Whether you’ve tried it or not, teaching your kids to write will almost certainly come up in your conversation with children from an early age. It won’t be hard to find various reasons why writing is important to learn: from taking notes to expressing oneself to communicating with others, the list is long. However, it’s not as easy as simply telling your children to ‘write down their thoughts’ and expecting them to sit at a desk and churn out flawless essays. No, to be a good writer, you need to start teaching them the basics of cursive writing way back when they’re young and eager to learn.
Of course, this doesn’t mean you need to restrict yourself to handwriting drills and spelling bees. Far from it. There are so many resources out there that can and should be utilized to help your children develop their skills as writers. With this writing education in mind, here are a few tips on how to teach your kids to write in cursive:
Start Early
The earlier you start teaching your child to write, the better. With practice, they’ll become more confident with the pen and paper, and this will naturally translate to better handwriting as they get older. Plus, getting them used to writing on a regular basis will improve their penmanship. Keep in mind that there is no exact age when it comes to teaching kids to write. In most cases, it will be somewhere between 5 and 7 years old.
Take Your Time
Writing is a skill that can and should be built on gradually. Too often, parents rush into lessons and cram-packed curricula without giving their children a chance to absorb the material. If you want your kids to become efficient writers, you need to take the time to teach them the basics: how to hold the pen, how to write the letters, and how to connect the letters into words. Instead of rushing into complex stories or poems, start small and take it easy. Give your kids a chance to write their names, then connect these letters to form words. Soon, they’ll be spelling out long and complicated words, and this is what you should be proud of.
Play & Engage
When your kids start learning to write, they’ll undoubtedly be eager to jump into the books and do the exercises. However, this is where you should step in and take charge. Instead of letting them watch TV or play on their phones, grab a piece of paper and a pencil and have them play with letters and words. If reading is a big part of your child’s life, have them follow along while you read aloud from a story. Even better, why not get creative and make up your own stories or read classic tales to your children. Music will help too. Whether you’re singing or playing instruments, songs often come with words that can be used to teach children to write. Even better, get the whole family involved and have them practice their letters while singing or dancing. This will help them build muscle memory, which means they’ll be better able to write as soon as they leave the lesson.
Build Up Slowly
You can never rush learning. If you want your children to become confident writers, you need to take your time and build up their skills slowly. Instead of jumping straight into long, complex sentences or complicated poems, start with short stories or simple letters to practice with. They’ll soon be connecting these letters into words and forming complete sentences, and this is where you should be most proud. Remember: practice makes perfect.
Whether you decide to teach your children to write cursive or choose another method, there are plenty of resources out there that can help. Make sure to have patience and take your time in teaching them. You’ll soon see the benefits, and you can be sure that your kids will thank you for it.