How Mark-Making in EYFS Supports Early Writing Skills

What is mark-making in the EYFS?

Mark-making includes the lines, shapes, patterns and symbols children create using different tools, materials and movements.

It may begin with fingers moving through sand, paint or foam before progressing to crayons, chalk, pencils, pens and brushes.

A child’s early marks may not look like conventional writing, but that does not make them meaningless. A scribble may represent a family member, a shopping list or a message for a friend. The child is beginning to understand that something they think or say can be represented on a surface.

Mark-making can include:

• Finger trails in sand or paint
• Lines made with chalk
• Large brush movements
• Drawings and patterns
• Symbols and letter-like shapes
• Pretend writing
• Recognisable letters
• Labels, lists and messages

The progression is not always neat or linear. Children may draw recognisable forms one day and return to energetic scribbling the next because they are investigating speed, pressure or movement.

Practitioners should look at the child’s intention and the process behind the marks, not only the finished result.

What does the EYFS framework say about early writing?

The 2025 EYFS statutory framework places writing within Literacy, one of the four specific areas of learning. However, children’s ability to write draws on development across the whole curriculum.

The Literacy educational programme explains that writing involves transcription and composition. Transcription includes spelling and handwriting, while composition involves forming ideas and structuring them in speech before writing.

This matters because early writing is not simply the physical act of forming letters. A child also needs ideas to communicate, language with which to express them and an understanding that written marks can preserve a message.

Physical Development provides another important foundation. The framework explains that gross and fine motor experiences develop incrementally throughout early childhood. Children need strength, stability, coordination and control before they can use writing tools comfortably and precisely.

The Department for Education’s early writing guidance also connects mark-making with gross and fine motor development.

Strong practice therefore brings Literacy, Communication and Language and Physical Development together rather than treating them as separate strands.

How does mark-making develop into writing?

Children’s early writing development begins long before they form recognisable letters. It grows through communication, physical development, play and repeated encounters with meaningful print.

A broad progression may look like this:

• Exploring materials through whole-body and sensory movements
• Noticing that actions create marks
• Repeating movements and patterns intentionally
• Giving marks personal meaning
• Using marks during imaginative play
• Creating letter-like shapes
• Forming some recognisable letters
• Using taught phonics to represent sounds
• Writing words, captions and simple sentences

Children will not move through these stages at identical ages or remain in one stage at a time. A child may write their name but still enjoy making large spiral patterns with paint. Another may have many ideas and strong oral language but need more support with physical control.

The practitioner’s role is to identify what the child can do now and provide an appropriate next opportunity without rushing them towards a predetermined product.

Why is meaning more important than perfect marks?

Children are more likely to become motivated writers when they experience writing as a useful form of communication. If mark-making is presented only as tracing shapes or copying letters, children may learn that writing is an adult-directed task with one correct result.

When writing appears naturally in play, they discover why people write. A child might:

• Write a menu for a role play café
• Make a map for a treasure hunt
• Record a score during an outdoor game
• Label a model
• Create a sign for a construction
• Write a card for someone
• Make an appointment book in a veterinary surgery
• Record an observation about a plant

These purposes give marks immediate meaning. Children have something they want to communicate and a reason to persist.

How does mark-making support physical development?

Writing requires coordinated movement throughout the body. Children need more than finger strength and a pencil grip. They also require core stability, shoulder control, balance, wrist movement and hand-eye coordination.

Before expecting children to work for sustained periods on small sheets of paper, settings should provide rich opportunities for large and small movements.

Large-scale mark-making might involve:

• Painting with large brushes
• Drawing with playground chalk
• Making marks on vertical surfaces
• Using paint rollers
• Creating trails with water
• Drawing patterns in sand
• Moving Ribbons through the air

These activities encourage movement from the shoulder and elbow. As children gain greater control, they begin to use smaller movements from the wrist and fingers.

Fine motor experiences also contribute to writing readiness. threading beads, manipulating Playdough, using Tweezers, fastening Pegs, cutting with Scissors and joining construction pieces all strengthen coordination and control.

The Department for Education’s fine motor skills guidance recommends meaningful activities involving stirring, pegging, gardening, sewing, fixing and making. These practical experiences help establish the foundations for drawing, mark-making and writing when children are developmentally ready.

Does pencil grip determine whether a child is ready to write?

Pencil grip is one part of writing development, but it should not be considered in isolation. Young children often begin by holding a mark-making tool in their whole hand. As strength, coordination and experience develop, their grip usually becomes more refined.

Practitioners can provide short crayons, chalk, triangular pencils and other tools that encourage controlled finger movements without repeatedly repositioning the child’s hand.

The most useful questions are:

• Is the child comfortable?
• Can they control the tool sufficiently for their purpose?
• Can they make the movements they intend?
• Do they tire or become frustrated quickly?
• Are there wider concerns about strength or coordination?

Forcing a mature pencil grip before a child has the necessary physical foundations can make mark-making uncomfortable and reduce motivation.

If a child experiences persistent difficulty, practitioners should observe across different activities and discuss concerns with the SENCO, family and relevant professionals.

How do communication and language support early writing?

Children need something to write about and language with which to express it. Rich conversation, storytelling, songs, rhymes and shared books all contribute to writing development.

Before children can compose a sentence in writing, they need experience of constructing ideas orally. Practitioners can help children rehearse what they want to say:

“Tell me your message first. What would you like the sign to say?”

The child may then make their own marks, write some known letters or ask the adult to support part of the message.

Adults can model oral composition by repeating the child’s idea as a complete sentence without replacing the child’s voice. They can also introduce vocabulary that helps children describe characters, events, objects and experiences.

Shared reading supports writing because children encounter how written language works. They begin to notice that print carries meaning, English text is read from left to right and stories have recognisable patterns. They also gather words and ideas they can later draw upon in their own storytelling and writing.

How does phonics connect with mark-making?

As children develop their understanding of sounds and letters, mark-making begins to connect with transcription. A child might hear the initial sound in a word and record the corresponding grapheme. Later, they may use the phoneme-grapheme correspondences they have been taught to make plausible attempts at words.

Practitioners should encourage children to use current phonics knowledge without expecting spellings they have not yet been taught. The purpose is to help children understand that sounds in spoken words can be represented in writing.

Mark-making should not be replaced by phonics worksheets. Children still need opportunities to draw, invent symbols and write freely. Explicit phonics teaching and child-initiated writing have different but complementary roles.

When a child writes a recognisable letter within a longer sequence of marks, the adult can acknowledge the achievement while remaining interested in the whole message:

“You heard the first sound in ‘dog’ and wrote ‘d’. Tell me what happens next in your story.”

This shows the child that both transcription and composition matter.

What is the adult’s role in mark-making?

The adult’s role is to create meaningful opportunities, model writing, observe development and respond without taking ownership away from the child.

Practitioners can demonstrate writing during genuine classroom routines. They might write a note to another adult, add an item to a list, label a child’s model with permission or record a child’s words beneath a drawing. This shows children how writing is used while making the process visible:

“We need more flour for the cooking activity, so I’m adding it to our list. I can hear ‘f’ at the beginning of flour.”

Adults should also notice children’s marks and invite explanation without testing them. Instead of asking, “What is that supposed to be?”, try:

• Tell me about your marks.
• I noticed you used lots of curved lines here.
• You have added writing beside your picture.
• How will people know what your sign says?
• Would you like me to write your words underneath?

Some children will want to explain every mark. Others may be absorbed in the physical or visual experience and have no representational intention. Both forms of exploration are valuable.

How can practitioners model writing without encouraging copying?

Modelling is most effective when children see an adult compose a real message. This is different from producing a polished example and asking every child to copy it.

Practitioners can think aloud while writing:

“I want to write ‘Please keep the door closed.’ I’ll say it slowly first so I remember the whole sentence.”

This demonstrates that writers plan, rehearse, listen for sounds, leave spaces and reread their work. Children may contribute ideas or identify sounds they know, but the modelling should remain appropriately paced.

Overloading children with every aspect of transcription at once can hide the message behind the mechanics.

Name cards, alphabet strips and sound mats can support independent reference. They should be available as tools, not used to make every child reproduce identical writing.

How should an effective mark-making area be organised?

A successful mark-making area should be accessible, inviting and easy for children to use independently. It does not need to contain every writing product at once.

A manageable selection might include:

• pencils and Coloured pencils
• crayons
• Felt tip pens
• chalk
• Whiteboard pens
• Paintbrushes
• Paper in different sizes
• Notebooks, Envelopes, Sticky notes
• Clipboards, Chalkboards, Mini whiteboards
• Stencils and Rulers
• Alphabet strips and Name cards

Tools should be displayed so children can see and select them. Pencil pots, shallow trays, baskets and labelled drawers can help children return equipment without creating an additional workload for practitioners.

Check materials regularly. Dried-out pens, broken pencils and unusable scraps communicate that the area is unimportant. A smaller collection of working, well-organised tools is more valuable than an overcrowded area full of poor-quality resources.

Seating and table height should allow children to sit comfortably with their feet supported where possible. However, mark-making should not be restricted to a single table. Children also benefit from standing, kneeling, lying on the floor and working at vertical surfaces.

Should writing tools be available throughout continuous provision?

Writing materials are most valuable when children can use them where a need to write arises.

• A clipboard in the construction area allows children to draw plans and label models.
• Notepads in the role play area support lists, tickets and appointments.
• chalk near the outdoor construction area can be used for signs, measurements and routes.

Resources should support the play rather than turn every area into a formal writing station. A child does not need to complete a recording sheet before accessing construction or small world play.

Why is outdoor mark-making important?

Outdoor mark-making gives children space to work on a larger scale and involve their whole bodies. Playground chalk, water brushes, paint rollers and large brushes allow children to create long lines, spirals, zigzags and shapes.

These movements support shoulder stability, crossing the midline and coordination between the eyes and hands.

Outdoor contexts can also make writing purposeful. Children may create road signs for wheeled toys, maps for obstacle courses, scores for games or labels for natural collections.

Surfaces should be suitable for the materials being used, and practitioners should consider cleaning, weather conditions and the environmental impact of products. Water can be particularly effective because children can make large marks repeatedly without creating permanent changes.

How can mark-making provision support children with SEND?

Inclusive mark-making begins with understanding why a child may find an activity difficult or avoid it. A child may need support with strength, coordination, visual processing, attention, communication, posture or sensory tolerance. Another may be physically capable but have had limited experience of writing for a meaningful purpose.

Possible adaptations include:

• Chunky crayons and Easy-grip pencils
• Pencil grips and Sloping boards
• Stabilised paper and Large writing surfaces
• High-contrast paper and Tactile letter shapes
• Magnetic letters and Alternative seating
• Additional processing time and Reduced visual clutter
• Shorter periods of activity

Some children communicate more successfully using symbols, communication boards or assistive technology. These methods should be recognised as valuable communication rather than treated as barriers to “proper” writing.

Practitioners should ensure that physical support helps the child participate rather than completing the movement for them. Any specialist recommendations from occupational therapists or other professionals should be incorporated consistently.

How should left-handed children be supported?

Left-handed children should be able to position their paper and body comfortably without being encouraged to change hands. They may find it helpful to sit where their writing arm is not crowded by another child.

Paper can be angled slightly to the right, allowing the hand to move below the writing line rather than hook over it. Writing tools that produce clear marks without excessive pressure can also help.

Practitioners should model movements where the child can see them and avoid assuming that every demonstration designed for a right-handed writer will transfer automatically.

Hand preference may still be developing in younger children. Adults should observe over time rather than place a writing tool into a particular hand or insist that a child selects one side prematurely.

How can practitioners encourage reluctant mark-makers?

A child who avoids pencils is not necessarily avoiding all mark-making. They may be more motivated by water, paint, chalk, sand or digital drawing.

They may prefer standing at an easel to sitting at a table or making a sign for their construction to completing an adult-selected activity.

Begin with the child’s interests. A child fascinated by vehicles might draw roads, create parking tickets or mark routes on a map. A child interested in animals might make labels for enclosures or record appointments in a pretend veterinary surgery.

Offer manageable choices rather than asking a broad question such as “Would you like to do some writing?” The child could choose between chalk and a paintbrush or between making a map and a sign.

Avoid using mark-making as a condition for accessing something more enjoyable. The aim is to help children discover that making marks can itself be purposeful, satisfying and connected to their play.

How should mark-making be assessed?

Assessment should focus on what the child’s actions reveal about development and learning. Practitioners do not need to retain every piece of paper or produce extensive written observations.

Useful things to notice include:

• Whether the child chooses to make marks
• How they hold and control different tools
• Whether they distinguish between drawing and writing
• Whether marks have personal meaning
• Which letters or symbols they recognise and produce
• How they use phonics knowledge
• Whether they can explain or orally compose a message
• How long they remain comfortable and engaged

A dated example may be useful when it demonstrates significant development. More often, the practitioner can use what they notice immediately to adjust provision or plan an appropriate interaction.

Comparing one child’s work with another child’s is rarely helpful. Progress should be considered from the individual child’s starting point and in relation to the curriculum being taught.

What mistakes should settings avoid?

Strong mark-making provision can be weakened when the finished product becomes more important than the child’s learning.

Common pitfalls include:

• Moving too quickly to small-scale pencil tasks
• Correcting every unconventional mark
• Requiring identical outcomes
• Using tracing as the main writing experience
• Focusing on pencil grip without considering whole-body development
• Expecting writing that goes beyond taught phonics
• Limiting materials to one writing table
• Asking children to write without giving them something meaningful to communicate
• Keeping too many unnecessary observations
• Assuming children who do not choose pencils lack ideas

The solution is not to avoid explicit teaching. Children need adults to teach letter formation, phonics and how written language works. The key is to combine this teaching with rich, purposeful opportunities to use and enjoy writing.

What does effective EYFS mark-making look like?

Effective mark-making provision is visible across the learning environment. Children have regular opportunities to draw, paint, write, record and represent their ideas using tools suited to their development.

Adults value children’s early marks while continuing to teach the knowledge and physical skills needed for conventional writing. They model real writing, develop oral language and help children connect spoken sounds with written letters.

At Hope Education, we see mark-making as the bridge between movement, imagination and communication. When children discover that their marks can capture an idea, guide a game, tell a story or reach another person, they begin to understand the real power of writing.