What are some ways to help learn to write letters besides tracing?

Along with having your child practice tracing and writing letters on paper, you can have your child make letters with fun materials. Head outside and have your child use a wet paintbrush to "paint" letters on a warm sidewalk, write letters in the sand with stick, or use sidewalk chalk to create driveway messages. If it's more of an inside day, have fun "sky-writing" and have your child use a finger to write letters in the air, make letters on a fogged-up mirror or window, or have your child write letters on your back as you try to guess what's been "written."