Do you remember when you were younger and you used to trace letters, numbers, and shapes? It’s an important skill that helps us recognize and communicate what we are writing. Plus, it helps us with our fine motor skills. A few years ago, I was working with an occupational therapist and we needed a resource that could cover multiple goals during our sessions. We struggled to find the right resource for one of our students and that’s when I decided to create Vocabulary Tracing Cards myself. (Also available in Spanish)These little books cover a variety of topics like numbers, animals, sports, letters, and more! They’re a great way to help students build important skills while having fun.
Why Vocabulary Tracing Mini-Books?
Using vocabulary mini-books with your students offers multiple benefits across different skill areas. Firstly, it promotes fine motor development as students engage in tracing letters, numbers, and shapes. This activity helps them develop the necessary muscle control and coordination required for holding pencils, crayons, and other writing utensils.
These mini-books encourage communication skills as students talk about what they see and describe the objects they are tracing. This enhances their ability to express themselves verbally while improving their overall communication skills.
With a wide range of topics covered in the mini-books, it allows your preschoolers to build and expand their vocabulary. By exploring various subjects, they will develop a broader knowledge of words and concepts.
These mini-books also contribute to important literacy skills such as letter recognition and writing. Students can practice identifying letters and tracing their shapes, fostering early literacy skills. Similarly, the mini-books support the development of math skills by incorporating tasks such as number recognition, number writing, and shape recognition and writing.
How to Use Vocabulary Mini-Books
I’ve worked with many educators that have used these mini-books and what I’ve seen is amazing. When incorporating these vocabulary mini-books into your learning environment, there are various ways to utilize them based on the needs of your students. During center time, you could set up a tracing station where students can explore the mini-books independently or with a partner. This allows for focused practice and fine motor development.
In one-on-one sessions, you could use the mini-books as a targeted activity tailored to the specific goals and needs of each student. For example, I may select a mini-book that focuses on letter formation for a student who needs extra support in that area. Then, during whole group instruction, you could integrate the mini-books into interactive lessons. Just display the pages on a board or chart and guide the students to trace them together, encouraging communication and discussions about what they see.
These mini-books also make excellent homework practice. You could assign specific pages for students to complete at home, reinforcing the skills you are working on in class. It’s a great way to extend learning beyond the classroom and give parents a glimpse into what learning at school looks like.
What’s Included?
Included in this mini-book BUNDLE are 9 categories as shown below.
- Shapes 7 full size pages = 14 half-sheets per mini-book
- Numbers – 10 full size pages = 20 half-sheets per mini-book
- Sports – 12 full size pages = 24 half-sheets per mini-book
- Clothing – 12 full size pages = 24 half-sheets per mini-book
- Birthday – 12 full size pages = 24 half-sheets per mini-book
- Animals – 16 full size pages = 32 half-sheets per mini-book
- Fruit and Veggies – 16 full size pages = 32 half-sheets per mini-book
- Uppercase letters – 16 full size pages = 32 half-sheets per mini-book
- Lowercase letters – 16 full size pages = 32 half-sheets per mini-book
What Others Are Saying
Read on to hear what educators and therapists have to say about these vocabulary mini-books. Their testimonials showcase the positive impact these resources have had on fine motor development, communication skills, vocabulary building, literacy skills, and math skills in their classrooms and therapy sessions.
“This is such a wonderful resource! I have so many kindergarteners who also need OT/fine motor support, and this is a GREAT way to incorporate both.” -Mallory
“I work closely with OTs in private practice and these books are a great way to work on ST (speech therapy) and OT (occupational therapy) goals.” – Sarah
“Great for my ID and autistic population.” -Deborah
Try Them For Free!
Are you interested in trying out these vocabulary mini-books to see how they benefit your students? As a thank you for joining me on this journey, here is a FREE mini-book as a thank you for your participation! You can choose between the Spanish and English versions below. If you love these, be sure to check out the full bundle, also available in both Spanish and English.
