These handwriting tips for kids might give you some ideas and inspiration for helping your child!
While some of us ditched handwriting the day we left education (hello devices!), I spend a lot of my day writing.
I tried for years to embrace digital planning but it just doesn’t work for me day to day. I use my iPhone calendar regularly but for my actual To Do list, it’s my Erin Condren LifePlanner all the way.
“Research shows that forming letters by putting pen to paper stimulates brain circuits to help with memory, attention, motor skills and language in a way that punching a keyboard doesn’t,” said Mr John Johnston, marketing manager, Pilot Pen Australia.
The Best Handwriting Pen for Me
I’m a diehard fan of Frixion pens from Pilot Pen Australia. They’re available in a variety of ballpoint colours as well as stamps and highlighters.
Writing with them is a breeze as they’re so comfortable to hold and smooth on paper.
The best part? If you make a mistake, they rub out with the friction eraser at the end of the pen!
You can buy Frixion pens online here in Australia, here in the US or here in the UK.
National Handwriting Day
My daughter started school last year and seeing her handwriting develop has been amazing. As well as her love for writing letters, stories and songs!
We practice her handwriting regularly and I love that there’s day devoted to it.
Want to know how to improve your child’s handwriting?
With the new school year coming up, National Handwriting Day is the perfect time to encourage your children’s handwriting practice. Here’s Barbara Nichol, handwriting and writing skills for kids expert, author and teacher shares her top tips on how to improve handwriting for kids to help guide you:
Childrens Handwriting Tips
1. Grip
Teach your child to hold a pen properly using a tripod pen hold – holding the pen between the thumb and index finger and resting the barrel on the middle finger. This helps with correct letter formation and prevents ‘over gripping’ resulting in fatigue.
2. Roundy round
Teach your child the difference between clockwise and anti-clockwise by encouraging them to draw a circle. As most letters are formed anti-clockwise, this will help them with letter formation.
3. Free flow
Use writing instruments that have a good free flow of ink so they don’t require heavy pressure. This allows your child to concentrate on the letter formation rather than pressing hard to get the pen to work.
4. Line up
Make sure you use lined paper or draw the lines yourself, so your child can get into the practice of forming the letters correctly and they learn that each letter has an upper, middle and lower zone.
5. Pen power
Find a pen that your child loves and that will capture their imagination so they enjoy their handwriting practice. Pilot’s Frixion range features erasable ink so children can erase any mistakes which can encourage confidence. Fountain pens are great fun and have the novelty factor. The Kakuno Fountain Pen has been specially made for children – it has a thick barrel for an easy grip with a smooth flow of ink requiring no pressure.
Handwriting Tips for Kids
For handwriting practice sheets and more tips on how to improve handwriting, visit: www.pilotpen.com.au
Barbara Nichol is the author of ‘Polishing Your Penmanship’ available at www.pensdeluxe.ashop.com.au
I hope these tips on how to improve children’s writing has been of value to you.
GIVEAWAY CLOSED
And the winner is…..Anna and her wonderful poem!
How would you like to win a Frixion pencil case worth $135?
To enter, simply:
- Complete the form below.
- Answer the question: why would you like to win these gorgeous pens? Scroll to the bottom of this page to where it says Leave a Reply.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
CLICK HERE TO ENTER MORE GIVEAWAYS
Terms and Conditions
- Open to Australian residents only.
- Giveaway closes on February 3rd 2019.
- Winner will be announced here after February 4th 2019.
- Game of skill, not a random draw. Your answer must be original or creative.
Read next:
- Pilot Pen Australia MR3 Retro Pop Collection Review
- Pilot Gel Ink Pen Review
- 10 Back to School Tips for Parents
PIN THIS POST:
Try practicing these handwriting tips for kids on National Handwriting Day with your child! Let me know if you try the handwriting practice worksheets too.
These pens would be great for teaching my little one colours whilst practising his handwriting.
As I eat my feelings in the walk in robe for the millionth time because I’ve once again forgotten about another appointment I contemplate how nice it would be to have nice bright stationary that I’d feel happy to use to write down appointments in my diary.
Also, I can imagine sharing (under strict supervision!!!) with my 16mo and 5yo. Ideally we would create beautiful images. Realistically I will be sporting stray pen marks matching my 16mo.
I would love to win these pens. I still enjoy getting new pens just as much as I did when I was filling a pencilcase for a new school year in primary school. Somehow the pen in my handbag keeps on disappearing
Pilot pens are my favourite and I love writing my notes in different colours to brighten my day.
My two girls love writing with these pens in their birthday cards and Christmas cards they give to their friends. It takes the angst away because there will almost always be some little mistake that happens! They have also used them on posters and special projects in their homework for the same reason.
I would love to win these pens because I can never find any pens in my house, and they look like they would be beautiful to write with. They are simply good looking pens!
I would love to win these pens because I can never find any pens in my house and they look beautiful to write with. They are simply good looking pens!
I’ve recently had our first child and I’m starting to fill out her baby book. I’d love for it to be bright and colourful and also correct, I’m so paranoid I’m going to make a mistake and ruin her book forever…wouldn’t be a problem with these pens!
Oh, I just started bullet journaling – these would be very helpful!
So that I can practice my atrocious handwriting in colour instead of monotones of blue and black. Always envy people with nice cute handwriting. Plus the colours will brighten my planner.
When it comes to writing, I like doing things the old-fashioned way
It always has to be handwriting for me, each and every day.
From writing in my diary to jotting a card of thanks to a friend
To birthday, baby & wedding cards, they never seem to end!
I think there’s something so special about the human touch when it comes to writing by hand
Something that can’t be achieved with the technology of today, tech savvy kids may not understand.
It’s the thought & love that go into the handwriting process that are so special to me
There’s nothing like opening up a hand-written note delivered from my postie.
Last year, my little guy gained a wonderful friend whilst on holiday
They both did something very sweet to make sure their friendship would never go astray.
They decided to become pen pals, so they could always let each other know
What was going on in their little lives, even if just to say hello.
These Frixion pens would be welcomed with open arms in our family
To continue our love of the art of handwriting, until eternity.
These look fantastic! I’d love to give them a gogo !
I would love to win these Frixion pens for my kids because these pens will give them the freedom to make mistakes and learn from them and be as creative as their imagination let them be.
i’m a diary writer from way back, illustrating the pages when time permits… My daughters got diaries for Christmas and are happily following the family tradition, enjoying illustrating their pages too..Pilot pens to share would find a loving home at our place.
I love handwriting and doodling and my daughter is starting to discover the tactile joys of drawing!
My daughter said that these pens are so cool, and there so many colours, that it’s hard to choose which one is her favourite!!
They look gorgeous and I would share them with my daughter who wants to become a writer.
I had no idea there was a Nationals Handwriting Day! My daughter will love this. She (Charlotte age 6) has her own planner and I sit with my EC planner and we work on them every week. One of her goals this year is to slow down and improved her handwriting ??
I love drawing and writing down my thoughts
As a sleep deprived mum with a 5 month old and two year old I often make spelling mistakes. I know, I’m a grown woman and make the silliest mistakes but that won’t be a problem if I win these amazing pens as the friction eraser will save the day!
I would love to win these for work! I’m a disability services worker and these would be fantastic to help encourage my clients to learn to write! A little bit of colour and good quality pens will make it so much more fun for everyone!
I study online and bring up my baby and am about to return to work. I’m still a manual note taker, writing things down is the only way I can remember anything. This frixion pen set with all these colours might convince me to bite the bullet and get a rocketbook so I can make my notes digital and study on the go!
I would love to win these pens because these would be great for my planner. I would probably even share some with my daughters. They’d be great for when they need to write lots and to help with the inevitable mistakes. How neat their schoolbooks could look with these ! :)
Re #5 – It’s a bit of a different context, but I have a range of pens and writing implements (coloured pencils, felt tips, etc) at my counselling practice, and I find my kid (and teen!) clients often love using bright, anything-but-black-and-blue colours when we make lists or do writing-based activities. I think for many of them, making their writing colourful can be a way of injecting personality into what they’re doing.
It’s a while off yet, but I’m so looking forward to when my little guy learns to write, and seeing the stories, poems, etc that he comes up with!
Author
Oh I can imagine – colour makes a big difference doesn’t it – not just for kids :) x