Looking for handwriting practise tips for reception child

[Owlelf]

DD is in reception. She has come on leaps and bounds with phonics and reading but her writing is an area that her teacher has suggested she practises at home.

I don't want to push her and I realise that it is normal to be ahead in some areas and behind in others but I would like to encourage her to practice writing.

I'm aware that we do phonics and reading related things as part of a normal day (chatting about sounds, reading together, singing, bedtime stories etc.), but other than sitting down with pen and paper or a worksheet I am a bit lost when it comes to encouraging writing.

She can form most letters but many are not very recognisable, she also muddles b,d, p, q, 9. She gets upset if I correct her letter formation too much (I think she gets upset that she has got it 'wrong' despite me trying to praise as much as possible).

Anyway, enough rambling. I'm sure you get the picture!!

All suggestions gratefully received.

Don't use worksheets but ensure she is starting in the correct place for each letter and making the correct sequence of movements in the right direction.

You can practise forming letters anywhere

on the kitchen work top in salt or flour

with shaving foam in the bath

outdoors with a big brush and clean water

and of course with a pen on paper

make it fun but stop her if she's doing it wrong

I do very dramatic groans and squeals in handwriting practise in class and have been known to jump up and down when children produce "humps" instead of n or m (I think they sometimes do it to get me jumping) so even when I'm correcting we laugh

I get my children to repeat a little "mantra" describing what they are doing when they write

write it in the salt with index finger then on a cold surface with the same finger then with eyes closed and finally on lined paper with a soft sharp pencil

Curly caterpillar family
Anticlockwise movements
c round

o round, round and join

a round, up, down and flick

d round, up, up, down, down and flick

g round, up, down, down and round

q round, up, down, down and tick

s round and round the other way

f round, down, down and round ? across

e across and round
one armed robot family
down, up and over movements

r down, up and over a bit

n down, up, over, down and flick

m down, up, over and down, up, over, down and flick

h down, down, up a bit, over, down and flick

b down, down, up a bit, over and round

p down, down, up, up, over and round

k down, down, up a bit, over, round, out and flick

long ladder family
mainly down and round movements

l down, down and flick

i down and flick ? dot

t down and flick ? across

j down, down and round ? dot

u down, round, up, down and flick

y down, round, up, down, down and round

zig zag monster
diagonal movements

v down, up

w down, up, down, up

x down, stop ? down, stop

z across, down, across

Mrz
You are marvellous
This is great
Thx

I also recommend using a wall mounted chalk board or easel or even pegging /pinning paper to a fence (wall paper works well because it's thicker)

mrz's tips are fab.

I also like the way DS is being taught- there is a creature/character for each letter and a saying. Eg "o" is "all around the orange", n is "down nobby, and over his net" (you need to see the sheet with the characters on, oup thing I think), m is maisie mountain mountain. I have a copy of the sheet- given to us by school, and each time DS gets a letter sheet to do or is doing some independent (ish) writing I check the sheet (not the way I was taught but very effective) the saying. It really helps and is good fun. I do now insist he forms the letters correctly- at least when I'm involved (!)- as it's easier if you learn the correct way first rather than having to relearn bad habits.

Thank you for taking the time to write these brilliant tips!! So kind of you.

Tgger's characters are part of RWI

My little one loves writing. She's only three. Most of her letters are pretty unrecognisable. But when she uses cutlery to make letters on the dinner table it's easy to see what she's making. Same goes for other objects manipulated to create letters. She clearly knows what the letters are supposed to look like. It's just a question of getting the pen to do what it's told. I think that's down to practice. But I think the most important thing is making it fun. If they enjoy doing it they'll practice automatically. I think it just takes time.