Helping from Home: Name Writing

As you work with your child at home on writing his/her name, remember these 5 tips:

1) Supervise your child. Make sure they are using the correct pencil grip and not practicing a bad habit; muscle memory takes many repetitions.

2) "No letter, ever ever ever, starts at the bottom" - our chant when we forget to start a letter from the top.

3) Use an uppercase letter only at the beginning of your name.

4) Use the primary lined paper and encourage your child to "use the lines" as they write.

5) Writing is a process. We want to teach the correct techniques, letter formation, and pencil grip, but we don't want to overwhelm the child. I suggest practicing name-writing for a couple minutes each night with a positive attitude and lots of encouragement. If your child is frustrated, skip a night!

Pencil Grip Song

(to the tune of Twinkle Twinkle)

Pencil led is facing me 

(lay pencil down flat on table with pencil led facing toward child and eraser facing away)

I pinch the tip and lift to see.

(Pinch the pencil toward the led end and lift it - led facing down, eraser facing up)

Is it tired? It might be.

(Look at pencil to see if it is tired...shrug shoulders)

So I lay it down to sleep.

Take opposite hand's pointer finger and tilt the eraser end back toward wrist, setting the pencil in correct pencil grip position)

Pencil steady, now I'm ready.

Watch me as I write neatly!

Click here to familiarize yourself with the Developmental Stages of Writing.
Click here for Fine Motor and Letter Writing practice ideas for home.
Click here to generate your own Handwriting Worksheets for FREE.
         (I recommend using your child's name and having them complete one practice page each night until the skill is mastered.)