Now that school’s out for the summer for most children in our area, opportunities for handwriting practice in the classroom are on hiatus, but don’t let the more laid back days of summer lead to an absence of practicing handwriting skills.
As with most skills, practice makes perfect, so be sure children continue writing during the summer months so they don’t lose any progress they may have made during the school year. It’s not necessary to assign summer school work, however; handwriting exercises can be purely fun! Here are a few ways to work on handwriting this summer:
Create a story together.
Encourage your child to write a few sentences or paragraphs, depending upon age and skill level, each day, and add your own writing to the story. Alternate back and forth throughout the summer until you’ve written a complete story (or two, or three, or four) together.
Practice with sidewalk chalk.
Children love to create with sidewalk chalk; have your child not only draw pictures, but practice letters and even leave messages on the sidewalk for friends and family members.
Write in other media.
Practice writing in sand, either on the beach or in a sandbox, in shaving cream on a mirror or the shower wall, in rice or salt on a cookie sheet, or with finger paint or glue. Use cotton swabs, sticks, fingers, or whatever you have on hand.
Get an app for that!
A number of apps for smartphones and tablets support handwriting practice. One option is the Handwriting Without Tears Wet-Dry-Try Suite app, by the creators of the popular Handwriting Without Tears program used in many schools. See below for additional handwriting app resources.
In addition to these fun activities, a number of free handwriting practice worksheets are available online for download. To make reusable worksheets (and save paper!), laminate them or place them in a plastic sleeve and use them with dry erase markers. Check out StudentHandouts.com, KidsTV123.com, or the This Reading Mama blog for free practice worksheets; Pinterest is another great resource.
Want more fun ideas for handwriting practice? Check out these additional resources:
No-Worksheet Handwriting Ideas:
- Handwriting Activities for Kids Who Hate Handwriting : 35 Ideas
- 55 Ways to Make Handwriting Practice FUN for Kids
Handwriting Apps:
Your occupational therapist can make recommendations suited to your child’s age and skill level. If you or someone you know would like to learn more about how Kid’s Creek Therapy can assist your child with his handwriting skills, contact us for a free consultation.
