DD is 5 and this is her handwriting...

[SwingingCatsAround]

... It's shockingly bad.

She was 5 in December. Her reading is much higher level.

I'm not concerned about the mirror letter/spelling, but the construction if the letters.

We're trying to get her better, but she will resist writing at any opportunity, gets cross if we ask her to correct her grip.

She has strong fingers and good fine motor (sews with tapestry needles, can do buttons up etc) she plays with play doh, tongs, tweezers, loves squeezing anything and everything lolol

What else can we do? It won't magically get better will it?

So she is only half way through reception? (If in England)

nothing wrong with that writing. She is still very little and only just starting to learn these things.

dont force her to write at home, that will only make it something that is a battle. Give her lots of opportunities to colour and draw for fun.

Leave her alone. This is quite normal for 5. She's in reception, where most children are only just beginning to make marks. It does get better with time and practice but constantly hassling about grip and neatness will not make her want to write or draw.

5 !!!! Good grief- I’d say it’s bang on normal for a 5 year old
Leave her in peace is my advice

This looks very similar to my 5yr old DD and that of her class mates. I don't think it's. As for her age.

I think you're being too hard on her and she is pushing back with practicing due to you putting pressure on her.

Have you raised your concerns with her teacher?

Sorry for typo, can't edit on phone. It should say I don't think it's bad for her age

Work on ways to increase her fine motor control and finger strength
Playdough, craft, puzzles etc.

I think its too early to be worried but these things will be beneficial any way.

won't magically get better will it?

Not magically but I’m a pushy parent but would leave this down to school. It will improve, looks like a 5 year old has written it at the moment which is perfect.

Your expectations are too high if you think this is shockingly bad. Her strokes look pretty steady and the writing is pretty straight. It will get better with more practice and lessons like the letter y going below the line and a full stop.

Does she like those workbooks with mazes and puzzles ?

If she's just turned 5 then she's only just over a term into Reception? If so you have absolutely nothing to worry about.

If you hassle her and upset her she won't want to do it.

Yes, to an extent it will "magically get better" because they practice in school.

DD is in Yr 1 and her writing is pretty good now (the odd back to front d and b aside!). All of a sudden part way through Reception it transformed from "barely recognisable" to "pretty good" once it clicked.

I’m not sure what you can do really other than encourage her to practice. I had similar handwriting at her age. I’m dyspraxic and have poor fine motor skills, but as you’ve said this isn’t something she struggles with usually. It may well just get better over time. Mine improved as I got older and I have very neat handwriting now although I still write slowly compared to others.

Seriously OP she's 5, get a grip!

DD is a year older than your DD and her writing is still very scrawly. Some of her classmates write perfectly in small neat letters and DD prefers a huge uneven mess. Teachers don't seem to mind, she won an award for her very enthusiastic story writing and is very good at reading and maths so she's generally quite bright I think.

Please stop worrying, just gently keep practicing. You are going to create stresses in her where there probably aren’t any. As a mother of four, let me assure you, what will be will be. Don’t add to their worries, she’s 5. Let her be 5. Children are growing up in a world with so many expectations and pressures on them, it’s absolutely awful. But also there are so many around things too. Just try not to worry

One day, you’ll find a piece of paper like this and wish you could go back!

At 5 she is just beginning. Don’t rush her to grow up.

Absolutely true

Leave her alone, don’t make it a chore or you’ll put her off for life. If she was 10 I’d say you have a point but she’s 5 fgs.

My son was also 5 in December and his writing is like this.

Stop forcing her or you will turn all writing into an argument. Gentle encouragement is fine like my son " writes" the shopping list with me and signs his names on friends cards ect. But I don't think forcing kids at that age to do writing will lead to anything other then withdrawn and resentment.

Edited to add my sons teacher has no worries about his writing or his school work in general. Have the school highlighted any concerns?

That’s ok, it’s normal.

Developmentally children often focus on one thing at a time, so if she’s busy reading that’s her focus, writing will catch up. Writing is about coding and reading is de-coding, different skills that aren’t necessarily aligned. Plus you need the physical finger strength for writing.

i would back off any home writing pressure and let her develop in her own time.

It looks fine to me for 5. If she’s actively avoiding writing then you could gently encourage her to practice by doing non school writing that she might enjoy (eg games that involve writing, writing birthday lists etc)

Calm down, mate. She’s five.

I'm with everyone else.
That is not "shockingly bad" at all.
(If in England or Wales) she is just 6 months into Reception. She is doing fine.

Please don't put her off by forcing her to write at home, or to correct her grip.

Keep her at the reading - don't worry about the writing. Fluency comes from using words and understanding them in context. It is the use of the language that is more important, learning to put it on paper comes later. You can learn writing much easier than learning language!

As an aside, these days one sees graduates whose writing isn't much better - few people write things with pen and paper these days.

She’s in reception so just starting to learn. Maybe work on her letter formation though rather than giving her whole sentences to practice as it doesn’t look like she’s ready for that. Get her to copy out each letter of the alphabet to start with and get that right.

Looks very much how I remember my own writing looking around that age, 45+ years ago! It will improve with time and practice, just don't put pressure on and it'll be fine.