One of the biggest problems children have in early education is handwriting. We can help our children develop good writing habits and grow to be confident writers. Here are a few tips and tricks that might help your child improve:
Praise Your Child’s Work – Do this physically and verbally, by giving encouraging feedback and maybe even putting their work up on display around the house. You want to show them you are proud of their work, particularly on an aesthetic level. And don’t be afraid to give constructive feedback. It shows you are taking an interest in your child’s work and progress.
Make Handwriting Fun – This can be done several different ways. You can make handwriting a game by challenging your child to spell out longer, more complex words with more accuracy and neatness. You can also allow your child to pick out a colorful or interesting pencil or paper so that they build a connection with the activity.
Let Your Writer Take Part – Let your child take part in everyday writing tasks around the house, like making a grocery list or leaving notes. You can also set your child up with a diary and let them write to their heart’s content, while you do any writing you need to do. By making it a group activity, you’re showing your child the importance of good writing skills.
Find the Problem – If practice alone isn’t helping your child improve, you may need to pinpoint exactly what your child is struggling with. In general, spacing, letter formation, alignment, and sizing are the most common problem areas a child will come across. Monitor your child’s writing ability and decide which area they most need practice in, and then, cater their usual practice to that area.
Don’t Forget the Role of Muscles – Sometimes a lack of legibility in handwriting can be due to lack of strength or precision in the fingers and hands. To help your child develop their fine motor skills, have them work with clay or other similar materials which require all the muscles in the hand. You can also use finger painting for such development.
