Children as young as two begin to explore writing through what is known as emergent writing—their earliest attempts at expressing ideas on paper. By making marks, scribbles, drawings, and symbols, young children begin to represent their thoughts and experiences in a visual form (Dennis & Votteler, 2013). This marks the beginning of a developmental journey toward becoming a writer.

Encouraging emergent writing can take many forms, such as inviting children to write or trace their names. These early writing behaviors are strong predictors of later reading and writing success (National Center for Family & Literacy, 2008).

During these formative years, preschool educators play a crucial role in fostering writing development. Since not all learning environments are fully equipped to support emergent writing, it is essential for teachers to understand effective strategies for nurturing these early literacy skills in young learners.