10 Effective Strategies for Improving Your Child’s Handwriting Skills

Even in this digital age, when it feels like everything is done on phones and computers, proper handwriting is still an essential skill.

While handwriting lessons begin in kindergarten, it takes years of practice to nail it — and some kids struggle more than others.

It can be hard to get kids to practice their handwriting, especially if they’re used to relying on a tablet or computer for their schoolwork or just for fun. Handwriting practice is tiring and repetitive work, but there are ways to make it fun.

In this article, we’ll run through some top tips for parents who want to help their child improve their handwriting skill and development.

Why is handwriting still important?

Pen and paper still play a role in 2020. Exams and tests are mostly written by hand, and physical documents like birthday cards, contracts, and forms are all necessary parts of everyday life.

Good handwriting also enables activities like journaling, an important way for kids and adults to record their thoughts, feelings, and ideas. Being able to write smoothly and without a second thought is crucial in letting the words flow from a writer’s brain to the paper.

How do kids learn handwriting skills?

Kids should start using writing utensils from a very young age. Even if they’re not writing words, they should get used to having a pencil or crayon in their hand, drawing scribbles or shapes. This will prepare them for learning formal handwriting at school and build confidence in putting pen to paper.

From scribbles, they can move on to making letters, and then words. During their first two years of school, children should learn the correct formation of letters, spacing between letters and words, and eventually be able to write complete sentences.

Effective strategies to improve handwriting skill and development in young kids

Ensure they have the correct grasp

Your child won’t be able to master handwriting if they don’t master their grip. It’s important to make sure they’re holding the pen or pencil correctly from the beginning so as not to form any bad habits. The ideal grasp for school-age kids is the tripod grip — holding the pencil between three fingers.

If they can’t quite master that, teach them the “pinch and flick” method. Place the pencil on the desk with the writing end facing them. The student pinches the pencil between their thumb and index finger, then flips it around into the correct position.

Check their pressure

If your child is putting too much pressure on the pencil, they might experience hand fatigue and have trouble forming letters — not to mention breaking the lead!

Check to see if their writing is indenting through the page. If it is, practice writing with markers on a whiteboard.

Practice, practice, practice

There’s no magic trick for your child to master handwriting. It’s all about practice. Get your hands on some worksheets that’ll take them through different exercises. We’ve got a selection of engaging activity bundles with specially-lined paper to practice on.

Use quality materials

Using colorful markers and crayons is always fun, but your child should use a pencil to practice their handwriting. Opt for a sturdy, thick lead pencil that encourages a good grip. And keep a sharpener handy — writing with a dull nib may require unnecessary pressure and effort.

Check their posture and comfort

Proper posture is key to good handwriting. You don’t want your child to be hunched over the desk, so make sure that their chair is at the correct height. Be sure there’s enough light in the room, too.

Play drawing and writing games outside lessons

Get your kids comfortable with writing even when you’re not in the classroom. Encourage them to draw or complete coloring books. Printing off worksheets with fun activities that relate to what they’re learning can be a good way to get them writing — and enjoying it, to boot! We’ve got a huge library of worksheets on every topic imaginable.

How to improve handwriting in older kids

Every student learns at a different rate. It’s totally okay if your child is taking longer than expected to master handwriting basics! Here are some ideas to help them build their confidence.

Show them handwriting applications in the “real world”

Give them everyday opportunities to practice their handwriting. Ask them to write out shopping lists, to-do lists, notes to friends or family. The more they see how important handwriting is in day-to-day life, the more they’ll be motivated to master it.

Get equipped

If they’re really struggling, you could employ some simple tools that’ll make handwriting a little easier for your child.

A slant board will make things more comfortable by discouraging slouching and improving their wrist and body position. If your child is struggling with letter and word spacing, there’s a simple finger spacer tool that will help them out. After a few weeks of practice with the spacer, they should be good to go on their own.

And if they’ve got an issue with grasp, a simple rubber pencil grip (available at stationery stores) should do the trick.

Work on it in small chunks

Let’s be honest, working on handwriting skill and development won’t be top of your pre-teens list. They’d much rather be doing… anything else?

So the good news is, experts say that kids should spend an hour a week honing handwriting skills — and that only equates to about ten minutes per day! Keep your writing lessons short and engaging to make sure they’re feeling fresh and focused the whole time.

Improve fine motor skills

Perhaps the reason your child is struggling to hold and control a pencil is that they don’t have the necessary fine motor skills? In this case, increasing their hand strength and finger dexterity will go a long way.

Get them to do simple tasks like cutting paper with scissors, using a screwdriver, playing with modeling clay, or counting coins. Or get them to take up a hobby like knitting or origami. Any of these activities will help improve fine motor skills in no time!