Learning how to put pen to paper is still one of the most essential foundational stages of development for kids, even in this age of technology.
There’s something about physically writing that helps imprint letters and their sounds into memory far more than is possible through typing.
Plus, practicing good penmanship helps develop fine motor skills, which are critical to developing focus and promoting the holistic development of young children.
So how do you teach your kids how to write? That’s where printable handwriting sheets come in.
It’s no secret, though, that there isn’t a single best method for teaching anything, handwriting included. Depending on the teaching style you prefer, you can find printable handwriting worksheets that work for you.
Here’s a rundown of some options for worksheets to help your children master how to write like a pro.
Montessori Print Handwriting Worksheets
The Montessori method emphasizes teaching handwriting even before kids learn to read. With this technique, you can use worksheets that are more focused on letter printing.
According to the Montessori method, children learn more by tracing and shaping letters. This means as kids learn how to write, their brains assimilate letter recognition faster, and eventually, they’ll master how to read much quicker.
Montessori handwriting worksheets typically start with simple pattern tracing and then progress to letter tracing and shaping.
Remember to teach the letter sounds as well. Teaching these at this stage helps their brains to develop the connection between the sound and letter for future reading.
D’Nealean Handwriting Practice Charts
Teaching handwriting with the D’Nealean handwriting practice worksheets allows kids to learn a much simpler version of cursive. This helps them to grasp the differences in the letter shapes faster than they would with print handwriting.
The D’Nealean method is especially helpful for kindergarten grade learners between the ages of four and six. That’s because traditional print letters like b, d and p, and q tend to be difficult to tell apart for little readers and writers.
But with the slight cursive style of the D’Nealean format, it becomes easier for kids to tell the difference without the complicated connections of full cursive handwriting.
Once your children figure out how to tell each letter apart, it helps them take their reading grade up, much earlier, which translates to better performance in the future.
Cursive Handwriting Worksheets
Cursive handwriting worksheets follow the tried and tested method of writing practice which can still hold its own in modern-day teaching.
Cursive writing has been known to:
- Improve writing skills
- Help kids learn how to become better spellers
- Develop better sentence construction skills
When you introduce cursive handwriting worksheets to kids as early as kindergarten, you help set them up for success.
This is because cursive handwriting helps develop the parts of the brain that connect the visual and tactile information, which goes a long way in improving literacy levels for kids later on in life.
Jolly Phonics Handwriting Worksheets
The jolly phonics style focuses on songs and stories to teach letter sounds and reading. However, it also promotes letter formation through tracing to improve handwriting skills.
It groups the letters of the alphabet and introduces kids between the ages of 3 and 6 to 42 letter sounds. Children are taught each group separately to avoid overwhelming young children.
It’s different from the traditional alphabet because it doesn’t follow the regular alphabet order.
Instead of the usual A, B, C, Ds, the jolly phonics method groups the letters differently. For instance, one group teaches the letters S, A, T, P, I, N together.
You can teach the jolly phonics letter groups in any order as long as you go group by group.
So you’ll need handwriting practice worksheets for each group.
Multisensory Handwriting Practice Worksheets
Multisensory worksheets take on a sensory approach to learning. This method of handwriting practice involves teaching kids through the use of their auditory, kinaesthetic, tactile, visual, and olfactory senses.
A multi-sensory worksheet won’t just list the letters for tracing or provide a space to write or copy. Instead, it allows for all the senses to come into play to create and trace.
For instance, this free practice printable handwriting worksheet gives kindergarten kids the chance to trace and then create some artwork on the letter printed.
Rather than simply color in, they can use playdough, stick grains on the letter dots, or paste some straws on the dotted lines.
By activating all the senses, the brain coordinates smoothly, which helps the kids get a handle on their writing and reading.
Helping Young Children With Handwriting Practice
Regardless of your approach, using a handwriting worksheet allows your kids ample time to play around with the letters until they understand how to write all on their own.
Plus, using a printable handwriting worksheet saves you lots of prep time for your daily writing practice.
There’s no right or wrong way to teach penmanship skills to your little ones at home. Choose a method that feels comfortable for you and your child depending on their grade and level of understanding.
Most importantly, let your children lead. If your kids like messy crafts, sensory writing learning worksheets can help them grasp faster. On the other hand, if your little ones prefer music and dance, the jolly phonics approach may be better for them.
This free writing practice ebook from Purple Ladybug combines worksheets based on different methods of teaching like phonics and cursive.
It has a wide range of letter practice activities like print and cursive to give your child a feel of different styles, which is ideal for figuring out what works best for your kids.
Regardless of how you choose to teach penmanship and which worksheets you opt to use, remember that children need maximum encouragement to thrive. One of the best ways to encourage your kids is to praise every little effort, however far from the mark it may be.
Use different ways to motivate your kids like:
- Hanging their completed handwriting worksheets on the refrigerator
- Making a fuss about it, for instance, sending pics to grandma or posting on social media
- Making handwriting practice fun
Consider getting stickers as little rewards to motivate and encourage your little ones to keep trying their best.
Check out this enormous collection of fun Purple Ladybug stickers in an assortment of colors. You can use them to reward your little five-star writers in the making with lots of stars or smiley faces for a job well done.
While you’re there, be on the lookout for an extensive collection of educational craft supplies for your homeschool activities.
Go to Purple Ladybug today for everything you need to lay a solid educational foundation for your little ones.
