, resources, and writing opportunities across both school and home environments, children begin to see themselves as capable communicators. These experiences build confidence and lay the foundation for lifelong engagement with written language during these crucial early years of development, from age two to five.

2. Support children through developmentally appropriate stages of writing

Early writing is a key predictor of children’s later reading success. However, we cannot expect children to write their names before they’ve learned any letters. Children develop writing skills gradually, moving through a natural progression of marks, shapes, and letter-like forms.

Typical developmental progression includes:

Age 2:

• Begin picking up a crayon to scribble
• Learn to make lines down and across
• Engage in non-purposeful doodling and scribbling

Age 3:

• Begin using non-dominant hand to stabilize paper
• Learn to make circles and crosses

Age 4:

• Learn to make squares and triangles
• Begin tracing letters and numbers
• Develop correct crayon grip
• Can use letter stencils to increase alphabet recognition while developing coordination between dominant and non-dominant hands

Age 5:

• Draw circles, squares, and triangles independently
• Learn to draw rhombuses
• Begin writing letters and numbers

To support this development, in both school and home, encourage activities like:

• Finger painting
• Drawing at an easel to promote neutral wrist positioning
• Writing with small pieces of chalk or crayon bits to strengthen fine motor coordination and appropriate grip

3. Foster oral language skills through play

Language and literacy are deeply interconnected, and play is essential for supporting both, especially in the early years. Through pretend play, children expand their vocabulary, build sentence structures, and explore how language connects to stories and written symbols.

Some young learners may need extra support engaging in pretend play. Adults can model communication skills within play-based contexts, using puppets, costumes, or toys that spark dialogue and creativity.

Incorporating open-ended materials and interactive games during playtime–like drawing signs for a pretend store or creating a treasure map–allows children to practice writing in a low-pressure environment, reinforcing the connection between spoken and written language. Use interactive tools to boost children’s vocabulary and language skills through multisensory lessons. These lessons engage children while teaching word pairs, letter naming, and letter recognition.

Ultimately, engaging children in playful, language-rich activities is vital for their literacy development, equipping them with the necessary skills and confidence for successful writing throughout their educational journey.

Conclusion

Emergent writing is a critical milestone in early childhood literacy, beginning around ages two to three, when children first connect symbols with meaning. By creating print-rich environments both at home and in classrooms, supporting children through developmentally appropriate writing stages, and fostering oral language skills through play-based activities, educators and families can lay the foundation for lifelong literacy skills.

This intentional approach not only sets the stage for future reading success but also empowers children to become confident, expressive communicators. When we view emergent writing as a developmental journey, rather than an academic skill to be taught, we can better support young learners in cultivating a love for literacy guided by curiosity, wonder, and joy.

About the Author:

Dr. Christina Bretz is an Occupational Therapist and Senior Professional Learning Developer at Learning Without Tears.