If you can’t understand what your kid is writing, you aren’t alone.
Everything’s going digital these days. Even classrooms. So it’s not surprising that the majority of parents are concerned about how to improve handwriting in kids.
If your kid is having problems with handwriting, it’s not something you should be scared of. Many parents come to me expressing concern over their kid’s handwriting. Often, someone comments on how poor their child’s writing it. It could be a teacher. Their grandparents, and sometimes even another peer parent.
According to the Telegraph, Prof. Carey Jewitt, from London University’s Institute of Education, claims that children’s handwriting in today’s classrooms is one of the worst. And there’s a strong inclination that it will continue to decline.
One-fourth of the average 11-year-olds fail the standard writing expectations, while only 20% of the same children fail expectations in reading and mathematics.
Poor handwriting in kids is mostly a result of a rise in the use of digital technology that requires laptops and tablets, rather than the traditional pencil and paper in the learning process.
You might even ask, why handwriting is so important if kids are going to go digital later on in life.
Why Good Handwriting Is Important
Writing might seem like an outdated practice to some, but it does have its benefits. Writing opens your brain to better ideas and a deeper learning experience. A recent study conducted in France compared the results of learning outcomes among two groups of adult learners. One group was told to type its notes while the other one wrote them down. The results showed that writing down the notes resulted in a better learning experience.
Apart from this, writing develops motor skills and muscles in your child. It aids physical coordination, posture, and even stamina.
8 Simple and Easy Ways to Really Improve Handwriting In Your Kids
Good handwriting is very aesthetic. It makes reading enjoyable. Plus, it isn’t something that will take years of practice. With these 8 simple and easy ways to improve handwriting in kids, you can get your child to write beautifully in a short period of time.
The Pencil Grasp
Teachers claim that almost half the time, handwriting problems are a result of incorrect pencil grasp. Pediatricians around the world are saying that children’s grasp of the pencil has declined in the last decade. Some don’t even know how to properly hold a pencil. Or might be uncomfortable with it.
If your kid is experiencing difficulty in grasping the pencil, you can try a different grasp technique. There are basically four ways to grasp a pencil:
- Dynamic Tripod: The most common and recommend pencil grasp. This develops between the ages of 4-6. In this grasp, we use the thumb, middle and index fingers to form a tripod-like position.
- Dynamic Quadrupod: It’s similar to the dynamic tripod, except it involves three fingers and the thumb. This grasp is common among second-grade students.
- Lateral Tripod: In this position, the thumb is perpendicular to the pencil and often crosses over the top. The pencil sits between the index and middle finger.
- Lateral Quadrupod: This position is similar to LT, but it involves four fingers. The index finger, the ring finger, thumb, and middle finger.
Experiment with these four different pencil grasps and find one that your child is most comfortable with. A good grasp is when your child is able to actively involve his hands instead of his arms. Restrict the movement of the arms and encourage the child to move the muscles of his hands while writing.
Practice
Handwriting skills are declining because we aren’t putting them to practice. Better practice will help your child to improve handwriting to better pencil coordination. It will also develop fine motor skills. Set aside 10 to 15 minutes of time for writing practice. You might have to build upon this time and start with just a few minutes initially.
Invest in some handwriting practice books or you can download free handwriting worksheets.
Ease the Pressure
Too much pressure when writing makes it difficult for your child to form the letter properly. It might be the reason your child gets tired of writing after just a few minutes. The back of the writing paper or the desk are a good indication on whether your child is putting too much pressure. If the writing is leaving strong marks, get your child to ease the pressure.
Focus on Fine Motor Skills
Poor fine motor skills might be another reason your kid’s handwriting is flailing. It’s a two-way process. Fine Motor Skills improve handwriting and handwriting improves fine motor skills. So, you should be working on both skills. You can develop fine motor skills through different play activities, including puzzles, building blocks, play dough, coloring, and pasting. Try to include these activities in your kid’s daily routine.
Write on a Lined Paper
A Lined Paper adds a structure to the paper. It makes it easier for the child. A four-lined paper is best for handwriting. Writing within the lines will help them control their letters. The first few pages might not be calligraphy material, but you are going to get there with more practice.
Add Some Challenge
Kids love a challenge. Enlist the help of a peer. Make it into a competition. My kid’s teacher found so much improvement when she turned handwriting practice into a competition.
Use The Right Tools
Most kids hold the pencil too far from the tip. This adds extra pressure to writing. Your kid might have difficulty moving and controlling the pencil. With a shorter pencil. Use broken crayons or these cute little crayon rocks. Your kid will automatically move his hand to the base and this will offer better movement.
Ditch the stubby, fat crayons. Choose the normal crayons. They are easier to grip and make the transition to pencils easier.
Make It Fun!
This is important. Often parents transfer their handwriting concerns to their children, they add so much unnecessary pressure on their child. After two days, the child is running in the opposite direction!
You don’t want that.
Make the entire process fun. Buy some fun tools- colored pencils, character eraser etc.
Sneak in handwriting practice with some fun games. Let them write the grocery list. Ask them to write a thank you letter to their grandma for the birthday present.
I hope that you try out some of these activities at home with your child! If you did, please share what you did in our Facebook community.
As always, if you have concerns about your child’s development and would like to set up a free consultation to discuss your concerns, please reach out! I would love to help you determine your child’s individual needs. Remember, early intervention is key.
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