Emergent Writing Milestones

By the end of two years:
Children will...
 Scribble spontaneously.
 Scribble and draw on the same page.
 Use the terms “writing” and “drawing” interchangeably.
 Choose different instruments and colors with which to write and draw.

By the end of three years:
Children will…
 Hold a pencil in the correct position for writing.
 Make vertical, horizontal, and circular strokes with a pencil or crayon.

By the end of four years:
Children will…
 Copy simple shapes.
 Draw a person with 2-4 body parts.
 Draw circles and squares.
 Begin to copy some capital letters.
Between the end of the third and the end of the fourth year:
Children will…
 Experiment with a growing variety of writing tools.
 Use drawings to stand for writing (usually during dramatic play).
 Understand the difference between writing and drawing.
 Assign messages to their writing and drawings.
 Understand that print carries a message.
 Begin to understand the left to right directionality.
Between the end of the fourth year and the end of the fifth year:
Children will…
 Understand that writing is a way of communicating for a variety of purposes.
 Represent their experiences and stories through drawings and dictation.
 Copy or write familiar words, such as their own name.
***These milestones are based upon the American Academy of Pediatrics
Developmental Milestones and the Head Start Child Outcomes Framework.