Handwriting for 4/5 year old?

I don’t know if it really matters what materials you use as much as your approach to it. I pushed my dd too hard, too soon with handwriting when she was 4.5 and it was a fight to get her to do it for a long time. Thankfully, no permanent damage there, she enjoys writing now, but in retrospect I wish I had started a little more slowly/casually/as she was interested. My son is 4 now and just starting to show interest in writing, so we are taking a very slow, casual, interest led approach to it. I printed off some simple handwriting sheets for for him, placed them into one of those presentation folders with plastic sleeves to make him a ‘handwriting book’, and we use dry erase markers to practice in it. Usually I’ll have him trace the model with his finger, then I’ll model how to write the letter, and then he tries it on his own next to what I’ve written. We do one, or maybe two letters in each sitting, depending on what he’s interested. So far this is working well for us. At this point it it most important to me to model the correct strokes from him from the beginning so he doesn’t develop bad habits, and to keep it light and fun since he is young and has lots of time.

HTH some,

Jen

We use the ETC books for that age.  My 5yo is still working through the ETC primers.  I like that it doubles as phonics and handwriting!  If that’s too much, many children like to “write” letters in a tray of rice, sand, applesauce, pudding, etc.  They get the letter strokes down without having to hold a pencil (and they usually find it fun).  😉

For first grade, I add a bit of copywork and keep it around 5-10 minutes of writing.  They start with a poem line per day and work up to a stanza a day (or more) as they are able.   If they are doing a notebook page or other writing, I’ll often have my 1st/2nd grader skip the copywork.  I’ve noticed my DS doesn’t write as well as DD which seems fairly common for young boys.  I keep an eye on DS and try to make sure he’s not getting too frustrated with writing…some days he’s capable of more writing than other days.  

ETA:  My DC also enjoy making their own books.  They love to draw and will go back and add words to their pictures.  It’s a fun way to get them writing (and they don’t consider it “school”).  

DS is 5 and easily gets frustrated trying to write, but he wants to learn so badly. We are using HWT, starting with some preliminary activities using the hands-on things before putting it to pencil and paper. He is enjoying it a lot!

HWT is a miracle!  Neither of my boys are great with fine motor skills and my 6 year old has just terrible handwriting.  My 5 year old can write his name, but not all that legibly.  We just started HWT and they both LOVE it and are improving by leaps and bounds!!!  I mean, I’m absolutely amazed.  I was dreading handwriting this year and was really beginning to worry if there was something seriously wrong. We are just starting our 4th week of school and I can’t believe how far they’ve both come so far.  It seems like people either like it or hate it, but I definitely love it.

I would say you could get by with just the workbooks.  I just sat down one day and read through the teacher’s manual or whatever it is called (I was given the teacher’s manuals and a bunch of the paper by a friend) and haven’t looked at it since.  I just cut out out my own “mat man” pieces and we just did that once.  Really, a lot of it you can just do on your own.  Just cut out shapes on cardboard, get your own little chalk board, dry erase, etc.  Use shaving cream to write in, a wet finger on the chalk board, a cookie sheet of sand.