Many kids learn handwriting in school. It’s important for your child to learn how to write as soon as possible. Starting children young helps to establish good writing patterns and can make the transition to school easier. Here are five tips for how to teach handwriting to your child.
Make It Fun
When teaching children any skill, make it fun. Children respond better and are more likely to retain the information if it’s in a form they can enjoy. Rather than tracing letters repeatedly, try simple word puzzles or games you can play together. Your child will see you using handwriting in a way they want to emulate.
Grip
Many teachers recommend a three-finger grip on a writing utensil. Consider starting with smaller writing instruments, like crayons or golf pencils, that will easily fit the child’s hand. Then, as the child gets more comfortable with grip and form, slowly progress to regular pencils and pens.
Accuracy Over Legibility
It can take time for a child to develop their fine motor skills. This development can take time, resulting in oversized letters and odd dips or bumps. Focus on accuracy before worrying about being able to read the letter.
Patience and Practice
Learning to write is an exercise in patience for the teacher and practice for the student. Each lesson should take 10-15 minutes and focus on one specific letter. It is important to keep a journal for these lessons to keep track of progress. Tracing the letter before attempting to freehand write is a good strategy before moving on to a game of some sort.
Remove Erasers
The last tip for how to teach handwriting to your child is not to let your child erase their mistakes. Removing the eraser allows them to see that mistakes are ok and they don’t have to cover them. Not erasing mistakes also enables them to see their progression and growth. Many children like to celebrate their achievements, and this is a great way to show off their improvement.
More Tips for Teaching Children:
Effective Ways to Teach a Child to Write Their Name Easily
