Year 4 - help with handwriting - is there anything we can do at home other than the dreaded handwriting sheets?

[pollycazalet]

DS's teacher has said he needs to work on his handwriting. She suggested bringing sheets home but, while I am happy to support her on this, I know I will battle to get DS to do something so dull. Has anyone come across anything else we could get to help him that might be a bit more engaging?

Am not sure why his writing is so scruffy - when I look at his literacy work the content is great so he's obviously really engaged (ie it's not sloppy can't-be-bothered work).

Any suggestions appreciated.

Some teachers suggest drawing as a way of developing accuracy of line and pencil control.

Interesting things that will help are all those sorts of tasks that require hand-eye / fine motor skills

• threading buttons
• colouring in (the smaller the gaps the better)
• drawing around mazes
• decorate buns and place the silver balls / those multicoloured long bits on individually to make pictures

To practice using a lighter grip try catching bubbles - the ones that set work really well as you can stack them up on your fingers, they stay as bubbles unless you squish them

Also you could work on building up strength in his arm/wrist/fingers

• spider races (palm on table, long strip of material such as man's tie stretching out infront of body, just use fingers to scrumple it up into your palm)
• crab racing (material horizontal, use thumb to gather in)
• table presses (sit on edge of table, hands griping edge, raise body off table and hold)

These all sound quite silly, but it is what we were told would help.

How old is he?

wriggle he's nearly nine - I suspect those tips are for younger kids?

he has good fine motor skills (did a sewing project last term which was amazing!)

Maybe he's going to be a doctor

Our ds is also nearly 9 and has pretty poor handwriting skills even though the content is good. I know sometimes it's because he's rushing and other times it's because he's too lazy to write neatly. I'm going to watch this thread for any suggestions too... Thanks!

DS is 7 and has been working with OT at school this year because of his handwriting. She has him doing lots of exercises similar to those detailed by wriggle.

How is his grip? That can be an issue and was with DS. He was gripping the pen in a really strange way and basically writing from his shoulders so was getting tired easily and therefore not taking care.

She had him doing yoga and skipping and lots of other stuff that is not directly related to writing but has made a huge difference.

Colouring is great. Playing with playdough is also good. Am sure a 9 year old could make a Dalek out of playdough!

There is a system available from Amazon called Write from the Start which is supposed to be good. Some schools have it so you may be able to get copies of it.

Look up Dysgraphia

My Ds's handwriting was dire. I kept on at him 'let's sit down together and practise and in 6 weeks time, your writing will be lovely'. He wouldn't do it though and I stopped talking about it, just listened to him moaning about not getting his 'pen licence'. One evening after his moan, I said to him about trying with me and he agreed(sort of)and we sat down and I wrote a letter out on individual lines and had him copy them over and over until he'd perfected them. Then I had him write sentences and corrected him there too with his 'joined up writing'. 50 minutes. 50 minutes and his writing had improved beyond recognition! He had his pen licence the following week and he's gone from strength to strength. He too was 9. It worked for him, so perhaps it could help your Ds pollycazalet. Worth a try?