The handwriting is a real struggle for many children: it requires the hand muscles, which develop through the creation of art projects, doing chores, climbing on a playground, playing with cubes, working the dough etc.
Unfortunately, instead of engaging in these essential developmental activities , our children are spending more and more time playing with electronic gadgets. The hand muscles required for handwriting do not develop by sliding the screen.
In addition, handwriting requires self regulationto keep attention. As our children’s brains become increasingly accustomed to operating under high stimulation levels due to the sensory input of gadgets, activities such as handwriting are not stimulating enough for their brains. As a result, more and more children at school struggle with
handwriting. Handwriting is not an isolated skill. Facilitates reading and math skills. Handwriting is associated with subsequent school success. Additionally, there is evidence to suggest that taking notes by hand is more effective for learning than taking notes on a laptop. Therefore, the solution is not to eliminate handwriting, but to return our children to our children so that they can develop the muscles of the hand!
Here is what you can do to help your child develop the muscles necessary for writing:
– Game activity : stretch the elastic bands, join the staples together, make coins from the modeling clay and insert them in a piggy bank, attach the clothespins, burst bubbles, cut the modeling dough and the cardboard with scissors creating drops, make holes with a hole punch.
– Artistic activities:creation of origami, paper airplanes, mosaics, collages; making objects with plasticine and clay;
– Household chores: pushing trolleys to the supermarket, transporting groceries, making bed, cleaning tables / windows, wringing sponges, moving clothes from the washing machine to the dryer, opening plastic containers, helping in the kitchen (cutting, mixing, lift), water the plants with squeezable bottles, help in car washing and gardening.
– Outdoor activities: walks with animals, climbing walls / trees, playing tennis, basketball, drawing with large chalks, looking for hidden rocks or small objects in the sand, playing with pallets and beach toys.
– Activities of paper and pencil:provide a practice appropriate to daily age to trace, draw, color, paint, copy, print. Involve children in creating shopping lists, greeting cards, writing notes, leafing through magazines. Make this engaging because we want children to love these activities!
