Over the years, classroom technology has changed drastically, but the homework and assignments are still required in the old-fashioned handwritten format. So in order to excel in academia (be it writing essays or preparing assignments and worksheets), handwriting plays a major role. It should be readable and understandable by the teacher. A good chirography is also very important for effective communication. According to Vanderbilt university poll, only one- quarter of the children in a regular primary class (first to third grades) are able to write at a reasonable speed. Children suffering from chirography problems should start practicing at an earlier age to improve their skillset. Below are some clever ways to bridge the gap at home.

How to Improve Handwriting for Kids

1. Identify the Problem

One need to figure out what the basic problem is with the child;it is either a cognitive issue or a physical problem. While writing, one should only move the wrist and elbow, and the shoulder should remain constant. One should use the brainpower to make decision on what to write by knowing what the words and letters look like. Line-alignment, spaces between words, sizing and letter formation are common chirography problems.

2. Build Motor Skills

It is very frequently observed that pre-school activities involve beads, rice, beans and shells.This is because involvement with these things helps in building the hand muscles of your child, which are important in chirography, and it also develops his fine motor skills. Parents can encourage finger painting at home, which also a great opportunity to hone motor skills.

3. Hold the Pencil Correctly

The most important thing to make the chirography understandable is that the writing tool should be held correctly. The pencil should be held in place with the thumb, index and middle fingers. As the child enters the pre-school, he should already know how to hold the pencil accurately.

4. Relax the Grip

Keep a closed observation on how your child writes. If there are imprints on the desk after the child finishes up his homework, it means the pencil is pressed too hard in writing. Ask the child to relax and write without exerting extra pressure. Make the child feel comfortable while writing; otherwise, letter formation will become difficult and fingers will soon cramp up.

5. Practice Writing Letters

In order to improve child’s chirography skills, it is highly recommended to allow them to practice writing letters. It is helpful in visual motor development, spacing, size and directionality. Find practice worksheets that have upper case and lower case letters to enhance the skills.

6. Go Slow

Kids have plenty of activities to do and most kids have brief attention spans. Make sure to discourage the habit of your child writing erratically and encourage them to adopt a more focused and concentrated approach while writing. Children often copy what the adults do in front of them, so try to write at a gentle pace in front of themin order forthem to mimic you.

7. Provide a Favorable Environment

How to improve handwriting for kids? The sitting environment while writing should be proper. The atmosphere should be comfortable, with a table of proper height and a back-supporting chair. The child should not write while lying, in front of TV or in the bed.

8. Offer the Right Writing Tools

To help improve child’s handwriting, supply them with the right tools.

• LinedPaper: To make children learn proper sizing,lined paper should be used. It seems to help the most in developing good handwriting skills.
• AppropriateSized Pencils: Try with the different pencil sizes and pick the one that is best for the child. Some kids face difficulty in holding jumbo-sized pencils, while other kids may feel comfortable with large-sized pencils. Make sure to identify the preference and provide them with appropriate sized pencils. Golf pencils are often a good choice to try because they are small and light.
• Pencil Grip: Make sure that the pencil grip is offered to kids who have difficulty in holding the pencil correctly. It will prevent muscle cramps and reduce fatigue associated with writing.
• Fun Accessories: While writing children need some fun. So provide them with anything that they feel like to have fun with, like colored pencils, pencil toppers, brightly colored kid-friendly notebooks.

9.    Play Games

Fun is always an important part of children’s life. Since chirography practice can become tough and boring for some children,you should make it a real fun by the following techniques.

To learn how to help kids hold a pencil correctly and other tips on how to improve handwriting for kids, watch the video below: