What can parents do to help their pre-school child develop good handwriting skills?
• Teach your child to name and recognize the letters of the alphabet. • Teach your child to write each letter of the alphabet. Start with simpler letters like, l, i, and t, and model how to write them. Have your child trace the letter that you wrote, using their index finger and then a pencil. Have your child write the letter several times, first from copy and then from memory. Identify and praise letters that were formed correctly. Repeat this process on subsequent days until your child can write the letter correctly and easily. • Show your child how to hold a pencil (or pen) properly. The pencil is held between the middle and index fingers (about 1 inch from the tip of the pencil), resting on the first joint of the middle finger. At first, model how to hold the pencil and remind your child to use this grip anytime he or she writes. • Show your child where letters are placed on the line and how close each letter should be to the other within and between words. • Make pencils, pens, an
