Homeschooling It’s funny how different kids can be.
Take school subjects, for instance. My oldest loves history, literature, and theology. My next oldest loves math, art…
…and handwriting.
Who in the world likes handwriting? My child, that’s who.
I get that a log of kids dislike handwriting. I don’t particularly desire to practice my penmanship either.
For those of you who have kids who don’t particularly like handwriting, here are some fun ways to sneak handwriting practice into your child’s life. If you do it correctly, they won’t even know that you’re actually teaching them.
These handwriting ideas are for kids who are learning to spell and write. They won’t be helpful for children who are just learning to write the alphabet. Don’t despair! We have some help for the littles here.
Handwriting Practice Ideas
1. Start a Mommy and Me Book
Pick up a plain notebook the next time you’re shopping. Tell your kiddo that the two of you are going to write stories together.
Spend some time with fun craft supplies and make it a blast to decorate the outside of the notebook. Take your cues from them. Let them make it as goofy as they want!
Next, brainstorm about the first story you’ll write together. Encourage their little imaginations to explore a world of all sorts of inventive ideas.
Once you’ve settled on a title, explain that each day the two of you will write one sentence to tell the story.
Your child will write the first sentence, then you, and so on.
When one story is finished, start again with a new story.
It’s a fantastic exercise to help with their penmanship, their spelling, and sentence formatting.
Bonus: you’ll have an incredible keepsake.
2. Write 10 Letters a Month
Writing letters is an art form that is all but extinct. In helping your child write 10 letters a month, you’ll accomplish much more than handwriting practice.
They’ll learn communication skills that will last a lifetime.
Lead by example. Sit with your son or daughter and write a letter as well. Talk with them about what they should think about before they write.
Do they want to tell someone something? What is it? Do they want to thank someone? For what? Do they want to ask how someone is doing?
Create a checklist to help them understand the elements of a letter:
Date
Greeting
Body
Closing
Signature
Of course, grandparents will always be happy to get a letter from their grandchild. But there are lots more folks who’d love a letter. Here are 10 ideas to help get them started.
Soldiers
Friends
A hero of theirs
A church leader
Your congressperson
Brothers and sisters
First responders
An author whose books they love
The Governor
A letter to their future self
3. Become a Biographer
Ask your child to choose a person they find interesting. They’re going to interview them and later write a very short biography about the person.
Prior to sitting down for the interview, they should write out 2 or 3 questions.
Let them record the answers to help them remember what was said.
4. Thank You Notes
Kids don’t have to wait for someone to give them a gift before they write a thank you note.
There are definitely folks who deserved to be thanked every day. Have a conversation about all the people they meet who do good.
People like:
The mail carrier
Door greeters at Walmart
Their pediatrician
Their Mom or Dad
No need to buy thank you notes. Part of the fun is creating your own!
5. A to Z Facts
Put 26 cards in a basket with a letter on each. When your child picks one each day, give them a silly assignment to write about that corresponds with the letter.
Here are some silly examples:
A – Ant. Write three sentences about what it might be like to be as small as an ant.
B – Balloons. Write three sentences about what it would feel like to have a balloon that could carry you places.
C – Cap. Write three sentences about what they would do if they had a magic cap that could make them invisible when they wear it.
Those are some ideas I had for some entertaining handwriting practice for kids. Do you see any that could be helpful?
If you have great ways you’ve helped your child with their handwriting practice, would you share? I’m always looking for fresh ideas.
These are some great ideas! I really like them. Visiting from #ModestMonday.