Handwriting is a crucial skill, however for some children, handwriting or literacy tasks are difficult and discouraging, which often leads to poor engagement in homework and handwriting practice at home. This blog will explore some unique ways in which you can support your child to participate in handwriting tasks that are fun, engaging and motivating.
Make it a challenge
Adding a challenge in which provides a sense of achievement can promote engagement in learning tasks within the home. Easily set up a scavenger hunt by hiding pictures or words around the room, house, or garden for the child to find before writing them down. Alternatively, see if your child can find items or objects that start with each letter of their name, or each letter of the alphabet.
Add writing to pretend play
If your child loves to pretend why not use this to support handwriting practice! Open a shop and write a menu, create a policeman’s checklist, write a king/queens list of rules for his kingdom; use your imagination!
Use board games
As paediatric OTs we often use boardgames in creative and unique ways to support the development of handwriting skills. Some activities our OTs use frequently include;
- Letter Jenga: write a letter on each Jenga block and for each turn either practice that letter, write a word starting with that letter, or write a sentence starting with that letter!
- Silent Guess Who: write down the questions and answers on a piece of paper instead of asking out loud.
- Connect 4: Use masking tape or stickers to add letters to each coin, and have the child practice that letter each turn.
Incorporate physical activity
For kids that love to move, incorporating handwriting into physical activity can increase engagement. You can:
- Ask the child to plan an obstacle course; they can draw it and write what is needed at each step
- Ask them to create a score sheet with names and stats when playing games
- Provide a movement challenge starting with the letter they are practicing (i.e. star jumps, frog leaps, bear crawls).
Incorporate writing into functional everyday activities
As adults we use handwriting throughout our day for a range of functional tasks, so why not get kids involved. Ask your child to write a shopping list, a packing list for a holiday, a list of activities they would like to do in the school holidays, or a wish list of toys they would like to buy.
Change what they are writing with or what they are writing on!
Just because your child needs to engage in a writing task doesn’t mean they have to write with a lead pencil on paper. To make writing activities more fun try going outside and writing with chalk, use bath crayons, use colour changing magic markers, write in shaving cream, or write in the sand at the beach!
Make it a competition
For some children adding an element of competition can be very motivating and fun. Competing against a parent can support engagement in handwriting tasks and allow for a sense of achievement. Competitions don’t always need to be about who is fastest, it may be who can form their letters the best, who can place them on the line or who can think of the most words starting with a particular letter!
For some children, engaging in handwriting tasks can be difficult, discouraging and boring, therefore by adding fun and unique ideas to these types of tasks can improve participation, provide motivators, and provide a sense of achievement.
Please do not hesitate to reach out to a member of our team on hello@occupationaltherapy.com.au or 02 99133823 if you require occupational therapy input to support with specific strategies to meet your child’s needs or develop their skillset.
