I personally love to download different fonts for projects from the computer. There are so many different handwriting fonts that I’m seeing. This got me to thinking that everyone writes differently.
I think sometimes we perceive our children learning to write through the same method, be it handwriting without tears or another means, with the end result being everyone writing the same at the same ability in the same timeframe. We know that as adults our handwriting is completely different from one another’s and also that children progress in abilities and skills at different rates. So why should children’s handwriting be the same and progress the same?
While our children may not acquire skills or abilities at the same age, it is still very important for the encouragement of the development of social and academic skills to be taking place, not just from teachers, but from parents as well.
Many children learn the same way. However, there are others than need to use their senses in different ways to learn the same thing. I think it is important that we, as parents, do our best to not only help our children learn what they should, but discover how it is they learn best to further the teaching at home.
Think about it in these terms:
- Fine Motor activities – strengthen their fingers (to promote a better pencil grip)
- Visual Motor activities – connecting eye-sight to hand/finger (greater pencil control)
- Sensory Motor activities – learning through all senses
- Gross Motor activities – improve balance and coordination on the large scale with can trickle down to improved hand and finger control
*Disclaimer: These ideas are not totally my own. I have been given some resources by the Occupational Therapists at my child’s school to help with his handwriting at home, unfortunately not all came with sources attached. I’m simply sharing these ideas along with my observations in hopes that by seeing how they are helping my child they can help you or encourage you to seek help if you feel it is needed for your child.
I think you bring up a good point. It got me thinking about all of those handwriting tests in elementary school. I never had trouble writing but my letters never looked like the perfectly formed examples, and now that I think of it…whose does?
Every child learns differently and at their own pace and I think that the activities that you mentioned will certainly help with those basic skills needed for good handwriting. My daughter has just shown an interest in writing letters so I’ll be looking forward to your examples.