Though we often use our thumbs for most writing these days, handwriting will never stop being an essential life skill. And there’s no better time to celebrate this skill than National Handwriting Day!
Children who master handwriting early will blossom into better, more creative writers. Forming letters by hand engages more networks in the brain. And children who learn letter formations can learn to recognize letters more quickly, securing their footing along the path to literacy.
To help your students participate in National Handwriting Day, we’ve come up with 15 ways to use our handwriting program to demonstrate the expressive power of handwriting in your class, home, or pod.
15 Ways to Use Handwriting on National Handwriting Day
- Watch this video on how to teach proper grip for crayons.
Before children learn to hold a pencil, we recommend they start by learning to grip little crayons, which suit their little hands more comfortably.
- Watch this video on how to teach proper pencil grip.
It is impossible to have good handwriting without a good grip. This video demonstrates the proper technique for grip—one of the earliest, most important steps to being able to form legible, consistent letters and numbers.
- Watch this video on how to help a child with pencil pressure.
Training students to be sensitive to pressure as they write letters will help them coordinate their muscles as they develop accurate and legible formations.
- Practice the Wet-Dry-Try Method (slate + chalk).
Our Slate Chalkboard is an intuitive solution for children who are just beginning to master their capitals and numbers, and aids in helping them avoid those pesky reversals.
- Make your own letter cards.
Looking for some easy home learning activities? Print out these little letter cards, and you’ll be set for tons of hands-on fun! Trace, color, and cut them out, and you have everything you need for a variety of activities.
- Write through the winter!
Keep kids engaged during the long, cold months with these winter-themed writing activities for students in Pre-K–2. From story prompts to letter writing and snow globe fun, students will stay engaged for hours.
- Download and print free handwriting activities for grades Pre-K through 2.
We’ve made an abundance of activities from our most popular student editions available for free, including early writing, print, and cursive exercises.
- Make your own handwriting worksheet.
Using our free A+ Worksheet Maker Lite, you can generate your own handwriting practice materials. These generated worksheets use the same double lines and font as our handwriting student editions to promote legible writing.
- Combine core writing and handwriting practice with Building Writers.
Our Building Writers student editions save teachers more time by not having to search for quality, loose-leaf writing practice materials. Plus, download our Building Writers Infographic or Teacher Resource to learn more.
- Help Students Master Handwriting with our Integrated Print and Digital Solution. (Pre-K | K-5)
We’ve combined Handwriting Without Tears’ proven instruction with engaging digital teaching technology including digital letter formations, cross-curricular videos, fun animations, and lively music!
- Now try the free Wet-Dry-Try App!
The Wet-Dry-Try for iPad brings handwriting lessons to life on tablets with fun, game-based activities based on the exercise of writing on a slate chalkboard. Try it for free today with sample lessons on capitals, numbers, and lowercase letters.
- Gauge Student Progress with our FREE Handwriting Assessment Tool
The Screener of Handwriting Proficiency is an easy-to-administer, whole-class assessment that provides insightful data through formative and summative assessments.
For more information watch this free webinar and learn how to: Identify types of assessments in the classroom and create a plan of action- Understand the important role of handwriting assessments in the classroom
- Learn how the Screener of Handwriting Proficiency works for every teacher and student
- Explore how to prevent problems and handwriting struggles
- Examine steps for remediation if problems occur
- Practice letter and number formations in print and cursive.
Our letter and number formation charts are child-friendly letter formations that make it fun and memorable for children to learn their letters and numbers. Use them for a quick reference or as handouts to take home for learning with the family
- Create a Love Book. (English | Spanish | French)
Encourage your young learners to create their own books about all the things they love!
- 10 Minutes to Cursive Success.
Have a few minutes to spare? Then you have time to view our 10 Minutes to Cursive Success webinar! You’ll learn how to implement multisensory cursive instruction for grades 2–5 with our award-winning Handwriting Without Tears curriculum.
Inspired? Take the Next Step and Save!
Whew, that should give you and your students enough activities to last through the celebration and then some! Now that you’ve reached the finish line, why not visit our online shop?