Helpful Handwriting Tips

Here are some helpful activities that promote handwriting skills without having to pick up a pencil...

#1 Fluid handwriting starts with letter recognition. Does your child's teacher tell you that their handwriting looks great when copying in a workbook but is a mess when they need to write in their journal? Letter memory is an important part of fluid legible handwriting. Work on letter recognition. Start with letter flash cards and have your child do animal walks (such as bear walks or crab walks) to find a letter. Animal walks provide weight bearing through the hands which increases the strength of intrinsic hand muscles (the muscles used for pencil control).

#2 To have legible handwriting, you need good pencil control and good posture. Encourage your child to sit on the floor when playing a game to encourage weight shifts and weightbearing through hands. Also, encourage lying on their stomach to increase trunk strength to provide postural stability during seated tasks.

#3 Practice writing letters in different textures such as sand, shaving foam, or finger paints. This will promote motor learning of correct letter formation but is a lot more fun for kids than just picking up a pencil.

These are a few fun and simple activities that can be added to your child's daily routine to improve handwriting skills without ever putting pencil to paper!