Pen to Paper: Handwriting Resources For Kids

Pen to Paper: Handwriting Resources For Kids

Introduction

Technology has changed what skills children are taught in school, how they are taught, and when they are taught. Many young students are learning keyboarding skills before they learn basic handwriting skills. However, handwriting skills are vital to helping a child learn in many different ways. It has been proven that handwriting increases activity in the brain, helping children make neural connections faster and more easily. It is also possible for children to put ideas on paper more quickly through handwriting than via typing. The ease of self-expression possible through handwriting can help greatly in the learning process. Good handwriting skills are not only important in helping a child express himself, but they are also keys to thinking and learning.

Alphabet

• Connect the Dots Alphabet – This website designed for young children features connect the dots puzzles, in which the child creates a letter. Clues are also offered.
• ABC Mommy & Me – This site, which requires Macromedia Flash to play, features letters of the alphabet in written and audio form.
• English Alphabet – Lower case letters of the alphabet are shown and spoken on this website.
• Alphabet Art – Ideas for teachers to use in teaching the alphabet are featured on this website, including shaping letters out of pretzel dough.
• Alphabet Action – Children can click on any letter of the alphabet and hear its name and see a picture associated with that letter on this website.
• Alphabet Coloring Pages – This site provides printable coloring pictures and pages for each letter of the alphabet.
• Letter Practice – Teachers are shown how to make worksheets to allow children to practice writing letters on this website.
• Online Alphabet Book – This online alphabet book teaches children their letters and associates each letter with an appropriate picture.
• Printable ABC Activities – A variety of printable alphabet worksheets are featured on this website.

Cursive

• Manuscript and Cursive Alphabet Forms – Methods of teaching children to write both manuscript and cursive letters are shown here.
• Super Teacher Cursive Handwriting Practice – Free printable worksheets to help teach children to write cursive letters are offered on this site.
• Cursive Writing Worksheets – Worksheets to help kids learn to write letters in cursive are included on this website.
• Cursive Writing – A variety of printable worksheets children can use to practice cursive writing are included here.
• Donna Young’s Cursive Handwriting Practice – These cursive handwriting sheets were created by a teacher.
• Teaching Cursive – Advice from teachers on teaching cursive writing to children is displayed on this website.
• Cursive Handwriting Practice – A cursive handwriting worksheet maker is on this website.
• Basic Handwriting for Kids – Cursive – A variety of printable worksheets are here that help children learn to write letters, their name, and other words in cursive.

Handwriting/Penmanship

• One Finger, Two Fingers Handwriting Activity – This lesson plan designed for grades one and two helps children improve the spaces between words, letters and sentences when they write.
• Beginning Handwriting Lesson Plan – Designed for grades one and two, this lesson plan teaches beginning handwriting skills.
• Handwriting Without Tears – This hands-on curriculum is intended for teachers, parents and students who are working on learning handwriting at every stage.
• Handwriting Worksheet Maker – This tool allows teachers to create worksheets for students to practice cursive or print handwriting.
• Left-Handed Friendly Handwriting Practice – A variety of printable handwriting worksheets designed especially for left-handed writers is included on this site.
• Handwriting Worksheets – Many printable handwriting worksheets covering both manuscript and cursive handwriting are featured on this website.
• Color Words Activity Pages – Printable color words activity pages, in which children can practice printing color words, are featured here.
• Literacy Center Education Network – Writing – Clicking on “writing” brings up a demonstration of how to form basic shapes that are used in handwriting.

Activities and Advice For Parents

• What is Dysgraphia? – This article explains for parents the learning disorder dysgraphia, a disability that affects a child’s handwriting skills. 
• Helping Your Child With Handwriting – This article provides advice for parents who want to help their child learn good handwriting skills.
• Your Child’s Handwriting – Sponsored by Kids Health, this article focuses on what parents can do to help children learn handwriting.
• Help and Advice for Left-Handed Children, Their Parents and Teachers – Handwriting skills specifically for left-handed children and how teachers and parents can help lefties learn to write are included here.
• 5 Ways to Improve Your Child’s Handwriting – Tips for parents on improving their child’s handwriting, such as encouraging drawing and puzzle games, are included here.
• Helping Children Who Are Struggling With Handwriting – This printable article provides information for parents and teachers to assist children who are having problems with handwriting skills.
• Developing Reading, Writing and Spelling for 5 to 11 Year Olds – Sponsored by the United Kingdom government, this article provides advice for parents in assisting their 5 to 11 year olds with handwriting skills.
• Handwriting 101: Helping Your Child Learn to Write – This extensive article offers tips for parents on helping children learn to write, such as using the correct grip on the writing instrument and teaching beginning cursive writing skills.

Recommended Reading

• Children Handwriting and Penmanship Training – This article from the Denver Post offers advice for parents on teaching children proper handwriting skills.
• Handwriting Key to Learning – This article focuses on how learning cursive handwriting connects to learning skills in other areas.
• Does Penmanship Matter? – The importance of penmanship and good handwriting is examined in this article, which includes quotes from teenagers.
• Penmanship: A Dying Art? – From CBS News, this article discusses how children aren’t learning proper penmanship skills due to the proliferation of computers and learning keyboarding skills.
• Cursive First: An Introduction to Cursive Penmanship – This article provides information for teachers on reasons to teach cursive handwriting at an early age, before a child learns to print.
• How Writing By Hand Makes Kids Smarter – Information on how handwriting improves a child’s learning skills is discussed in this article.
• Pen to Paper: Technology Changing Focus on Penmanship – A discussion of how the use of computers has changed the teaching of handwriting and penmanship skills to children is included here.
• Penmanship Olympics – This article provides ideas for teachers to improve students’ handwriting skills through an Olympics competition, where rewards are offered for good handwriting skills.