Each of the letters in the Incy Wincy Spider family contains vertical lines, represented by the water spout. This activity is about helping your child to link the letters by visualising the water spout and using the sets of phrases.
If your child physically makes the movement needed to form the letters it will help with movement memory, which is the automatic recall of learned movement, without conscious thought.
A great way to do this is to make a spider, and then use it to trace the letters. You can download the letters and phrases below.
The printable cards have a green dot to show your child where to start the letter. At the bottom of the card, the sky, grass and dirt show your child what size to make the letter and how they sit on the line. The letters sit on the ground (brown line) and reach the top of the grass e.g. the letter u. If it has an ascender (a part of the letter that extends above the main body of the letter) it touches the blue sky e.g. t. If the letter has a descender (a part of the letter that descends below the main body of the letter) it goes below the ground and into the dirt e.g. y.
Download a printable version of the letter formation phrases below:
Here are a few different ways that you could make a spider. It doesn't matter if your child wants to create a different animal or make their spider another way. We just want to create a visual representation that will stick with them when they write the letters. Making a spider is also a great way to develop their pencil grip.
Cut two pipe cleaners in half. Line the four pieces of pipe cleaner up and wrap wool or string around the middle to create a body. Then tie the wool in a knot so that it doesn't unravel. You could draw some eyes using a felt tip or glue some google eyes on.
Bilateral Coordination - Holding the pipe cleaners in one hand and winding the wool/string around the middle with the other hand is a great way to get children used to using one hand as their 'doing hand' and the other hand as their 'helping hand'. When they write they will use this skill; their dominant hand will hold the pencil and their other hand will keep the paper still as they write.
If your child is using a palmar or a digital pronate grip, winding the wool will get them to move their elbows and their wrists.
If your child is using the four-finger or static tripod/quadrupod grip, see if they can bend the pipe cleaners to create spider legs. This will get them using their fingers and their pincer grip.
If you have a reluctant writer, this is a great way to encourage them to pick up a pen. Use a dry wipe pen to draw a spider on a milk bottle top. Then you could use the pen to write some letters on a window or a mirror.
Cut a drain pipe and spider out of craft foam. Use water to stick them to a window, shower screen or the side of the bath. Draw the letters using a dry wipe pen and move the spider along the letter as you say the phrase.
If your child is using a palmar/digital pronate grip, the movement comes from their shoulder or elbow. Working on a vertical surface will help them to strengthen their wrists.
You could create a spider using playdough, pipe cleaners and googly eyes. Kneading, squeezing and rolling playdough strengthens the hands, fingers and wrist and will help your child to develop their pencil grip. Walk the playdough spider along the letters.
If your child is using a palmar grip, model how to move the play dough in your hands by moving your hands around in circles. This will encourage them to create movements from their elbows rather than their shoulders.
If your child is using the four-finger grip or the static trip/quadrupod grip, encourage them to pick up the pipe cleaners or googly eyes using their thumb and index finger to help them develop the tripod grip.
If you have any other ideas for ways to create a spider, I would love to see them. Please share photos of your spider in the Facebook group or tag me on Instagram.
Anna
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