As the children refine their lines, they shape their calligraphy. By the time they learn to write, around the age of 6, they already have a unique calligraphy that sets them apart from the rest of their peers.
Throughout his life, that calligraphy will vary slightly, but it will keep that personal seal unchanged. This is good news for kids with good handwriting, but it could be a problem for little ones with unintelligible handwriting.
So if your kids have bad handwriting, the sooner you start helping them improve it, the better. They may not achieve model handwriting, but they will surely improve readability a lot. Fortunately, there are different ways you can help them achieve this. Here is a selection of some simple, practical and effective methods that may be useful to you.
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7 activities to help children improve their handwriting
Unless children aspire to become adult calligraphers, having a more or less beautiful handwriting does not make a big difference. At least as long as it can be understood.
And, at the end of the day, that is precisely the main objective of calligraphy, to transmit certain ideas, knowledge or emotions in writing, and for this it is important that the letter is legible. Therefore, if the little ones at home have problems with their handwriting, there are some resources that can help them improve it.
1. Teach them how to hold the pencil correctly
One of the most common reasons children have poor handwriting is because they haven’t learned to hold a pencil properly. In this way, it is more difficult for them to make the lines well and, as a result, the letter can become unintelligible.
Related Topics: Common reading problems in children
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To prevent this from happening, teach children to hold the pencil correctly, without bending the wrist or putting too much pressure on the fingers. The important thing is that he feels comfortable while writing. He can practice together while doing homework or drawing.
2. Correct Posture
How many times have you seen the child writing on the floor or on the coffee table in the living room? This is a very common habit among children that can affect their handwriting.
Therefore, if you want to help your little ones improve their handwriting; correct their posture every time they write. Ideally, they should be seated with their back straight, leaning against the back of the chair, feet flat on the floor, and arms on the table. In this way, you will not only get them to improve their line, but they will also avoid possible back pain.
3. Stimulates their hand-eye coordination
Hand-eye coordination is essential for children’s writing, in particular for the proper letters tracing. A child who has difficulty with this system is likely to have trouble maintaining good handwriting.
Hence, another way to help children improve their handwriting is by stimulating their hand-eye coordination through some simple exercises such as catching and throwing balls, playing tennis or ping pong, doing puzzles or jumping rope.
4. Turn to calligraphy notebooks
Calligraphy notebooks are an excellent resource for children to practice their lines and improve their handwriting. The best thing is that you can find notebooks for any age, from notebooks for the little ones that include drawings and playful activities in each hand to notebooks for the older children that focus more on calligraphy exercises.
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Their secret lies in practice, since it invites children to exercise their lines with example patterns so they can learn how to do it.
5. Stimulates their fine motor skills
If children do not have fine motor skills, it is unlikely that they will be able to write well. Therefore, if you want to help the little ones at home to improve their calligraphy, help them improve the coordination and skill of their fingers.
From modeling clay and coloring crafts to playing puzzles and construction games, there are lots of fun ways to help them gain precision with their fingers.
6. Encourage them to practice
There’s no better way to improve handwriting than practice, so encourage kids to practice their handwriting at home. Whether it’s with calligraphy exercises or homework or more fun activities like filling out cards for family members or naming spices on jars in the kitchen, the idea is for children to exercise their calligraphy and go correcting their lines.
7. Encourage them to write by hand
Nowadays, most children learn to type on a mobile phone first than by hand. As they get older, they need less and less to write by hand and lose interest.
However, the first step for children to improve their handwriting is that they feel the need to do it and are motivated to do so. Therefore, if you want to help them improve their handwriting, start by giving them good reasons to write by hand in their daily lives.
In any case, it is important that you encourage the little ones throughout the process and celebrate each of their achievements, no matter how small. This way you will be encouraging them to continue making an effort, while at the same time you will recognize their progress. Maintaining a positive attitude and being motivated to try is also key to encouraging children to improve their handwriting.
Conclusion
Lastly, don’t push them too hard as they might lose interest. Do not assume a perfectionist role either, it is good that you want to encourage them to improve their handwriting, but you must also understand that nothing happens because they do not have perfect handwriting.
Sometimes it’s important to know when to stop and stop trying. And it is not negative, you will be giving the little ones a great lesson by teaching them that in life no one is perfect and that it is precisely those imperfections that make each one so special.
