Please understand, handwriting requires a host of foundational skills for a child to be successful and ready.

 

Here are some of the foundational skills that go into handwriting:

• Core strength to hold their body upright
• Postural stability to support fine motor precision
• Strong pincer grasp (to pick up the pencil)
• Arm and hand strength (can they manipulate an object one-handed?)
• Ability to cross the midline (crossing their arm from one side of their body to pick up something on the other side)
• Concentration skills for focus
• Visual memory skills (to remember, copy, and translate how a letter looks)
• Visual motor skills for their eyes and hands to communicate

 

Developing your child's handwriting will be a big milestone for them this year.  Below are some suggestions to help your child strengthen the muscles he/she will need to help make handwriting a bit less challenging for them.

 

1.  Playing with playdoh (pinching small balls of playdoh)

2.  Pinching cotton balls with tweezers

3.  Playing with small Legos

4. Coloring with small broken crayons

5.  Encourage them to try and open their small snack bags, or water bottles

6.  Threading beads onto a string

7.  Playing with stickers

8. Painting with eye droppers

 

In addition, it's equally important to continue to work on your child’s visual recognition as well.  For them to write letters and numbers, they need to recognize them.  We practice this regularly at school and reinforcement at home is key!

Please feel free to reach out to me for tips and tools that may help your child develop his/her fine motor skills.