OT-Approved Handwriting Tips + Tricks
Pencil Grasp
Baseline Adherence
Letter Sizing
Holding the pencil correctly is a prerequisite for legible handwriting.
Letter Sizing
Baseline Adherence
Letter Sizing
It's important when our students write that their letters aren't all the same size - some letters are tall (t, l, f. h, etc.) some are short (a, o, u, e, etc.) and some are hanging (g, y, p, j, etc.)
Baseline Adherence
Baseline Adherence
Baseline Adherence
It is very common for children to write "floating" letters (letters that don't touch the baseline and appear to be floating away) however this can make their work very difficult to read. If your child struggles with this skill, reiterate the importance of having letters "sit on the baseline" and make sure to model this.
Word Spacing
Multi-Sensory Approach
Baseline Adherence
Emphasizing spacing between words is crucial during early writing learning. If your child struggles with spacing, instruct them to use their pinky finger as a spacer and have them put it down next to the last word they wrote. Instruct them to write the next word after their pinky. You can also use a bookmark or pencil as a spacer. Other tips include putting a sticker in between every word and having them read the word "space" out loud after every word they have written. This will reinforce the importance of spacing and, if your child develops good spacing, will improve their overall legibility.
Multi-Sensory Approach
Multi-Sensory Approach
Multi-Sensory Approach
Have your child practice making letters in many different forms! They can write letters with their fingers in shaving cream or finger paint, build letters with leggos, or form letters with popsicle sticks! Have them sing songs about the formation of letters. And get creative! The more your child is exposed to letters, the faster they will learn them.
Letter Formation
Multi-Sensory Approach
Multi-Sensory Approach
It's important for children to learn to write their letters with the correct formation to promote good writing habits. Letters are to be formed from top to bottom, NOT bottom to top. Later, your child will be able to write more quickly and legibly if they develop good formation skills. If your child struggles with top-down formation, give them a starting point (can be a dot, a sticker, or anything motivating) and make sure to model the correct sequence of strokes.