What to do next: handwriting for a 4 yo?

[weddell]

My dd, 4.5 years old right now, learned her uppercase letters doing a Kumon workbook starting when she was about 3.5. She was desperate to write, but didn't really like learning it. She enjoys writing now that she knows her letters. We have done numbers and now are doing lowercase letters. Again, she hates sitting down and learning the letters but she complains to me about how she doesn't know how to write lowercase letters and wishes she could.

 

I chose the Kumon books before I knew anything about handwriting curriculum or even started reading about homeschooling, so I'm not overly attached to them, it was just what I knew about at the time.

 

Should I continue? It is a struggle to get her to practice handwriting or learn lowercase (we're talking 5-10 minutes a day--nothing more). But she really wants to know how to write and keeps trying to get me to teach her cursive too. Is there an inexpensive handwriting program that would be more effective than what we are currently doing? She does know her uppercase letters so some of the kindergarten programs I've seen that focus on learning those letters wouldn't be appropriate. She just needs practice with those (to remember the proper forms and to work on neatness) and to finish lowercase. I also don't want her to lose the skills so I want to continue with short review. She does write some on her own as well so that helps. She reads decently (probably k-1st level) so would some copywork from an easy reader be appropriate practice? She's only 4 so I don't want to go crazy, just keep up with the skills she already has and teach her what she wants to know without making her hate it in the process.

[MaMa2005]

Have you checked out A Reason for Handwriting - http://www.areasonfor.com/

 

DS completed HWOT and then we moved onto A Reason for Handwriting. He enjoys it and we have noticed a vast improvement in his handwriting since starting this program.

[kmacnchs]

HWT has a K book that teaches Upper & Lower case.

 

You could just save time & $$$ by buying kindergarten writing paper. All you need to do is write a letter and leave a space for her to write the letter, etc. Read what they have to say in WTM about writing letters - it will explain why this is better than writing a letter and letting the child write 10 letters after that.

 

Once you have done all the letters, just review the ones she has trouble with using the same method. Also practice copying words (spacing).

 

Once she knows most of her lower case letters, have her copy sentences you write. There is no need to spend bunches of $$$ imo.

[Tracy]

We finished Kumon when my dd was about the same age as yours. We picked up with copywork that I make at http://www.worksheetworks.com/english/writing/handwriting.html. I use sentences from books that I know she likes, and that helps her to be motivated to do it. I only give her what she can do in 5-10 minutes, tops. I prefer doing this over using a program, because I can alter the length of the assignment to suit her needs, and I can throw in spelling words and sentences with varying punctuation, which makes it more interesting to her.

[Ali in OR]

You might consider getting Startwrite software or something like it where you can design whatever you want. She could learn to right her name, family members' names, words for things she commonly uses, etc. My dd learned to write her name in cursive at an early age because she really wanted to do that (and her name is really easy in cursive). Now I'm using it to make cursive worksheets for her that are a bit easier than RFH T (our usual handwriting program). Startwrite has been useful for bridging gaps. You can choose font size, cursive or print, print a word in light gray or dashed for tracing, etc.

 

I will also add that writing will get less frustrating in a year or so. I wouldn't push it at this point, but with the software you could give her just enough to satisfy that urge to write.

[Guest RecumbentHeart]

You can print out free coloring tracers online from either Starfall.com or JanBrett.com (or plenty of other places really, those are just two that I use enough to know the links for). Besides those I just write letters and words on paper for DS to copy.

 

Perhaps she'd prefer learning and practicing the letter formation if she was drawing with her finger in sand or perhaps painting or some other creative idea I'm not good at coming up with and once she's learned it she can then incorporate it into her own writing as she pleases.

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

I second the recommendation for a reason for handwriting (you would want to start with K I believe-- that is toward the bottom of the list)

 

Handwriting without tears is more multisensory though so maybe that would work better for her.

[greenmamma]

I really like HWT also. We are finishing our first year of HSing and just discovered it. My kids do well with the short lessons and don't get bogged down by having to practice a letter 42 times :rolleyes:

[weddell]

Thanks for the suggestions. I was looking at HWT and wondering if it would be good idea. I mostly wasn't sure if the K level would be appropriate because I doubt she would want to do the manipulative stuff since she mostly knows her letters. On the other hand, I have a 1.5 year old who in a few years could use the program so if I bought the teacher's manual now, I could reuse it then. Maybe I could get the k and level 1 now and figure out where we are.

 

This morning we did some handwriting in the morning rather than during the 1 year old's nap and that really helped her attitude. So maybe time of day is part of my problem.

[Caribbean Queen]

Look at HWT first grade program.

[*Jen*]

If she already knows all her uppercase letters I would look at the HWT 1st grade printing book. It does a quick review of the uppercase and then moves into the lowercase letters. It is what I am going to use with my 5 y.o this summer.

[Lightly Salted]

If she already knows all her uppercase letters I would look at the HWT 1st grade printing book. It does a quick review of the uppercase and then moves into the lowercase letters. It is what I am going to use with my 5 y.o this summer.

 

Yes, my DS breezed through HWT K in a few months and could have easily gone into 1 instead.