Reception Handwriting

[TheHandmadeStaleBread]

Does anyone have any tips or games to help my DS (4) with handwriting - my elder child could already write by the time she started reception and I'm not sure how to support DS with his. He can't really form any kind of recognisable letters yet. I guess I'm looking for stuff that isn't really 'formal' as he just gets upset if I sit with him and try and get him to form actual letters - what motor skills does he need to write and what sort of thing would practice these without being obviously 'homework' or 'handwriting'?

With my elder DD being so easy, she could read, write, add and subtract before she entered school, I'm a bit lost now as to how to help.

Your elder child has perhaps given you unreasonable expectations for your youngest! I have one DS who sounds similar to your youngest. He can however just about write his short name. He has no interest in writing. I discovered he needed glasses a few months ago, so perhaps his poor eyesight has hindered him - a factor for you? Other than that, I'm not concerned at all that he can't write.

We are two weeks into reception. Plenty of time, let the boy get used to the momentous change in routines and expectations before worrying about handwritung.. I'm in precisely the same position as you incidentally!

Arg, handwriting!

He's 4. He just started reception. In any country other than this one he wouldn't even be attempting to write get. Leave it or you'll put him off.

How about maze activity books? They're good for improving pen control (while trying to keep within the lines of the maze).

This sort of thing:

www.amazon.co.uk/First-Book-Mazes-Kumon-Workbooks/dp/1933241780/ref=sr_1_18?ie=UTF8&qid=1411393831&sr=8-18&keywords=mazes

www.amazon.co.uk/Thomas-Flinthams-Marvellous-Mazes-Flintham/dp/1407120883/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1411393798&sr=8-14&keywords=mazes

Anything using his hands such playdoh, mud, sand or salt (making patterns, shapes in), clay, painting, baking, toy cars, threading, lego, playing with coins, posting letters toy post box, magnet games like the fishing one you can get (controlling hand movements), any pincer toys you may have, finding things in shaving foam.

Anything that involves mark making, like painting huge canvases or outside walls with water, chalk, using paint rollers or huge old brushes. A good one is to roll small cars in paint and push them along paper to make tracks. Games such as tennis, catching and throwing balls too so rugby or basketball type games. Its about hand to eye co-ordination as well as fine motor stuff.

Anything using his hands such playdoh, mud, sand or salt (making patterns, shapes in), clay, painting, baking, toy cars, threading, lego, playing with coins, posting letters toy post box, magnet games like the fishing one you can get (controlling hand movements), any pincer toys you may have, finding things in shaving foam.

Anything that involves mark making, like painting huge canvases or outside walls with water, chalk, using paint rollers or huge old brushes. A good one is to roll small cars in paint and push them along paper to make tracks. Games such as tennis, catching and throwing balls too so rugby or basketball type games. Its about hand to eye co-ordination as well as fine motor stuff.

Thank you so much for all your suggestions! I wouldn't be pushing it except the school are - he has been sent home with sheets with his name on in dotted type to trace over and can't really do it.

Totally agree that DD has given me unrealistic expectations, so maybe should just concentrate on general mark making. Have some giant chalks somewhere, will get them out on the patio tomorrow!

And have ordered a couple of the maze books :-)

He loves Lego, we are collecting the Daily Mail stuff at the moment, and he has a large box full of the stuff. He is pretty hot at Lego, and can throw and catch OK so I think he's just not interested. Am looking for a Ninja Turtles maze book now as that is his real love. Or dot to dot maybe? And painting with water sounds good as well :-). To be fair, he went to an amazing preschool and they said what a lovely happy boy with lots of friends who he was kind to. Much more important, I just wanted to help him without it being about 'handwriting' as such...

If you want to spend a few pounds, then there's a great book by Alistair Bryce-Clegg called Getting Ready to Write. That has loads of things you can do to, well, get a child ready to write.

Sounds like my ds. You might have more success getting his dad to help him, provided he is patient and doesn't see it as a big deal. Our preschool explained that ds would write but not if he felt under pressure.

He's been given basic homework - to write his name - not a chance with me! He had a go with DH though and that was enough.
We have pens galore plus paper so plenty of chances to try. I've noticed that ds's fine motor skills are brilliant and does hold a pencil well. Plus he loves lego which helps, so I think he's fine.

Yes, defo join the dots as well. Very similar skills being learned, but seen as fun rather than work.

Also, for some reason my son preferred practising writing using wipe-clean pens rather than paper - somehow that made it seem more fun than the plain photocopied sheets at school. He also liked doing numbers more than letters!

Perhaps try:

www.amazon.co.uk/Numbers-1-30-Write-Wipe-Kumon/dp/193324108X/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411472452&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=kumon+wipe-clean+cards

www.amazon.co.uk/Uppercase-Write-Kumon-Flash-Cards/dp/1933241101/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1411472452&sr=8-3-fkmr0&keywords=kumon+wipe-clean+cards

I heard that Hama beads are good for the fine motor skills too.

DS is similar, he has no interest in writing, and even less interest in sitting down to do 'work' i.e. practice letter formation. Rather unfortunate that his school sends home a 'sound book' meant for practicing letter formation... with lots and lots of empty lines to fill per letter. Over the weekend.

I make him do 10 minutes on Saturday and 10 minutes on Sunday, max. If that means he 'practices' each letter only once, then so be it!

With DS being able to blend and segment, I am thinking perhaps it would be more successful to get him to practice by writing meaningful stuff rather than just lines full of the same letter. So ask him to write something onto the shopping list or to write down a wish list or anything really, maybe to re-tell a story? But with my focus being on the letter formation alone, rather than on other stuff such as spelling, content, phonetic plausibility, or what have you.

What is his tripod grip like? My daughter's was very weak and her nursery teacher suggested getting her to play with clothes pegs to improve her pincer grip. I bought a toy washing line and gave her some old baby clothes to peg onto it which she loved, now in year 1 and still plays with it. It really helped. If his pencil grip is poor then letter formation will be difficult.

Tripod grip is a bit variable. Sometimes he gets it, but other times it's all wobbly. Will get him to help me hang laundry out maybe? He came home beyond shattered from school today, so he's had a snack, cuddle, tea and watching Lego Movie. Pretty much asleep on my lap right now, poor thing. Will look tomorrow at more strategies, possibly a quick chat with his teacher in the morning.

Have you got triangular shaped pencils/pens?/ these help.

But to be honest I wouldn't worry. How many weeks is he into school? I've had to tell myself to calm down and now backing off.