Could grandparents teaching handwriting be the key to your child success?
Handwriting practice for kids. A fun guide for grandparents! In this blog post I’ll tell you give you all the tools for grandparents teaching handwriting without causing tension with the parents.
With many of us having to work full time to keep up with the cost of living and the expense of child care, it’s not uncommon to call on the support of a grandparent. They can become the chief carer for their grandchild while their parents are at work.
If you are spending a lot of time with your grandchild it’s natural that you want to help them develop their handwriting skills
As someone who wants the best for them. You might be concerned that your grandchild is spending too much time playing with gadgets. And not enough time learning the fundamentals – such as developing and perfecting their handwriting. This is where you could become your grandchild’s secret weapon. Let’s be united in getting grandparents teaching handwriting.
Developing sound handwriting skills is a real gift. It allows a child to understand the importance of expressing their gratitude by enabling them to write a ‘thank you’ letter. It gives your child a way of expressing themselves, and learning this skill brings many more benefits as well.
So, how do you tread the fine line of not appearing like you are interfering while still helping your grandchild to develop this essential skill?
Your desire to help your grandchild get ahead can prove to be a tension point with a son or daughter-in-law. In addition, your grandchild doesn’t want to feel like they are at school. They just want to have fun with their grandparent! But don’t worry, handwriting practice can be fun. Follow these simple tips.
1
Use toys to help your grandchild develop their motor skills
Children might be more tuned into new technology these days. But that doesn’t mean they’ll mind indulging in some good old-fashioned fun. Traditional toys like Lego, puzzles and Play Doh are still much loved. They are all excellent ways of enhancing motor skills and improving their pencil grip. This in turn, will enable your child to gain a better grasp of a pencil.
2
Handwriting worksheets
By introducing handwriting worksheets, your grandchild can develop new skills and have fun without feeling like they are in a school lesson. Learning the basic handwriting patterns is an excellent way of teaching a child the shapes they need to learn to form different letters.
3
Colouring books
Colouring books can also be a useful component when it comes to helping your grandchild learn to write. They can help introduce a child to some of the common shapes that they’ll need to get comfortable with if they are going to develop confidence in their handwriting.
4
Let them draw
Most children love to scribble, so encourage them. Allowing a child to use chunky crayons or pencils is another excellent way to introduce them to the world of handwriting. As your grandchild grasps the crayon, they’ll be developing the grip necessary for this essential skill.
5
Alphabet games
Another fun way to introduce your child to writing is the use of alphabet games. You can try some of the commercial ones if you wish, but even singing the alphabet and teaching the shapes as you go can be an effective way of familiarising your grandchild with the different letters.
As you can see there are several simple ways of helping your grandchild learn to write. By introducing fun games and letting them draw, you can do your bit to develop their skills without it seeming like you are interfering.
