Handwriting

[Masers]

Which curriculum do you like best for handwriting, and why?

I’ve only used Handwriting Without Tears, which has been fine, but just wondering if there is anything better out there? Or are they all basically the same? 🤪

Thanks!

[MomN]

I like Handwriting Without Tears for younger grades.  I don't like it for cursive.  I also like Universal Handwriting and Zaner-Bloser.  I did not like The Good and the Beautiful.  Honestly though, I haven't loved any handwriting program.  For me, they are all basically the same.

[Masers]

17 minutes ago, MomN said:

I like Handwriting Without Tears for younger grades.  I don't like it for cursive.  I also like Universal Handwriting and Zaner-Bloser.  I did not like The Good and the Beautiful.  Honestly though, I haven't loved any handwriting program.  For me, they are all basically the same.

Thanks! What didn’t you like about TGATB? I was considering that one! Haha. I figured they were all about the same, but my boys do not enjoy their handwriting and I wondered if there was something “better“ out there I was missing. 😜 Just something they’ll have to get through, I guess! My oldest did the cursive book this year. He can copy, but has trouble remembering how to form the letters if the example isn’t right there in front of him.

[MomN]

Mine has trouble forming the letters in cursive too if the example isn't in front of him. 

I initially purchased TGATB because they have some drawing pages that might say, "Daw a rain shower."  I knew my son would like that, but I specifically didn't like the tracing exercises - it used dotted-lined letters and it just didn't work well for us.  My son would always ask to skip pages.  It might just be me, but it was the only book we never finished.  If I had to pick among all of them, I like Universal Handwriting the best just because of formatting.  The pages look nice.  But like I said, they all really are very similar. 

[Masers]

4 minutes ago, MomN said:

Mine has trouble forming the letters in cursive too if the example isn't in front of him. 

I initially purchased TGATB because they have some drawing pages that might say, "Daw a rain shower."  I knew my son would like that, but I specifically didn't like the tracing exercises - it used dotted-lined letters and it just didn't work well for us.  My son would always ask to skip pages.  It might just be me, but it was the only book we never finished.  If I had to pick among all of them, I like Universal Handwriting the best just because of formatting.  The pages look nice.  But like I said, they all really are very similar. 

Thanks! I’ll check it out!

[BusyMom5]

My favorite is McRuffy handwriting- its 2 copywork sentences a day.  I used to get it from RR, but in the last 2 years they went to only selling directly from their own website- with $7 shipping.   I'm currently the market for a new program bc that's nuts!  If I used their other programs,  it might make sense.  As it is, I just want the handwriting. 

[Masers]

1 hour ago, BusyMom5 said:

My favorite is McRuffy handwriting- its 2 copywork sentences a day.  I used to get it from RR, but in the last 2 years they went to only selling directly from their own website- with $7 shipping.   I'm currently the market for a new program bc that's nuts!  If I used their other programs,  it might make sense.  As it is, I just want the handwriting. 

Thanks! I just looked at it...looks good!

[Msweetpea2]

My kiddos actually love TGATB handwriting. They ask for it every day 😂 I think because it has something fun to draw and/or color, but also I like the size progression from larger to smaller and my DS8 is making strides in penmanship because of it... Obviously, YMMV - the dotted lines really helped my kids feel confident before writing 'on their own', but I'm sure some kids wouldn't like that. (Just like some kids don't want colorful, art stuff and would rather just get straight to point of writing letters.) Hope you find what works best! ❤️

[Masers]

1 hour ago, Msweetpea2 said:

My kiddos actually love TGATB handwriting. They ask for it every day 😂 I think because it has something fun to draw and/or color, but also I like the size progression from larger to smaller and my DS8 is making strides in penmanship because of it... Obviously, YMMV - the dotted lines really helped my kids feel confident before writing 'on their own', but I'm sure some kids wouldn't like that. (Just like some kids don't want colorful, art stuff and would rather just get straight to point of writing letters.) Hope you find what works best! ❤️

Thanks so much. 🙂

I like the look of it. It wouldn’t appeal to my oldest...I’m going to stick with HWOT for him. But I think my younger two would enjoy it. My preschooler hasn’t done handwriting yet, so I was just thinking about him for next year...do I want to stick with HWOT or try something new. Looks like there are a few options to consider! I appreciate the input! 🙂

[Ellie]

Zaner Bloser. It first teaches the different strokes used, providing lots of practice writing them, then it teaches the letters which use each of the strokes, with lots of practice writing them. The children don't try to figure out how a letter should be written by looking at a picture or by tracing.

[Masers]

8 hours ago, Ellie said:

Zaner Bloser. It first teaches the different strokes used, providing lots of practice writing them, then it teaches the letters which use each of the strokes, with lots of practice writing them. The children don't try to figure out how a letter should be written by looking at a picture or by tracing.

Nice. Thanks! Sounds like it would be beneficial!

[simplyalethia]

Rod and Staff/Pentime Handwriting. You can find them on milestone books. They're effective yet simple.

[Masers]

2 hours ago, simplyalethia said:

Rod and Staff/Pentime Handwriting. You can find them on milestone books. They're effective yet simple.

Thanks! Looks like there are more good options than I originally thought!

[Ellie]

9 hours ago, simplyalethia said:

Rod and Staff/Pentime Handwriting. You can find them on milestone books. They're effective yet simple.

FYI, Rod and Staff doesn't publish Pentime. I haven't been able to find the publisher yet. Rod and Staff Publishers has its own penmanship series, Penmanship for Christian Writing.

Milestone Ministries does a good job of retailing materials from publishers like Rod and Staff who tend not to have their own websites (R&S doesn't, for example). But Milestone doesn't always include the nitty gritty details, such as who the actual publisher is. 🙂

[Servant4Christ]

I detest the new age ball and stick letters in most handwriting curriculum. Oldest DS struggled so much with it that I printed a copy of the D'Nealian alphabet and cut/pasted the letters over the ball and stick letters in his CLE workbooks. I taught him how to use the directional arrows and then taped a copy of the alphabet (with arrows) on his desk as a reference. He thought it was so cool that the letters I taught had tails 😂

Edited March 11, 2021 by Servant4Christ