Engaging activities provide endless opportunities for pen control practice. Children can trace over and add their own marks and drawings to the scenes while developing the fine motor skills they will eventually need for writing. There are lots of ideas for things to draw on each page and the fold-out page at the back can be left open for further inspiration.

Jessica Greenwell grew up in Wolverhampton then studied English at Leeds University. She joined Usborne in 2008 and has since written lots of wipe-clean, sticker, colouring and noisy books. She lives in Oxfordshire with her husband and three young children.