As early as first grade, your child will be given a topic and asked to write about it. Teachers won't expect polished prose at that age, but they will look to see if your child can write a few sentences while staying on the topic. "My favorite color is yellow. The sun is yellow. Bananas are yellow."

Staying on the topic requires organization. You can prepare your preschooler for writing by helping him learn to organize his thoughts.

Here's how:

• Ask your child questions that require him to think about categories. "Can you name three things that are red? Can you name four farm animals?"
• Combine drawing and categorizing with your child. Drawing is another important step toward writing. For example: Draw a simple picture of a cat. Then say to your child, "Look, I drew a cat. This is a pet. Can you draw two other pets?"
• Get moving! Your child can use his body to help organize his brain. Ask your child to walk toward you. Then say, "You are walking. What is another way you can move?"

If he is not sure, suggest running or hopping. This will help him get the idea and he may then be able to come up with another way of moving on his own. Or say, "Fish swim. What do other animals do?" Encourage him to demonstrate animal movements such as crawling, jumping and wiggling.

Reprinted with permission from the October 2009 issue of Parents make the difference!® (Early Childhood Edition) newsletter. Copyright © 2009 The Parent Institute®, a division of NIS, Inc. Source: Claudia Jones, Parents are Teachers, Too: Enriching Your Child's First Six Years, ISBN: 0-913589-35-7 (Williamson Publishing Co., www.idealsbooks.com).