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typing & 5yo
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Ds5 is a reluctant writer. We get into a battle of wills at least once a week about something related to handwriting. Sometimes he acts like he doesn’t know how to make the letter (I know he does). Sometimes he doesn’t want to do anything I suggest. I tried formal copywork last week, but it didn’t work. Dh thinks I should teach him typing. I think he’s too young yet. I know the SCM guide suggests fourth grade. I know I have until May or June for him to master the kindergarten standard of writing his name legibly (probably on kindergarten tablet paper). Should I teach him typing or continue what I’m doing?
Thanks,
Karen
Hi Karen,
I haven’t been blessed with a son, but my friends with boys have had similar issues. They just hold off a few weeks or more and begin again. I have seen some public school kindergarten writing and the legible part seems to be a matter of opinion.
Don’t stress…like you said you have some time. Just another thought…would sidewalk chalk be an option or even tracing in a sand box? I still like to play with sidewalk chalk myself and so do my girls – even the 14 year old! The neighbors on our street get to view all sorts of masterpieces when they walk or drive by our house.
Enjoy this time…he will be writing before you know it! HTH!
Blessings,
Lori
We use sidewalk chalk occasionally, sometimes even on the inside chalkboard instead of the little white chalk. We used cornmeal for awhile, but it seemed unnecessary. After all, he knows how to make the letters. Shaving cream is out of the question–dh would have a fit! He plays with play dough every now and then, but it’s the store bought kind, not enough to make a lot of letters with. (I think homemade playdough is better for that). Maybe he could help me make some. I have a clothespin game I made for dd2, but she’s not old enough for it yet. The few times I’ve gotten it out, ds is more interested in it, but I thought that game was more for 3-4 year olds. Maybe get that out sometime, provided he knows to put it away as soon as he’s finished. (We have a problem in that area).
Hey Karen,
I also have a 5 yr ds, and he doesn’t care to much for writing his letters (he doesn’t know how to write all of them). What I do is put a penmenship worksheet (the ABC’s and 1-10) in a page protector and let him use dry erase markers/wet erase markers(note WEM are messy). He normally does just a few letters at a time. BUT it’s still practice.
He likes to use a different color each day.My ds also likes to “type” on the computer. Someone here at SCM suggested Dance Mat Typing..a free online typing program..my older dc like to use it and it seems to be thorough. Well recently DS (5yrold) says he wants to try. So I let him. I haven’t really watched him so I don’t know how well he is doing but he says he has passed several stages and seems to really work hard at it. So you can always start there and see how he does. IT”s FREE so that is a bonus. The program itself is sort of silly but hey it works and keeps their attention.
Blessings,
Shelly
Worksheets or anything with lines throws him into “I can’t, you have to help me” mode. Without lines, he makes his letters about three inches high, and of course doesn’t keep it straight. I keep telling myself I have plenty of time. Maybe that’s all we need. We’re only halfway through the first semester; we have until May or June of next year.
When they are ready, I highly recommend starting with cursive and skipping print. It is much easier for the kids to form the letters and there aren’t the reversal and spacing issues. My ds who is 5 is doing great with it, but he was ready to learn. Some may not be ready until 6 or 7 years old. Sometimes the gift of time is all that is needed.
Background – My dd learned to print at about 4 yo and asked for cursive at 6. I taught her in a couple of months and her comment was, “Mommy, this is so much easier. Why didn’t you teach me this from the beginning?” So I started to research and discovered that ALL school kids were taught cursive beginning in 1st grade until the 1950s or 60s in America and that they still are taught that way in many countries. (I love old, tried and true methods!) This has several benefits – neater cursive, more fluent writing, ability to read cursive, fewer bad habits, etc. as I learned about. It is also harder for them to write on giant lined paper. I start w/ whatever is the 2nd/3rd grade paper and it works great; they are then writing and not drawing the letters.
I can recommend 2 programs that I have used successfully – Cursive First (teacher book w/ master sheets to copy) and Pencil Pete (software that patiently demos over and over how to form letters). My ds uses pencil pete and he’s learned about 18 letters so far and they are beautiful!
Just an idea,
Christie
PS – I was the one (or one of the ones) who suggested Dance Mat Typing and my 8 yo dd loves it, but I don’t let my 5 yo do it yet, so I have no opinion on that.
Don’t stress…like you said you have some time. 
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